Dead Easy
A Practical Guide to the Inevitable
More than 60 people attended Dead Easy: A Practical Guide to the Inevitable at Rutland Showground, joining local experts for an open and practical discussion about planning ahead, talking honestly about death, and making things easier for the people we leave behind.
Hosted by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Rutland, Dr Sarah Furness, the event explored the legal, financial, healthcare and practical realities families often face after a death, and why planning ahead matters.
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Opening the event, Dr Furness said:
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"We plan everything else in our lives, but not the one thing we know is going to happen - our deaths. Planning ahead is an act of love."
The expert panel, moderated by Rob Persani, included solicitor Sally Cox, wealth manager Rob Humphrey, healthcare lead Sammi Le Corre and funeral director Tom Johnson.
Topics discussed included:
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making a will and lasting powers of attorney
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planning financially for later life and bereavement
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advance care planning and making wishes known
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funeral planning and understanding available options
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the importance of talking openly with loved ones
The panel also highlighted how valuable it can be to keep important documents, account details and wishes together in one accessible place.
Dying Matters Rutland is now collaborating with AfterLoss, a secure UK based online tool designed to help people organise important information and guide families through the practical steps that often follow a death.
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AfterLoss allows people to:
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record important financial and legal details
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store key contact information safely
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write down wishes clearly
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understand the practical steps families may need to take
The event formed part of ongoing work by Dying Matters Rutland to encourage more open conversations around dying, death and bereavement, while improving access to practical information and local support.
Historical event info
Who should come?
Everyone.
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The most important thing you can do is talk.
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Death and dying are never easy topics, but open conversations make a real difference. Most people only start thinking about these things at difficult moments, such as after a diagnosis, while caring for a loved one, when considering going into care, or after attending a funeral. At those times, emotions are often high and conversations can feel much harder.
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Starting earlier changes that.
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When plans are discussed well in advance, conversations can begin more lightly, even with humour. It might start with something as simple as a bucket list or even a conversation about music choices, before moving on to more serious decisions. Planning ahead, when “the inevitable” still feels a long way off, is much easier, even if those plans evolve over time.
What the Event Covers
At Dying Matters Rutland, we aim to improve end of life experiences by encouraging people to talk openly, plan ahead, and feel more prepared.
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At this event, we want to help you:
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think about what matters to you and your family
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get your affairs in order in a way that feels manageable
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understand what support and services are available locally
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know what to expect as life draws to a close
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feel more confident about what needs to be done after someone dies
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An outline of the day:
Welcome and introduction
Short panel discussion with local experts
Questions from the audience
Opportunity to talk to organisations and services
Why this matters
Losing someone is always painful.
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However, having had those early conversations and made some plans can make a difficult time a little easier. It can give families reassurance that they understand what their loved one wanted and that they have done their best to honour those wishes.
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That clarity can ease uncertainty and help people navigate grief with a little more confidence.
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Planning ahead is not about focusing on death.
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It is about making things easier for the people around you, and giving yourself the space to get on with living well.