2025 So Far: News, Stories, and Care from Life Rites
….and just like that, winter is in its final chapter and spring is on its way. With it, new and exciting chapters unfold for Life Rites alongside some incredible community wins.
We want to celebrate and share with you some of the buds awakening into bloom.
Shrouded Cremation – A Historic Day in NSW
We are over the moon to announce the profound and culture changing news that on Friday the 18th July 2025, NSW’s first shrouded cremation took place at Woronora Crematorium.
It is with great delight and satisfaction that we can finally offer our Greater Sydney and NSW based clients the ability to choose a shrouded cremation. Whilst this is legal and available in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, it has just become so in NSW. After years of building trust, professional relationships and shared knowledge within the Funeral Industry, the regulatory bodies and the coffin manufacturers, Metropolitan Memorial Parks are offering shrouded cremation in their Woronora Crematorium before allowing this at all their Memorial Parks.
At Life Rites, this has been a passion project of Victoria’s. Working with other cultural change advocates, as part of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Community Advisory Group, since 2020.
Present at this groundbreaking moment at Woronora were Life Rites, Victoria Spence and Ben Gibson. They reported that the experience was reverent and beautiful for every individual in attendance, from the crematorium operating team to the Metropolitan Memorial Park executives who rarely find them selves in the working space of the crematorium.
Witnessing the carefully shrouded body brought a presence and gravitas to the space and somehow transformed the moment into a very real and reverent one, giving dignity and a sense of personhood to the very last. A gift of humanity for our loved ones and for all who work inside the industry and a win for the environment.
What a Winner!
In other exciting news, Life Rites Funerals was a proud finalist in the specialised business category in the Georges River Local Business Awards.
We want to thank you our community who have supported us on this journey, with a very special thanks to those who took the time to vote.
Our team frocked up and skipped arm in arm through Hurstville high street to attend dinner last Tuesday at the awards presentation evening. Much laughter and fun was had and there was an uproarious cheer when Life Rites founder and director, our gorgeous Victoria Spence, was announced the Business Person of the Year!
Life Rites is honoured to serve the local community (and beyond) and is over the moon to celebrate a recognition of the decades of labour, love and leadership Vic has poured into this work. Congratulations, Victoria Spence, Georges River Business Person of the Year!
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:
Life Rites Open Day - Saturday 9th August 1-4pm
Life Rites will again open their doors to welcome one and all into our funeral home this Saturday as part of the Dying to Know Day 2025 initiative.
Dying to Know Day is a day dedicated to encouraging open conversations about death, dying, and end-of-life planning and empower individuals to take control of their final wishes. We welcome you to join us, learn about Life Rites and see where and how we care for our people. We will support open conversations about your end-of-life wishes and funeral rites that are right for you and can support you to care for those close to you who may be working with a life limiting diagnosis.
Cups of tea and Sonja’s famous caramel slice will be flowing as we journey through shrouded cremation, supporting our aged, what forms we can get in place and much more.
All are welcome! Come in and see a genuinely independent, doula-led, and holistic funeral home and practice. Please
Open Day this Saturday 9th August 1pm-4pm
Life Rites Boutique Funeral Home at 118 Durham St, Hurstville.
End-of-Life Practitioner; Knowledge and Skill Development Workshop (Another!)
Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th October 2025
The team at Life Rites have broad and extensive knowledge across the end-of-life spectrum, from preliminary and ongoing doula support and mapping the health and aged care systems through to dying at home, holistic body care, the legalities of death care in NSW, and expertise in ceremonial and funeral rites.
After two successful workshops at the start of the year, we are opening our funeral home again to offer face to face workshops for Doula’s and end-of-life professionals looking to expand their practical skills and knowledge. The two day workshop will take place on October 25 & 26 at our Boutique Funeral Home in Hurstville, South West of Sydney.
For more information and to tell us you are interested in attending, RSVP October Workshop here.
ACON: Love Project Dying to Know Day Panel Discussion
1pm-4pm Friday 8 August 2025
Life Rites is a part of a discussion and afternoon tea bringing together LGBTQ+ experts from across the end-of-life and death sector to share what you need to know to plan ahead, advocate for your wishes, and support those you love.
This event is for all LGBTQ+ people 18 and over, PLHIV, carers, friends and allies, to explore the essential things to know to make end of life care safe and aligned to your needs. A place where you can listen and join in the community conversation, learn about end-of-life essentials, and ask questions that you’ve been Dying to Know!
Proudly presented by ACON’s LOVE Project in association with Dying to Know Day and supported by Dowson Turco Lawyers, Life Rites Funerals and Dying with Dignity.
Details:
Date: Friday 08 August 2025
Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Inner West Pride Centre, 1A Bedford Street, Newtown
Please note: this event will include discussion about Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD).
If you have any questions, contact loveproject@acon.org.au
News on our latest community events:
Planting your Mortality Garden
This community event was proudly presented by Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Care Network, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and, Randwick and Waverley Councils in partnership with Life Rites Funerals. It took place in Bondi Junction last Sunday as a part of Dying to Know Week and its success will herald more like it.
A "Mortality garden" is a metaphorical concept used in workshops like to explore end-of-life choices and personal reflections on mortality.
In this free workshop, Victoria Spence, Ben Gibson, Kim Somerville and Chantel Jurcevic gently guided the group of 25 people on how to begin conversations about the most important time in our lives.
The Life Rites team were well received and spoke on many things. Ben discussed the Masculine Response to Death and how gender can influence our responses. Kim reflected upon the support an end-of-life doula can provide during the end-of-life journey whether at home or in a care facility. Chantel shared insights and wisdom of how we can better support our carers. ‘Caring for our carers’ seems to be a much needed discussion and topic to be given space to grow into our homes and communities.
Aged Care Workshop with Chantel, Pat and Sonja
In May, our lovely Pat and Sonja joined a small and delightful group of seniors at a community garden in concord. This group meet each Wednesday to socialise and speak about topics that interest and are important to them.
Alongside sandwiches and sups of tea, our aged care advocates, Pat and Sonja, guided the conversation, shared information and offered little goodie bags to support them to consider what is important to them in their end-of-life and what paperwork can be prepared to make sure that their wishes are known and enacted. It was an afternoon of much sharing and kindness. A reminder to take time to make plans while we still have the capacity to make choices for ourselves.
The Life Rites team has been working hard and wish to pay our deep gratitude and respect to our collaborators, our families and our community who support us in the work and advocacy we do.
With love and thanks, from all of us.