I’m Julian Atkinson and I am a Director here at Kindly Earth.

I joined my family coffin manufacturing business, JC Atkinson, over 30 years ago and I bought the business six years later. In the decades that followed we grew to be the UK’s largest independent supplier of coffins and caskets. As well as pioneering the introduction of new coffins- including picture, wicker and wool coffins, we were also known for our environmental best practice and won a number of awards. In 2020, I launched Greener Goodbyes, an app giving people the ability to calculate the carbon emissions of their chosen funeral arrangements, understand the positive impact of choosing more sustainable products and services, and allow the purchase of carbon credits to offset the carbon emissions. In 2021, in partnership with Howard of Resomation Limited, I founded Kindly Earth, to help promote, sell and support water cremation / Resomation technology in the UK and internationally.

My name is Howard Pickard and I am a Director here at Kindly Earth.

My background is in engineering where I have more than 30 years’ experience. I became Managing Director of my fifth-generation family business, Leeds and Bradford Boiler Co. Ltd (LBBC) in Stanningley, Leeds, when I took over the role from my father David in 1995. I’m also Managing Director of Resomation Limited which was set up in 2007 as a company dedicated to the global introduction of our alkaline hydrolysis technology, offering a compelling alternative funeral choice to traditional burial and flame cremation. In 2016, Resomation Limited became part of the LBBC Group- all of the key equipment for our Resomation systems is manufactured across the different divisions of LBBC. In 2021 I founded Kindly Earth in partnership with Julian to raise awareness and understanding of Resomation and demystify the process.

I’m Helen Chandler and I am General Manager here at Kindly Earth.

I have worked in the funeral sector for over thirty years and in that time, I have gained masses of experience in many aspects of the profession, mainly in leadership roles in funeral operations. I’m really passionate about offering the best possible care of the deceased and ensuring that everything is done with the needs of the bereaved at heart. I had been aware of Resomation for many years when I was given the opportunity to join Directors, Howard Pickard and Julian Atkinson at Kindly Earth early in 2023, to develop awareness and understanding of Resomation in the UK, both within the funeral industry and more broadly with the public. I truly believe that people in the UK will benefit from Resomation as a credible additional end-of- life choice and one which can also be kinder to the environment.