By the time Charis Boyce was six-years-old, she had confronted death and found the experience more calming than jarring.
“I remember visiting my great grandmother in the chapel of rest after she passed away,” she said.
“I can’t really remember what she looked like, but I remember vividly what she was wearing. I remember finding the whole chapel of rest very calming, quite tranquil and peaceful.
“That was probably the point where I became curious about death but also wasn’t really scared of it – even then I saw it as the next stage of life. Within the pain, there can be peace.”
From that moment, Charis chased her dream of trying to offer people peace in trying times.
Her interest in the funeral profession grew from a childhood curiosity. While studying Religion, Philosophy and Ethics at university, she began to look more closely at how death was viewed across faiths and cultures, and how the rituals and rites that surround it are often profound, symbolic, and essential to grieving well.
Her studies helped to connect the dots between her early fascination with funerals and the more complex spiritual, emotional, and cultural needs that they fulfil.
“I’ve always been interested in the things that other people shy away from,” Charis said. “When I went to a funeral in early 2018, during my first year at university, it just clicked for me. It was for a friend of my dad’s, and I remember thinking how smoothly it all came together. It was touching, respectful and well organised. I was fascinated by how something so emotional could be managed in such a structured way. It felt like the right place for me.”
Charis joined Nottingham headquartered A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service in October 2020, just a few months after finishing university – her first full-time job. She entered the profession through the company’s apprenticeship scheme, which gave her hands-on experience while also providing opportunities to earn formal qualifications across a variety of funeral disciplines. While she had initially been more drawn to the office-based aspects of funeral work, she quickly realised that the more she learned, the more she wanted to know.
One of the most unexpected but transformative parts of her journey was training to become an embalmer. Embalming hadn’t been something she was initially excited about, but it was part of the course, and she was determined to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible.
“I didn’t go into it thinking I’d enjoy embalming,” Charis explained. “I was nervous about it, and I thought I’d be more suited to the admin side of things. But I’m so grateful I had the chance to do it. Even though it’s not a skill I currently use in my day-to-day role, it gave me a completely different understanding of care and dignity for the deceased.”
Charis trained at the Shropshire School of Embalming, the closest centre to Nottingham. Her training began with weekly theory lessons covering everything from the historical origins of embalming to human anatomy and the reasons why embalming is still used today. Once she passed the first theory module, she began the practical element of the training in Telford, gradually learning the hands-on techniques required.
“You can’t just practise on people. That’s not fair,” she said. “There’s a lot of pressure. Every aspect has to be done with the highest level of respect and care. You have to understand what you're doing and why. You need to get it right, because it matters.”
Her training, both with A.W. Lymn and through the British Institute of Embalmers, was extensive and challenging. After passing all five modules, she completed two practical exams. In 2024, she was formally presented with her certificate at a ceremony held at Hammerwich Crematorium.
Now, with five years at A.W. Lymn under her belt, Charis continues to bring that same sense of calm, care, and curiosity to every aspect of her role. Her journey into the funeral profession has been shaped by an early willingness to face the realities of death, and by a lifelong desire to support others through it.
A.W. Lymn was established in Nottingham in 1907 and has grown to become one of the UK’s largest independent funeral directors, operating 25 branches across the region. Having recently acquired M.A. Mills and expanded into Leicestershire, it continues to grow its reach and network of talented funeral directors supporting the bereaved.