'I knew I wanted to work in the funeral industry at the age of nine'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A 23 year old funeral arranger from Dunstable, Bedfordshire, has opened up about her unique career choice, which she says can be a conversation "starter" or "killer" when meeting new people.

Karma Vardy, who has wanted to work in the funeral industry since she was nine years old, was inspired by the professionalism of funeral directors she encountered after losing two grandparents in quick succession at a young age.

Determined to follow her dream, she pursued studies in health and social care and, despite initial challenges entering the field, landed a role with Luton Co-op Funeralcare in August 2022. READ MORE: Six awful minutes shattered lives and left so many questions In her position, Karma not only arranges funerals but also supports grieving families and performs "deceased checks" to maintain the presentation of the bodies, a task that has helped her develop a strong resilience to being around death.

While her family is immensely proud of her, Karma acknowledges that her job can provoke different reactions from strangers, and it makes her "nervous" when it comes to discussing her profession with potential partners. Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and, Breaking News group by clicking this link Speaking to PA Real Life, Karma shared: "It's so funny, I always say my job is either a conversation starter or a conversation killer. "Either people will ask questions and be so interested, or they'll go straight off topic.