Memorial Lifecasting Training UK

Everything Taught, From First Mould to Final Finish

This memorial lifecasting training is for hospice, NHS, funeral and bereavement professionals. You learn in my private studio in Dorset. I teach the whole process, from the first mould to the final finish. However, your plan depends on your experience, your workplace and your goals. Hospice and NHS teams have trained here in one or two days, and some students take all three. Every first conversation is informal and without obligation.

Memorial days £650 · Hand casting days £550 · Private 1:1 or small group · Lifetime support

Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2024 & 2025 · 5.0 from 125+ reviews · 20+ years’ experience

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Who I Have Trained

I have trained hospice, NHS and funeral teams across the UK. Each had its own procedures, budget and families to serve.

NHS bereavement teams, including Dorset County Hospital’s Fetal Medicine and Bereavement teams
Children’s hospices, including Hospice in the Weald and Birmingham Hospice
Funeral directors, supporting families who rely on calm, confident guidance
Palliative care teams, working with fragile skin and limited time
International professionals, who have travelled from Norway, Cyprus, India and beyond

Each team needed something different. For example, NHS teams needed workflows that fit hospital protocols. Hospices, meanwhile, worked within strict rules and charity budgets.

“In one day, Glenda guided us through the essentials and adapted the training to our hospital workflow and budget constraints. We left feeling confident and fully equipped to create sensitive, lasting keepsakes.”
Team Specialists, Dorset NHS Forget-Me-Not Bereavement Team

“Glenda was absolutely amazing. She was kind and patient but led by what would work best for our setting — a children’s hospice — allowing us to do memorial casts the way we knew would work best for our families. After 2 days we came away feeling much more confident and quite emotional that we were able to create such beautiful pieces for families going through such a difficult time.”
Chloe K, Children’s Hospice

Where to Start With Memorial Lifecasting Training

There are three ways in to the same training. We agree your days together in a conversation.

New to lifecasting: typically two hand casting days and a memorial day

Memorial work asks a lot of your hands and your confidence. So, where time and budget allow, I suggest starting with two hand casting days. Then we add a memorial-focused day built around your setting. These foundations give you steady hands, technical confidence and calm under pressure. In addition, I teach airbrushing on Day 2. If you only have two days, we plan them around what matters most for your setting. I will also tell you honestly what a third day would add. You never have to take it, and you can add it later.

Louise, who has worked in a hospice, recently completed all three days with me. The first two built her casting foundations. Then the third focused on memorial work for her setting.

“I travelled a long way from Ireland to train with Glenda, so choosing the right trainer was really important to me. One phone call with Glenda and instantly she stood out. She explained the why behind what we were doing and adapted the training around what I needed. I came home absolutely buzzing and kept looking at the work I’d created thinking, ‘I actually made that!’ What I really appreciated was that Glenda didn’t try to turn me into a copy of her. She helped me become better at being me.”
Louise, Forever Held By Lou, Ireland · read the full review

Already trained, or casting professionally: typically one or two memorial days

You may have trained elsewhere, learned on the job or completed online courses. Now you want hands-on training. You do not need to repeat what you already know. Instead, you send photos of your recent work and tell me about your setting before we meet. Then we agree what to refine, what to fix and what to add.

Sam, a children’s therapeutic practitioner from Birmingham Hospice, came to me having already cast for some time. She knew what her families needed and had specific challenges to work through. So we built the whole day around refining her technique and fixing the issues she had identified. We also adapted her workflow to her hospice. She left with a polished, confident approach tailored to the families she serves.

“I work at a hospice and have already completed many hand casts with patients and their families but I wanted to work on a more polished and professional finish. I learnt so much to take forward and share at work. Got lots of tips on technique which will mean I can begin to offer a better standard of work. Thank you Glenda — and please give Pickle the cockapoo a hug from me!”
Sam K, Children’s Therapeutic Practitioner, Hospice

Confident casting, but you want a better finish: typically £1,000

Some people cast well but want better finishing, repairs or colour. A memorial day (£650) can focus on exactly those skills. Also, you can add the half-day Airbrush Masterclass (£350) if you want airbrushing too.

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Everything You Can Learn in Memorial Lifecasting Training

Across the full route, I teach all of this. With fewer days, we focus on what your setting needs. I will also tell you honestly what your days cover.

Casting techniques

Hand and foot casting for infants, children and adults
Handclasp and family compositions
Complex multi-step castings
Safe mould-making and demoulding

Materials and skin

Which materials suit which situation, and how to mix and use them
Specialist materials for fragile skin and clinical settings
Why the wrong materials can cause irreversible damage
Skin considerations specific to bereavement work

Finishing

Refining, repairs, finishing and colour
Professional airbrushing, taught in full
Packaging and presentation

Working in your setting

Hospital, hospice and funeral home protocols
Staying calm and efficient when time is short and a family is present
Supporting families through the casting with sensitivity
Liaising professionally with funeral directors

Running the service

A workflow that suits your setting
Pricing and positioning your memorial service

Memorial Lifecasting Training Prices at a Glance

Training	Price
Memorial day	£650
Hand casting Day 1, foundations	£550
Hand casting Day 2, working with real clients, with airbrushing taught	£550
Day 3, advanced technique with a memorial focus	£650
Airbrush Masterclass, half day	£350
All three casting days booked together	£1,650

Book all three casting days together and save £100. That makes £1,650 instead of £1,750. Most people take one or two days. You never have to book more than you need.

What each option looks like

One day, £650: an experienced caster refining memorial technique and finish
One day with airbrushing, £1,000: a memorial day (£650) plus the half-day Airbrush Masterclass (£350)
Two days, £1,300: a hospice or NHS setting training around its own needs
Three days, £1,650 when booked together: for someone new to casting, or who trained online

The three-day route has two hand casting days, with airbrushing on Day 2. Then comes a third day with a memorial focus.

