THE AUTHOR of a funeral self-help book has donated more than £1,000 to a Leeds bereavement charity after pledging to give all the proceeds to good causes.

Sarah Jones, author of Funerals Your Way and founder of Guiseley funeral directors Full Circle Funerals, has given the money raised by sales during 2021 to The Swan Song Project.

The project helps people dealing with grief to write and record an original song in memory of someone who has died.

Sarah said: “Creating a song is a very special way of honouring someone and processing grief.

"The Swan Song Project make this accessible to anyone, even if they have no previous musical or writing experience, and the concept fits well with my aims when writing the book, which were to allow people to explore bereavement in a way that feels right for them and the person who has died.”

Ben Buddy Slack of The Swan Song Project said: “We can’t thank Sarah enough for her support, both financially and by being such an enthusiastic ambassador for the work we do.

“The money raised will help us to work with more people to use music and song as an uplifting and personal way to remember someone they have lost.”

Sarah recently launched the second edition of Funerals Your Way, which has been updated with additional chapters about green funerals and funerals in the digital age, both of which have gained increased importance to people over the last few years.

There is also extra information to help people to care for themselves after bereavement, beyond the funeral day itself. The book is available at The Grove bookshop in Ilkley.

Sarah, a former NHS surgeon who worked in Edinburgh and Glasgow, said: “Raising awareness about how people can look after themselves and each other after bereavement has never been more important than it is now.”

Her work with specialists at the universities of York and Bradford has focused on understanding what is important to people when planning a funeral and Funerals Your Way provides people with the information that they need to ensure that their needs are better met.

Sarah said: “The research into funeral experience and my own work as a funeral director in recent years has strengthened my belief that focusing on wellbeing during the planning of a funeral and in the months that follow can have a meaningful impact on individuals and communities.”