M.A. Mills trains staff to better support transgender clients
The sessions, led by funeral arranger Kaitlan Thompson, covered areas such as embalming, dressing and communication with clients and families
M.A. Mills Funeral Service has introduced specialist training to help staff better support transgender and gender non-conforming clients in arranging funerals that reflect their identity and wishes.
It comes as the East Midlands business has partnered with the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) to deliver training focused on practical and sensitive issues.
The sessions, led by funeral arranger Kaitlan Thompson, covered areas such as embalming, dressing and communication with clients and families.
According to M.A. Mills, the initiative aims to ensure that people from the transgender community feel “empowered and confident” when planning their own or a loved one’s funeral.
Thompson said: “It can be difficult to think ahead and plan for what might happen when we pass away for anyone, but particularly those, such as members of the transgender community, who have concerns around what their funeral will look like if they aren’t there to make any decisions.
“Even a document detailing your wishes, with your signature at the bottom, can provide enough information for a funeral director to arrange a funeral in line with your preferred choices and can provide vital peace of mind.”
Thompson also encouraged people to research funeral providers before choosing a plan, noting that most firms – including M.A. Mills – are bound by codes of practice through professional bodies such as the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) and the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD).
M.A. Mills launched this training in response to growing awareness of the need for inclusive services following a rise in hate crimes against transgender individuals. Police in England and Wales recorded 4,780 such offences in the year to March 2024.
Thompson added: “With the transgender community most prevalent in the 16 to 28 age group, we believe it’s our responsibility to ensure we are best equipped to support and guide everyone we serve. Everyone deserves a funeral that reflects who they are and how they identify.”
M.A. Mills operates four funeral homes across the East Midlands. The company was acquired by A.W. Lymn in 2023, and in January 2025 expanded by rebranding three former A.W. Lymn branches in Allenton, Cotmanhay and Aspley under the M.A. Mills name. Its original Radcliffe-on-Trent branch continues to operate.
