A little hello from me as I step into my 44th year!

Before the next instalment of Dying for a Cuppa® officially begins next week, I wanted to sit down, reconnect and share a few thoughts, reflections and little birthday ramblings with you.

No guest, no big topic, just me and a moment to pause before we begin the next chapter.

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for continuing these important conversations with me.

The first full episode lands Monday 13th, and I can’t wait to share what’s coming! (Sorry folks, new episode will be now 20th July!!)

© 2026 Katie Costello. Dying for a Cuppa® is a registered trademark of Katie Costello. All rights reserved.

This podcast and its content, including audio recordings, descriptions, and associated materials, are protected by copyright. No part of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission, except for personal, non-commercial use.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect those of any affiliated organisations. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional, legal, or medical advice.

This is the episode we didn’t know we needed… but I’m so glad we’ve got it. This is a great way to end this series.

Let me introduce you to Mathew Crawley, Chief Executive of the ICCM (Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management), a role that carries huge responsibility across the UK, and one Mat brings to life with real depth, honesty and character.

This conversation goes far beyond what I expected We explore everything from talking about death and dying, bereavement leave, and the realities of working in this world, to the wider impact these conversations have on all of us as humans.

There are moments in this chat I didn’t see coming, topics I didn’t plan for, and reflections that genuinely stayed with me. It’s open, it’s real, and it’s incredibly thought-provoking.

I’m also deeply grateful to Mat for sharing his own personal experience following the death of his father last year, bringing a level of honesty and humanity that makes this episode something really special.

If you’ve been following Series 3, this is a powerful note to end on.

https://www.iccm-uk.com/iccm/

Mat has spent more than three decades working in bereavement services, dedicating his career to supporting people at some of the most difficult moments in their lives. He began his journey as a funeral director, gaining first-hand experience of the care and empathy required to guide families through loss. Over the years, Mathew has worked across many areas of service provision, developing a deep understanding of the sector and the people it serves.

In 2025, Mathew became Chief Executive of the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM), where he now leads the organisation with the same commitment and energy that has shaped his career. His work is driven by a genuine passion to improve the services that bereaved people rely on, always seeking ways to ensure they are delivered with compassion and are truly individual to those accessing them.

Mathew describes his career as colourful, shaped by a wide range of experiences and the many remarkable people he has encountered along the way. Throughout it all, he has held firmly to a belief that humour, compassion and honesty are powerful vehicles for better developing our understanding of grief and those navigating their own bereavement path. These values continue to guide his leadership and inspire his work to strengthen and advance bereavement services for the future.

© 2026 Katie Costello. Dying for a Cuppa® is a registered trademark of Katie Costello. All rights reserved.

This podcast and its content, including audio recordings, descriptions, and associated materials, are protected by copyright. No part of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission, except for personal, non-commercial use.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect those of any affiliated organisations. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional, legal, or medical advice.

Mohamed Omer MBE joins us for the last episode of the series and what a way to finish! Dying for a Cuppa series 3 has been such a joy and a privilege.

This episode is quite frankly AMAZING. Mohamed shares insights into his faith and the Muslim rituals and reasons around death and funeral practices, he speaks with heart about humanity, community and spirituality and I could listen to him all day. Not only will you learn but you will feel uplifted, inspired and full of hope.

This is not just about faith, it is about education, connecting and all doing better, collectively, as a human race when it comes to death, dying and end of life support.

This feels like a perfect message to end on for the world and I hope it fills you with as much love as it did us in this moment.

Mohamed is an absolute LEGEND in this end of life world and I love him both personally and professionally. He is currently involved with various organisations, including being the governments go to when it comes to supporting the Muslim faith and end of life services as well as...

Chair – National Burial Council (an umbrella body for the Muslim Community dealing with burials and Deaths)

Board member – External Affairs, Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery, based in Hainault Essex. This is the largest dedicated Muslim Cemetery in the United Kingdom.

Director of Muslim Bereavement Support Service

Member of the Burial Cremation Advisory Group at the Ministry of Justice representing the Muslim Community

Board Member of ICCM (Institute of Cemetery and Crematoria Managers)

He is a trustee of The Big Issue Invest – an organisation funding Social

Enterprises that are not able to obtain funding from banks.

Mohamed has been actively involved with community work in East London for the last 15 years.

He has been the governor of Oaks Park High School in Ilford for the last 25 years and a chair for the last 4 years. Oaks Park is a community school and the only PFI school in the borough of Redbridge.

Appointed as a trustee of Haven House Children’s Hospice in Woodford inAugust 2016.

Chair of the Redbridge Faith Forum

Thank you so much for all the support, the messages, the shares, the quiet listens, and the brave conversations that have come from this series. It honestly means more than you know.

If these episodes have resonated with you, please do keep sharing, liking, reviewing and telling people about the podcast. That’s how these conversations grow. That’s how we keep normalising talking about death, dying and grief.

And if you’d like to go a little deeper, my book 'A Gift' is available now on Amazon — part funeral plan, part life story, part love letter. It’s there to help you reflect, record and share what matters most. https://amzn.eu/d/01SSVq84

Thank you for being here. Truly.

© 2026 Katie Costello. Dying for a Cuppa® is a registered trademark of Katie Costello. All rights reserved.

This podcast and its content, including audio recordings, descriptions, and associated materials, are protected by copyright. No part of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission, except for personal, non-commercial use.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect those of any affiliated organisations. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional, legal, or medical advice.