Each day includes private tuition, all materials and models. Plus, I tailor every day to your setting. You do not have to take all three days at once. If you book all three together, you pay 50% to secure your dates. The balance is due the week before your first training day, and you can take the third day later.

If you are booking for a team, tell me how many people are coming. Then we plan the days together.

Airbrushing and Your Setting

Finishing, colour and repairs are part of every memorial day. Full airbrush tuition is different, so it gets its own time. You learn it on Day 2 of the hand casting course. Alternatively, you can take the half-day Airbrush Masterclass at £350. If you have never used an airbrush, tell me and we will plan the time it needs.

Not every setting allows airbrushing, and many work to tight budgets. That is completely fine. Instead, I adapt the training to what your setting permits and can afford. As a result, you only learn what you can use.

Why Choose This Memorial Lifecasting Training

Most casting courses teach one method for one situation. Memorial work does not fit that pattern. For example, an infant on a neonatal unit needs different materials from an adult in a hospice. A funeral home arrangement needs something different again. So I teach you to adapt to your environment, your procedures and your budget.

My experience comes from training real UK hospice, NHS and funeral teams. Because of that, I know what those settings need. Before you arrive, you send photos of your recent work and tell me about your setting. As a result, no time goes on what you already know. This is not a general casting course with a memorial module added on.

Families also expect more than they used to. Many have seen on social media how beautiful a memorial piece can be. In my experience, that has raised expectations. It is also a big reason professionals now come to train in person.

This training helps with:

Using unsuitable materials for fragile or delicate skin
Inconsistent results when working outside a studio
Strict protocols and tight budgets
Confidence when families are present
Adapting technique for infants, elderly or medically complex subjects

What Students Say About Memorial Lifecasting Training

“Glenda delivered professional and practical lifecasting training. Her approach was calm, organised, and tailored to the sensitive nature of our work. We left confident to offer this service professionally.”
Sophie, Funeral Director

“We had been making mistakes and overspending on suppliers before training. Over two days, Glenda adapted every part of the course to our hospice environment, helping us follow strict rules and work within our budget. We now feel confident, supported, and capable of producing professional, meaningful memorial casts for families.”
Hayley & Laura, Hospice in the Weald

What You Take Home

The casts you create during training
Your Certificate of Completion
Memorial-specific supplier list, with exclusive supplier discounts
Step-by-step workflow adapted to your setting
Comprehensive notes and instructional videos
Lifetime WhatsApp support, so I am here whenever you need me

The Practical Bits

Hours: 9:30am to 3:30pm each day
Location: my private studio in Lytchett Matravers, Dorset. It is about 15 minutes from Poole and 30 minutes from Bournemouth, with free parking.
Dates: I arrange dates around your rota, so tell me the weeks that suit you.
Format: 1:1 or small group, tailored to your setting and team
Payment: a 50% deposit secures your dates, and the balance is due the week before your first training day. Invoices are available for organisations.
Travel: I can help with accommodation and transport for UK and international students.

Questions About Memorial Lifecasting Training

What is memorial lifecasting training?

It teaches you to create lasting keepsakes for families facing terminal illness, loss or bereavement. I adapt the techniques for infants, children and adults in sensitive, often clinical settings.

Will I learn everything I need from you?

Yes. Across the hand casting days, the memorial day and airbrushing, you can learn the whole process. That includes mould-making, finishing, repairs and airbrushing, all with real models. The days you take depend on what you already know and what your setting needs. I will tell you honestly what your days cover. Afterwards, lifetime WhatsApp support covers anything that comes up.

Do I need previous experience for memorial lifecasting training?

Not at all. If you are new, I recommend starting with hand casting where time allows, then moving to memorial work. However, if you already cast, we start from your current work instead.

I trained elsewhere. Will I have to repeat it?

Not necessarily. Send me photos of your recent work and tell me about your setting. Then we agree what to refine and what to add.

How many days of memorial lifecasting training will I need?

That depends on your experience, your setting and your goals. Hospice and NHS teams have trained here in one or two days, built around their setting. If you only have time or budget for two days, that can be a complete, focused route. I will tell you honestly what a further day would add. Meanwhile, you never have to book more than you need, and you can add days later.

Can I split the three days?

You can. Book the first two days and take the third later at £650. Alternatively, book all three together and save £100, which makes £1,650. In both cases, you pay 50% to secure your dates. The balance is due the week before your first training day.

Is airbrushing taught?

Yes, in full. If you are new to casting, I teach it on Day 2 of the hand casting course. For a single memorial day, you can add the Airbrush Masterclass, a half day at £350. Finishing, colour and repairs are part of every memorial day. However, if your setting does not allow airbrushing, I adapt the training to what it does allow.

Can you train my whole team?

Absolutely. I adapt each day to your team’s setting, protocols and budget. Tell me how many people are coming, and we plan the days together.

Why train in person rather than learn online?

Online courses teach the steps. Memorial work also depends on touch, timing and feedback on your own hands. That only comes from working with a trainer beside you. Therefore, I work with you on real casts in my studio.

Not Sure What You Need? Start With a Conversation

Tell me about your setting, your experience and what you want to achieve. It does not matter if you trained elsewhere or are unsure where to begin. I will tell you honestly what would help, and what you do not need. There is no obligation and no fixed package.

Invoices are available for organisations. Meanwhile, I arrange training dates around your schedule and your organisation’s needs. If you have dates in mind, mention them when you get in touch.

Memorial Lifecasting Training UK