Martin Jeffrey MBIE Dip FD

Until recently, I was the Group Mortuary and Stores Manager and Team Leader for the Embalmers with William Purves Funeral Directors Group. Covering branches from Elgin to Northumberland, responsible for the embalming departments and stores departments. I have worked in the funeral industry for 34 years having spent 33 of those years with William Purves.

Since joining the company in 1991 until May 2025 the positions I have held are, Coffin Furnisher/Driver/Embalmer/Team Leader/Group Mortuary and Stores Manager

As the Group Mortuary/Stores Manager/Team Leader I would oversee the operations and performances of both departments acting as a crucial bridge between the Board of Directors and my teams, ensuring effective communication and continued alignment with the company values, procedures and goals.

Travel to other branches to meet with the Managers to ensure each branch is adhering to company policies, procedures and any relevant regulations. Also, ensuring care of the deceased at every stage, in all situations and locations, the deceased entrusted to our charge must be treated with the utmost dignity, respect and care at all times.

Quality Control – presentation of deceased, coffin quality and finish, attention to detail.

Health and Safety – ensuring colleagues and visitors are adhering to all company policies, procedures and regulations.  

Overseeing daily Mortuary and Stores operations in Edinburgh, working with other departments and Team Leaders, ensuring efficiency and monitoring performance against targets. Problem solving to ensure the daily workload is completed in an acceptable and safe manner.

It was my responsibility to motivate, support, develop and guide my team to achieve objectives which would include, setting goals, delegating tasks, monitoring progress, provide feedback, working together to foster a positive work environment

My responsibilities also included Recruitment and Training. Taking part in the recruitment process, overseeing the training of new staff and helping to develop the skills of existing team members.

Overseeing the group purchase of coffins, soft goods, embalming supplies, PPE. Any specialist equipment, to ensure we always have enough stock and equipment.

Checking invoices, yearly stock take, working alongside the accounts department.

Liaise with outside bodies at upper management level, building and maintaining positive working relationships.

Building and maintaining positive relations with colleagues and their teams.

Working with HR to agree health and safety procedures for the group, which I would then implement.

At an early part of my career as an embalmer and having attended reconstruction courses in America, I decided I wanted to specialise in this field and eventually make Post Mortem Reconstruction training available in the United Kingdom.

Care of the deceased has been pivotal in my career. I like to think, I am the voice of the deceased, ensuring each person is handled with care, respect and dignity, no matter the circumstances of their passing.

Technical skills:

Embalming straight cases - proficient in various embalming methods, such as arterial, cavity and hypodermic embalming.

Post Mortem cases - Undoing the Post Mortem sutures, removal of organs to embalm internally, removal of calvarium to embalm the facial tissues.

Trauma cases – murders, road traffic accidents, suicides, are all problematic cases due to damage and time before being released from the Procurator Fiscal, structured exercise for each have been devised.

Decomp cases, maggot infestations, drownings, cancers, oedema, jaundice cases, all can be treated with good results.

Skilled in operating embalming equipment and using various tools and instruments.

Meticulous attention to detail, ensuring proper preparation and presentation of the deceased.

Experienced in soft tissue injury repair, knowledge of what products can be used, waxes, fillers, sealants etc.

Mortuary cosmetics - Airbrush and Brush on, (proficient in both).

January 1995 - Embalming Diploma

Qualified as a member of the British Institute of Embalmers – MBIE

May 1997 - Funeral Director Diploma

Qualified as a member of the National Association of Funeral Directors – Dip FD

November - 1997 Southern Illinois University

Attended:Advanced Post-Mortem Reconstructive Surgery Course:Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, US.

November 2004 - University of Puerto Rico

Attended:Academy of Facial Restoration and Embalming – University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

August 2010 - Springfield, Missouri

Attended:Fountain National Academy, International Embalming Reconstructive Surgery Conference for Professional Embalmers, Springfield, Missouri, USA

Learning new techniques and new embalming product capabilities whilst networking with colleagues from around the world.

October 2010 - Blakes Worldwide Emergency Response

Joined:Blake’s Emergency Services International Response Team. Being available to deploy to any location within the UK or overseas, working within a team to provide emergency mortuary support which responds to mass fatality incidents.

November 2010 - American Society of Embalmers

Joined:

The American Society of Embalmers, a professional organisation dedicated to promoting excellence in the field of embalming.

March 2011 – Embalming Academy

Start-up of the first of its kind, William Purves Embalming Academy – Introduction to Embalming. Tutoring on a 1-2-1- basis on a one-week course.

May 2011 – Fountain Academy Springfield Missouri

Attended:

Fountain National Academy of Professional Embalming Skills, Springfield, Missouri

Advanced Post Mortem Reconstructive Surgery CourseandAdvanced 2 Post Mortem Reconstructive Surgery Course.

Having now completed over 100 hours of specialized instruction at the Fountain Academy in Reconstructive Surgery.

October 2013 – British Association of Skin Camouflage

Attended:

Royal Liverpool Community Hospital/British Association of Skin Camouflage/Skin camouflage application techniques to Post Mortem skin.

November 2015 – PMR Malmo, Sweden

Attended:Post Mortem Restituo, Malmo, Sweden

Airbrush cosmetics course covering colour application, concealing techniques, highlighting and contouring techniques.

October 2016 / 2019 – University of Edinburgh.

Course Lead:

Start-up of the first of its kind in the United Kingdom and Europe- (5 day) Post Mortem Reconstruction Course held at the University of Edinburgh, Medical School, working with Iain Campbell to develop and deliver the course, ensuring it follows the guidelines set out by the Anatomy Act Scotland and passed by the Professor of Anatomy for Scotland.

August 2017 – Maxam Training ltd

Completed

Maxam Training ltd

Pearson BTEC Level 3 Award in Education and Training

January 2018/2019 – British Institute of Embalmers

British Institute of Embalmers - 1^st National council Rep.

British Institute of Embalmers Scottish Division – 1^st Vice Charman and a position on the Divisional Education Committee

February 2018 – London Medical Education Academy

Attended:

London Medical Education Academy (Course Director Mr Ali Juma)Facial Anatomy, Dissect and Inject Course, Royal College of Surgeons, Nicholson Street, Edinburgh.

March - November 2018 – Edinburgh University

Attended

Edinburgh University Anatomy Workshops, Old Medical School, Edinburgh

March 2020 – Sudden Death

Authored

A chapter from the book Sudden Death,

Intervention Skills for the Emergency Service’s

Editor Tricia Scott

May 2024 – University of St Andrews

Course Lead

Two Post Mortem Reconstruction courses held at the University of St Andrews, School of Medicine over 8 days, focussing on cranial facial reconstruction, soft tissue injury to the face and airbrush cosmetics.

January 2025 – British Institute of Embalmers

Chair of the British Institute of Embalmers - Scottish Division – 2025 to 2026

Currently I hold the chair of the Scottish Division of the British Institute of Embalmers, and I am also on the Divisional education committee. My responsibilities include, arranging and chairing divisional meetings, organising educational workshops. Liaising with the divisional secretary.

Planning social events. Providing support to members or students with any inquiries concerning the division.

April – August 2025

University of St Andrews -School of Medicine

Flexible worker assignment/Short Course Employee/Course lead.

Working with Dr Enis Cezayirli (Head of Anatomy) on the content of the up-and-coming course in May.

May 2025 – St Andrews University

Course Lead - Post Mortem reconstruction course held at the University of St Andrews, School of Medicine over 4.5 days, focussing on cranial, facial reconstruction, soft tissue injury to the face and airbrush cosmetics.