Mark Durham, Councillor at Essex County Council (ECC) and local celebrant, has pledged to donate a portion of his funeral celebrant fees to Prostate Cancer UK.
Mark’s father, accomplished artist John Durham, sadly died last year from prostate cancer, and now Mark is raising funds to help support the charity, Prostate Cancer UK.
As a qualified celebrant who has already officiated many funerals across Essex, Mark is offering celebrant services for men who have died from the disease at a fee of £250. If the fee is paid by the funeral director, £200 will go to Prostate Cancer UK for each funeral, and through this work, Mark aims to raise £2000 a year for the charity.
Mark said: “As a County Councillor, I’m keen to help people wherever I can, and I especially want to support people who have lost a loved one to prostate cancer. So many men suffer from this awful disease, including my late dad, my younger brother, one of my cousins and some colleagues, and I want to help fund research into the disease. Catching prostate cancer early is key to beating it, and I want to support the charity to help make a difference in people’s lives.”
He continued: “Having lost my dad in 2021 to this horrible disease, I know first-hand what it’s like for bereaved families who have lost someone to prostate cancer. For every funeral I conduct for a man who dies from this disease, I will pay £200 directly to the charity immediately after the funeral. Unfortunately, 12000 men die from prostate cancer annually, and I’m committed to supporting such important research.”
Mark is keen to work alongside funeral directors to deliver this service, and if interested, funeral directors should contact Mark by telephone on 07850967239 or by email at [email protected]. Bereaved families who would like to take up this service can also contact Mark directly.
