THE chance to learn how to plan your own funeral is being offered as the newest part-time courses at New College.

The ‘Funerals to Plan For – make your wishes known’ course, is being run in partnership with funeral directors.

It includes burials, cremations, as well as ‘green’, woodland and DIY burials and the legalities surrounding them.

The course is included in the college’s latest part-time brochure of evening and weekend courses for adult students.

Paula Kimmel, community education manager, said “New College is keen to offer a broad and colourful spectrum of courses, and we feel this course adds great value to our portfolio.

“I feel we can all appreciate that planning a funeral can be a difficult and sometimes stressful time, but with our guidance and your own planning, loved ones can celebrate life without worrying about what to do next.”

The course looks at the coffins and memorials available on the market and students will also have the option of completing their own death and funeral plan.

A spokeswoman for the college said: “Planning and thought into your own funeral allows those who care for you time to focus on their grief and celebrate your life, without worrying about what to do next.

“While it may seem a macabre subject, planning a funeral is a process that many people have to go through at some point, and knowledge of the options available can be useful to take the strain off planning at what is an extremely distressing time.”

The course, costing £30, will last one day, and is schedule to take place on May 21 and June 11.

“Run in partnership with a local independent funeral director, any uncertainty of the funeral planning process will be removed, as well as many of the myths people may have about what can and can’t be included in a funeral service,” she said.

“The course is designed to empower individuals in all matters relating to death, and will explore many of the possible options for funerals, many of which people may be unaware of.”

The college is also running part-time courses in applying make-up, CCTV public space surveillance, French cookery, computing and face painting. For more information on the range of part-time courses on offer at New College visit www.newcollege.ac.uk/adult-and-community.