Social Enterprise Boost: DEAD GOOD CIC
DEAD GOOD CIC is an arts-based and eco-friendly ‘death work’ and funeral education social enterprise that is on a mission to tackle the environmental harm of funeral practices, respond to issues of funeral poverty, and widen access to end-of-life planning conversations.
Founded in 2018 by sisters Katy Vigurs and Lindsey Vigurs, DEAD GOOD CIC empowers people to prepare for their deaths and engage in open conversations about the topic. Katy is a humanist funeral celebrant and supports families in designing contemporary, green funerals and memorials for their loved ones. Lindsey is an illustrator and artist who designs DEAD GOOD’s eco merchandise and education resources. Together they help people to create personal legacy projects and grief rituals.
DEAD GOOD CIC draws inspiration from Grayson Perry’s transformative ‘Rites of Passage’ TV show. Grayson assisted two families in creating deeply personal mourning rituals to honour their departed loved ones. These included innovative concepts like living funerals with memory jars and walking ceremonies culminating in DIY home shrines. Katy and Lindsey recognised the profound impact of such tailor-made, participative events in guiding families through the grieving process, preserving memories, and commemorating lives, leading to their decision to begin to deliver imaginative death education to individuals and organisations.
When starting their business, Katy and Lindsey faced the challenge of taking a risky leap into entrepreneurship. Katy had to transition from a long-standing academic career to set up DEAD GOOD CIC. Establishing a social enterprise can be daunting for aspiring entrepreneurs, but achieving your goals is possible with the proper guidance. For Katy and Lindsey, meeting with their local business advisor, Melissa from the PNE Team, was the perfect way to get started as they could set themselves on the right course through her helpful advice and friendly demeanour. Following a chat with Melissa, Katy and Lindsey applied for the Social Enterprise Boost Fund to support the growth of their fledgling business.
When asked about their thoughts on the Social Enterprise Boost programme, Katy and Lindsey responded, “It’s been brilliant to have funding invested in the development of DEAD GOOD CIC. We started DEAD GOOD as a side project in 2018, but set up as a formal CIC in June 2023. We’ll be able to immediately purchase an eco-coffin and an eco-shroud to use in our death education workshops. Additionally, it’s been great to meet and network with other local social entrepreneurs; we’re learning so much from one another.”
Katy and Lindsey have accessed other support from PNE outside of the Social Enterprise Boost programme, including participating in the “PNE 1-day Intensive Course” and receiving mentoring from Melissa Middleton (PNE’s Business Support Coordinator).
As a result of their participation in the Social Enterprise Boost programme, they have expanded their DEAD GOOD CIC education and training services. They have secured bookings for “mortality reality” market stalls, death cafes, and memento mori workshops. They have organised a series of LIVE events on Instagram to engage their community in new and innovative ways. And they are currently recording a six episode podcast series.
In the near future, their plans include hosting a series of workshops covering topics such as natural burials, home funerals, living wakes, DIY acts of remembrance, and a project for creating one’s legacy. Their long-term vision is to generate sufficient profits to directly tackle issues of funeral poverty in Sunderland, diminish the environmental impact of traditional funeral practices, and enhance access to end-of-life planning support and resources.
Find out more information about DEAD GOOD CIC, here.
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