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Open Day 2025

by | Aug 22, 2025 | PAST EVENTS | 0 comments

Two women lean over a wicker burial tray, lined with calico. In the tray is a neatly folded white shroud with jute straps, lying on a bed of gum leaves.

To celebrate our first year of operations, Tender Funerals Canberra Region invited our community to join us at our Open Day.

Almost 130 people came to explore what not-for-profit, community-led funeral care looks like and chat to staff and volunteers as they welcomed them to our beautiful Fairbairn home.

At Tender Funerals Canberra Region, our vision is that every Australian has access to meaningful and affordable funerals. ‘Meaningful and affordable’ is different for every person, so this was an opportunity for members of our community to explore what that might mean for them.

Each tour was led by a staff member, with different staff and volunteers in each room to talk about what happened and what the options were.  Tour stops included:

  • Arrangement rooms
    Where will you be when you come to discuss your choices for a funeral? And what sorts of things can you ask for? Diana, our administrative officer, talked through these choices.
  • Fairy Wren foyer
    Our volunteers talked about what volunteering can look like at Tender, and Catherine, our general manager, talked about how the space can be set up for different types of services.
    Two women with volunteer badges stand and smile.  A woman, holding some information sheets, leans over a table as a volunteer points out other items to her.  A mirror on a wall reflects an artwork that shows the Brindabellas
  • Gathering rooms
    Did you know that even if you choose to have a cremation with no service, with Tender there are still ways to spend time with your person? Adelle, one of our funeral directors, discussed the differences between a service, a gathering and just spending time with your person. She also showed visitors what a shroud and tray option would like like, if people chose not to use a coffin.
    A woman stands next to a woven wicker coffin on a trolley. On the coffin are a photo and a candle. On the table in front is a tray with a bottle of champagne and champagne flutes. People stand around the table listening to the woman speak.
  • Wash and Dress Rooms
    Until about 100 years ago, almost everyone was washed and dressed by their family. Today, this option is still available at Tender, which families can do on their own or with our assistance. Our volunteers Tess and Billie talked about what choices were available for every level of interest, including what a cool-plate is and how to care for your person at home after their death
    A woman talks to a group of people standing around a bed. The bed has a pillow and coverlet, which is turned down to reveal a cool-plate  Two women stand in front of a window overlooking a garden. They are laughing with another woman who is using her hands to describe something.
  • Mortuary
    Our lovely, light-filled mortuary is a place of care. Jade talked to our community what basic mortuary care might look like and showed them the equipment and other items we use to care for people.
    A woman holds a pottery plate with mortuary eye caps and displays them to people.
  • Coffin Workshop
    Our coffin workshop has examples of cardboard, wicker and traditional coffins as well as our community linen store. We talked about coffin decorating and also how we make our custom nameplates.
    A plain cardboard coffin sits on a table covered with a dropcloth. Paints and brushes sit next to it. Surrounding the table are other cardboard coffins, standing on their end. They have been decorated in different patterns; native Australian flowers and a pink and purple Indigenous pattern. Another coffin is next to the table, with a Japanese patterned quilt covering it for decoration.  A display of acrylic paints and brushes
  • Vehicles
    Belle and Vivien, our vans, were parked outside in the garden, so our visitors could see the difference between our transfer van and funeral van and learn about doing your own funeral transport.
    A crowd gathers in a garden around a silver van with its doors open.

The feedback was wonderful, with many people asking when the next one would be! We’re not sure, but if you’re interested in being told about any future events, please join our mailing list or follow us on Facebook to ensure you’re kept in the loop. Our sincere thanks to our volunteer, Heather Hodgson for the photography on the day.