Founder of Precious Memories, training lifecasters since 2004
I’m Glenda, a lifecasting mentor in Dorset. Some students come to me wanting something of their own that fits around family life.
Others arrive when the children have grown and they’re wondering what comes next. Many work in hospices, healthcare or pet care, or already run a business, and want to add lifecasting properly.
I understand every one of those starting points, and I’ve been in a few myself. Since 2004 I’ve created lifecasting and keepsake pieces for babies, families, pets and bereaved families. Now I teach others to do the same, one to one, in my private studio.
Rated 5.0 from 125+ reviews on Tripadvisor, and a Travellers’ Choice Award winner in 2024 and 2025.
What Makes My Training Different
- Private and one to one. The day is built around you, not a group.
- Real babies and pets. I arrange live models, and my own dogs have modelled for me for years. You learn with the real thing.
- Flexible around your life. Dates, pace and structure can bend, because family life rarely runs to a timetable.
- 20+ years, and still working. What I teach comes from the pieces I’m making for real clients now.
- Free support for life. Message me by WhatsApp or email whenever you need to, long after your training day.
How Lifecasting Found Me
Becoming a lifecasting mentor wasn’t where I started. When my daughter was born, everything changed. I wanted flexibility, a sense of purpose and a way to contribute financially without missing the moments that mattered most.
Then I discovered lifecasting. The creativity drew me in. So did the emotion behind it, turning a tiny hand into something you can keep forever.
Starting out in 2004 meant figuring it out largely on my own. There was no social media, no online communities and no tutorials. I had nobody to ask.
I learned through mistakes and persistence. That’s why I want you to understand not just what to do, but why you’re doing it.
Confidence didn’t come easily to me growing up. Bullying made school difficult, and retaking exams knocked me back. Those years taught me resilience, empathy and patience, and I bring all three to my teaching.
So if you’re not sure you can do this, that’s a very normal place to start. Many students arrive feeling exactly the same.
Over the years, my work has grown far beyond baby castings. I now teach baby hand casting, advanced lifecasting and raised hand and foot impressions. There’s also airbrushing, belly casting, jewellery, pet casting, paw print tiles and memorial lifecasting.
How I Teach as a Lifecasting Mentor
I can show you how I work and share the mistakes I’ve learned from. Your business, your style and your clients will still be your own.
One of my students, Lou, put it better than I could.
“Glenda didn’t try to turn me into a copy of her. She helped me become better at being me and showed me how I could take these skills and make them work for my own business.”
That’s what a good lifecasting mentor should do. It should give you enough knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions for yourself.
Who Trains With a Lifecasting Mentor
People come from every background. Some are mums building something flexible around their children. Others are career changers, photographers, groomers or business owners adding a new service.
Hospice and healthcare staff, pet specialists and funeral directors train here too. There is no typical student.
This business was built around small children, so I understand that pull. I understand the empty nest too, that strange feeling of wondering what comes next. And if you’re short on confidence, you’ll be in good company.
I remember one student who sat in her car for ten minutes before knocking. Today she runs a thriving business and has even trained others herself.
Ramisha arrived with no previous experience. After two days, she left ready to open her own business.
“Thanks to Glenda’s training, I am now in a position to officially open my own business, @cbc_keepsakes – Chapter By Chapter Keepsakes, and take on my very first real customers!”
Students have travelled here from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Norway, India, Tanzania, Germany, Latvia, Poland, Cyprus, Jersey, Spain and Los Angeles. I love to travel myself, so I know what it takes to come to Dorset. If you’re weighing it all up, I’ve written about a creative career for women.
One side effect. “Love to travel” now appears twice on the page, here and in the “Outside the studio” paragraph. I’d keep it in section 4, where it links to your students’ journeys, and change the last section’s paragraph to:
Outside the studio, life is quieter. I’ve been married for 25 years. Pickle has been part of countless pet training days and student stories, and Legend, Crumble and Phoebe modelled before her. Then there’s the Dorset coast and the local gym, because running a business takes plenty of energy.
Training Doesn’t End When You Leave
One of the things I’m proudest of is the relationships I’ve built with students. Many have become genuine friends.
Sometimes they have a question about something they’ve tried, and sometimes they’re working with their first client.
One student trained with me nine years ago. Recently, she got back in touch because she needed help with a memorial pet casting. She knew she could ask, and I was still here.
That’s what lifetime support means to me. It’s free, by WhatsApp or email, for as long as you need it.
Aislinn, after her three-day course, described it this way.
“What truly sets Glenda apart is the incredible post-training support—she continues to offer guidance, encouragement, and answers long after the course ends.”
And one more thing, because nobody else will say it. Looking after yourself matters.
Building something sustainable means taking care of the person building it. I talk about that with every student who needs to hear it.
Why I Still Love Being a Lifecasting Mentor
There is something very special about seeing the change during a training day. Someone arrives nervous, unsure they will be able to do it.
Then they start practising, and something clicks. By the end of the day, they’re looking at what they’ve created and thinking: “I actually made that!”
That’s the part I never get tired of. I’m proud of the awards and the reviews, of course. However, what means more to me is seeing students develop skills they can make their own.
Outside the studio, life is quieter. I’ve been married for 25 years, and I love to travel. Pickle has been part of countless pet training days , and Legend, Crumble and Phoebe my previous dogs modelled before her. Then there’s the Dorset coast and the local gym, because running a business takes plenty of energy.
If you’re thinking about training with me, you don’t need to have everything figured out first. Tell me what you’d like to learn, where you’re starting from and what you’d like to achieve.
I’ll tell you honestly which training would suit you. If I’m not the right person, I’ll tell you that too.
Most training days are £550, and each course page shows exactly what’s included. That first message costs nothing, and there’s no pressure.
Glenda
Founder of Precious Memories
Dorset, UK