Under the spotlight

Welcome to our new feature “Under the Spotlight” – asking 20 questions for 2020! Throughout the year we will be getting to know the people that have been elected to sit on the ICCM Board of Directors.

This edition we are getting to know our President, Heather White, a little better…

1. Can you tell us how you started working within bereavement?

I had been working within Occupational Health for Southampton City Council on a part-time basis whilst my youngest child Fern was still in nursery school. I was browsing the council’s jobs and saw a vacancy for a “Technical Assistant” for bereavement services and thought it looked interesting, applied and was offered the position to start the next week. The bereavement administration was all undertaken from rooms above the Registry office in Southampton; “you will be working in the ‘dead centre’ of town” was the comment I was given from my work colleagues. I have never looked back since; it was definitely the best career decision I ever made.

2. Can you give us a brief outline on what you do in your role?

As the Service Manager/Registrar for bereavement, I am responsible and accountable for leading the cemeteries and crematorium teams for burials, cremations, scattering of remains, sale of memorials and PHA funerals. My role as the registrar is to ensure that all the burials and cremations are undertaken in accordance with legislation and regulations and to ensure that records are maintained – sounds just like a well worded job description  - in other words the buck stops here.

3. What do you find the most challenging?

Well recently delivering and ensuring that everyone understands all the different regulations that have been put into place during COVID 19. Before it would have been ensuring that the expectations of everyone who attends a funeral is met – however now that seems a really insignificant challenge, as we are dealing with that on a daily basis.

4. What made you apply for Deputy President?

I thoroughly enjoy all the posts that I have held within bereavement services including all the different challenges and I wanted to be able to bring the same enthusiasm and commitment that I show to my job to the ICCM. I have met a lot of wonderful people “my work family” and learnt a lot through the programme of education that the ICCM provide and I wanted to help to promote this, but also to show to everyone that we can all make a difference no matter what position you hold within the industry.

5. What are your impressions so far as an ICCM Board Director?

I enjoy the opportunity of being able to contribute in helping to make a difference to the industry by supporting ideas and ensuring that every one of my colleagues both from local authority and private crematoria and cemeteries are supported and informed equally.

6. What is the most interesting thing you are working on now?

Ummm COVID 19!! What was I working on before …. well the facelift of our crematorium building; we have lots of ideas and the money, we are now just waiting to get “back to normal” so we can proceed, and I cannot wait.

7. If there’s one thing you could change within the bereavement sector what would it be?

At the moment – lots of things and too many to list. I don’t think there is anything that I would really change as such, I think there are lots of things that local authority cemeteries and crematoria could do but are unable to achieve politically – however I think it would be nice if the sector as a whole was recognised more for the great services that they provide.

8. Do you want to be cremated or buried and why?

Oh I can answer that very easily – cremated – why? because as I am sure many of you know I really absolutely hate slugs and the thought of being stuck in the ground forever with them yeeek!!!

9. Who would you most like to swap places for a day with? It can be anyone

Other than a really rich millionaire so that me and Codge (my husband) could have a house on a tropical island, I think it would have to be one of my grandchildren, in particular my granddaughter Elsie-Mae so that I can sit and do nothing or play and be waited on by my daughter Fern – payback time 

10. What was the best thing that happened to you last week?

There was one day when I didn’t have any teleconference calls and I was able to leave work early and sit in the garden with a cool alcoholic drink.

11. What’s the one question you get asked the most at work?

Not one question in particular, but they always start with – “Are we allowed to …….”

12 What are you most looking forward to in the next 5 years?

Not particularly in the next 5 years, as it will mean I am getting closer and closer to retirement!! I am looking forward to being able to visit my mum and dad, my children, my grandchildren and my friends and give them all a huge big hug …. miss them all dreadfully. After that my holidays…….

13. What would be your first question if you woke up after being cryogenically frozen for a 100 years?

Is the lockdown over?

14. Who inspires you to be better?

My husband, who supports and encourages me with whatever I do.

15. What is one interesting fact about you that nobody could guess?

Now that is difficult, as I think I tell everyone everything about myself, for some of you it may have been the slug one earlier, however you may not know that I was in the Black and White Minstrels as a tap dancer – well Southern Black and White Minstrels anyway and I was only about 9.

16. If you had 24 hours left to live what would you do?

Definitely rush out and visit my family – practicing social distancing (obviously).

17. What do you wish you could tell yourself 10 years ago?

Make sure in late 2019 that you stock pile as many toilet rolls and hand sanitisers so that you have enough in 2020.

18. In the past people were buried with the items they would need in the afterlife, what would you want buried with you so you could use it in the afterlife?

My iPhone or maybe a gun!!

19. What topic could you give a 20 minute presentation on with no preparation?

Games to play with the grandchildren.

20. What would you want your epitaph to be?

She laughed, she loved and she lived.