Funeral arranger to run 5k per day for Dying Matters in May

Funeral Partners has announced that its newly-appointed funeral arranger, Jenny Rufus, is set to take on a running challenge in May to raise awareness of the Dying Matters campaign. 

Rufus, who is based at Bexley Funeral Service in Southeast London, is planning to run 5km on each day of the month in an attempt to get people talking about the nationwide Hospice UK campaign. 

She is also raising money for Holding On Letting Go, a Rochester-based charity which provides support for children and families who are experiencing bereavement. 

Rufus said: “Even though I am new to the role, it’s already clear that this is such an important campaign, and we need to reduce the stigma of talking about death. The charity is a local one to our funeral home, and it obviously links in perfectly to the aims of Hospice UK and their initiative. 

“I know 5km a day is a big ask, but I never want to do things by half. My partner completed a similar challenge in 2023 for Mind, raising hundreds of pounds, so I know it’s possible, and the impact it can have.”

Rufus began her role as a funeral arranger at Funeral Partners earlier this year, having previously worked at Crayford Dog Track before it closed and said she was loving her new career choice.

She added: “It was something I was always interested in, so when I saw the job advertised I thought it was the perfect opportunity. So far, I’m absolutely loving it – people who know me say I am like a different person already because I am enjoying my work so much.

“From the outside, you don’t realise all the intricacies involved in planning a funeral, and all the little things you can do to make the day exactly as the family wants it.”