Future funeral director hits the books - LESSONS in life and death are being mastered by trainee funeral director Vincent White. The 43-year-old is celebrating after passing his foundation certificate in funeral directing and is studying hard to pass his diploma this spring. The syllabus, run by the National Association of Funeral Directors, teaches the skills of funeral arranging as well as the latest legislation and equips funeral directors with the knowledge to inform and look after bereaved families well. Vincent, who has been working at Lesley Shand Funeral Service in Corfe Mullen for the past eight years, said: “A lot of what the diploma teaches reinforces what I’ve already learnt throughout my time here. “But with issues like repatriating the deceased from abroad becoming more commonplace and legislation surrounding funerals constantly changing, this training is both important to my career progression and it is giving me the knowledge to look after bereaved families with confidence.