SAIF National Education Day 2026
Date: Saturday 10 October 2026
Venue: Leicester Marriott Hotel, Smith Way, Grove Park, Leicester, LE19 1SW
Join members, their teams and colleagues from across the profession for practical learning, shared insight and conversation.
Take time away from the day-to-day to explore new ideas, hear from speakers and connect with people who understand independent funeral businesses.
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Why attend
- Gain practical insight to support your team and business with five hours Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Learn from speakers and colleagues across the profession
- Share experiences with other independent funeral directors
- Connect with fellow members and the wider SAIF community
The event is open to members, their teams and non-members.
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Prices
- SAIF members and associates £65 per person
- Non-members £80 per person
- Optional evening dinner £50 per person on Saturday 10 October
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Spaces are limited and booking is essential
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Book your place
Staying overnight
Bed and breakfast accommodation is available at the Leicester Marriott Hotel.
- Single occupancy £139
- Double occupancy £149
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Please call the hotel directly on 0116 282 0135 to arrange your stay.
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Programme and speakers
The funeral profession continues to change. Some developments are significant, while others reflect smaller shifts in how families choose to say goodbye.
Keeping up with change is not always easy. SAIF National Education Day will bring members and colleagues together to explore a range of topics, share practical guidance and help independent funeral directors respond with confidence.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet SAIF Associate members and organisations that support independent funeral businesses.
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Meet some of the speakers joining us this year. More will be announced soon.
Mark Wrigley
Head of Regulation at the Human Tissue Authority
Mark will offer insight into the origins of the Human Tissue Authority (HTA), its standards and guidance. The session will also cover security within establishments responsible for storing bodies and tissue.
Helen Chandler
General Manager at Kindly Earth
Helen and Andrew will discuss resomation in the UK, also known as alkaline hydrolysis or water cremation.
The session will consider how the process works and its place within the changing choices available to families.
Andrew Purves
Chief Operating Officer at William Purves Funeral Directors
Andrew and Helen will discuss resomation in the UK, also known as alkaline hydrolysis or water cremation.
The session will consider how the process works and its place within the changing choices available to families.
Chaplain Ahmed Alsisi
Founder of White Rose Funerals
Chaplain Ahmed is an author and the owner of White Rose Funerals in Cardiff. The session will explore the importance of funeral aftercare and continuing to support families after the funeral.
Tom Poynter
#HandledWithCare National Campaign Lead
Tom will share the latest developments from #HandledWithCare.
The national SAIF campaign supports awareness of the importance of informed, caring and professional funeral guidance for every family.
Fabiola Franco
SAIF Digital Marketing Lead
Fabiola will introduce SAIF’s new digital toolkit and explain how members can make use of the resources and assets available.
The session will also include an update on SAIF’s digital activity.
Thank you to our sponsors and commercial partners
We would like to thank our Platinum Sponsors and commercial partners for supporting SAIF National Education Day 2026.
Their support helps SAIF bring members and colleagues together for practical learning, shared knowledge and valuable conversation. Our commercial partners will also be exhibiting throughout the day, giving members the opportunity to meet their teams and learn more about the benefits and services available through SAIF membership.
SAIFInsure provides SAIF members with specialist insurance for funeral businesses, including products provided as part of SAIF membership, supported by a personal and responsive service.
Golden Charter is one of the UK’s largest funeral plan providers, with over 35 years’ experience supporting independent funeral directors and families.
Westerleigh, a SAIF Diamond Partner, operates more than 40 crematoria and cemeteries across England, Scotland and Wales, providing peaceful settings and support for families.
SAIF Probate, in partnership with family-owned Laurelo, offers trusted and transparent probate and estate administration support for families following bereavement.
Obitus helps families create personal funeral services through music, visual tributes, streaming and keepsakes, offering more ways to remember a unique life and say goodbye.
MuchLoved is a free online memorial platform that helps families remember someone special, share memories, collect donations and fundraise for meaningful causes in their memory.
Meet our exhibitors
SAIF Associate members and commercial partners will be exhibiting throughout the day, giving those joining us the opportunity to meet their teams, ask questions and learn more about their services.
Musgrove Willows is a family-run business that has grown and supplied sustainable willow for over a century.
Frontline provides tailored 24/7 telephone answering and call-handling services to help organisations deliver a consistent customer experience.
Signature Aromas is a family-run fragrance specialist with over 40 years’ industry experience, providing trusted products and customer support to organisations across the UK.
SpeedLink provides tailored worldwide courier and repatriation services for cremated remains, supporting bereaved families with care and specialist expertise.
The Greener Globe Funeral Standard is a sustainability audit scheme that helps funeral businesses and suppliers demonstrate their commitment to reducing environmental impact.
eFD by SEKER is an intuitive, feature-rich funeral management platform combining industry knowledge with modern software development.
Securest provides specialist mortuary security solutions to help funeral businesses protect sensitive areas, strengthen governance and meet growing safety expectations.
Afterstone creates personalised funeral stationery, natural memorial stones and handcrafted keepsakes made using a small amount of ashes, helping families commemorate a person or pet with care.
Avens Marketing provides strategic advice and practical marketing support to help UK funeral businesses strengthen their presence and achieve their goals.
Earth to Heaven creates affordable, environmentally conscious willow coffins, ashes caskets and mementos using sustainable materials and traditional craftsmanship.
Ecclesiastical Planning Services supports funeral directors and families by providing a secure home for funeral plan funds, backed by clear guidance and dedicated customer care.
