Meet Our Founder
Building White Rose from Compassion and Service
Ahmed Alsisi is a Chaplain, Author, Entrepreneur, and the visionary Founder of White Rose Funerals & Memorials—one of the UK’s most inclusive and community-driven funeral services. Born in Gaza, Palestine, Ahmed is a survivor of war, trauma, and abuse. Having made Cardiff his home for over 25 years, he built his life around service, innovation, and healing. At just 21, he founded the first Muslim funeral home in Wales, driven by a deep commitment to cultural and religious understanding. This entrepreneurial experience ultimately led to the creation of White Rose.
white rose Conference
focused on Bereavement care, mental wellbeing, and suicide prevention
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The White Rose Mission: Where Compassion Outshines Corporate
In 2016, Ahmed and his two brothers founded White Rose Funerals & Memorials. What started as one funeral a year quickly grew to serving over 150 families annually across the UK. By focusing relentlessly on inclusion, cultural understanding, and genuine compassion, White Rose became a trusted name—serving incredibly diverse communities, including Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Traveller, Deaf, Christian, and secular families. White Rose’s success, even leading to the closure of a local corporate competitor, is a testament to Ahmed's core belief: personal care always outshines corporate convenience.
Transforming Grief through Advocacy and Policy
Ahmed's experience with the needs of grieving families has driven him to action on a national scale. In 2018, he joined the Cross-Party Groups in the Welsh Parliament, advising on bereavement and wellbeing. He is also the Founder of The Wales Bereavement & Mental Well-Being Conference, a landmark platform uniting policymakers, professionals, and charities to transform aftercare across the UK.
Transforming Pain into Purpose: Ahmed lives with Complex PTSD, and his open journey with trauma recovery and suicidal thoughts informs his powerful belief that every funeral director, chaplain, and service provider must be trained in trauma and suicide awareness. As he says, vulnerability is not weakness; it is the first step toward healing and compassionate leadership.
The Vision for the Next Chapter: Ahmed’s bold vision for the future of White Rose includes training staff in trauma care, campaigning for a Public Mortuary in Wales with advanced scanning capabilities, and building a nationwide network of faith and community leaders.
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Invite Ahmed Alsisi to
Speak at Your Organisation
Ahmed Alsisi is an experienced public speaker, conference leader, and chaplain whose talks inspire, educate, and transform audiences. He delivers powerful keynote sessions rooted in authenticity, lived experience, and practical insight.
Ahmed has spoken to thousands across the UK, including professionals in funeral care, health services, education, charities, and corporate wellbeing programs. He delivers powerful keynote sessions on:
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Mental Wellbeing & Aftercare: The importance of comprehensive support post-loss.
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Inclusion & Community: Building compassionate, diverse community relationships.
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Crisis Response: Suicide prevention and early intervention strategies.
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Workplace Support: Supporting bereaved staff and clients in sensitive settings.
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Resilience: Growing through purpose, leadership, and personal resilience.
Each talk is professional, compassionate, and deeply human, and can be tailored to suit a conference, education day, school assembly, or workplace event.
Father, Chef, and Fisherman
Beyond his public mission, Ahmed is a devoted father of four. With two children who are fluent Welsh speakers, his family is deeply rooted in their homeland. They find peace and togetherness in family cooking, exploring new cuisines, and their cherished hobby of fishing. These personal moments remind Ahmed of his ultimate goal: to build a world where every family can live, love, and grieve with dignity.
“Aftercare isn’t just compassion — it’s transformation. It strengthens families, communities, and the profession itself.”
Ahmed Alsisi, Founder of White Rose Funerals