Funerals: Everything Nobody Tells You | With Poppy Mardell

Most of us don’t think about funerals until we’re forced to.

And by then we’re expected to make some of the biggest decisions of our lives whilst barely able to think straight.

This week Rosie is joined by funeral director Poppy Mardell, founder of Poppy’s Funerals, for one of the most practical, eye-opening conversations we’ve ever had on Widowed AF.

Together they dismantle the myths surrounding death, funerals and grief, exploring why so many of us feel rushed, overwhelmed and completely unprepared when someone dies.

They discuss why the funeral industry remains unregulated, why there often isn’t the urgency we’re led to believe, and how reclaiming time and choice can make an enormous difference to grieving families.

Rosie and Poppy also talk about seeing the person who has died, whether children should attend funerals, the importance of ritual (whether you’re religious or not), and why wakes might be one of the most important parts of saying goodbye.

They also look to the future of funerals, from direct cremation and natural burials to water cremation, human composting and what really happens to thousands of unclaimed ashes.

Whether you’re recently bereaved, supporting someone who is, or simply want to feel less afraid of talking about death, this is an episode everyone should hear.

In this episode:

• How Poppy went from Sotheby’s to founding one of the UK’s most progressive funeral companies

• Why the funeral industry is still unregulated — and why that matters

• The myth that funerals have to happen quickly

• Why seeing the body can help us “see to believe” — for adults and children alike

• Practical ways to include children in funerals without overwhelming them

• Creating meaningful farewells that genuinely reflect the person who has died

• Why rituals matter, even if you have no faith

• Direct cremation, natural burial, water cremation and human composting explained

• What happens to unclaimed ashes — and why the law is finally changing

As always, if this episode resonated with you, please consider leaving a review or sharing it with someone who might need it. It really does help more grieving people find the podcast.