This week on whiteballoon insights we loved hearing from Paul Jameson, co-founder of Aura Life. Paul’s warmth, humour, and resilience in the face of huge challenges has been a constant source of inspiration.
Q: The reasons behind the creation of Aura are really moving and inspirational. We would love you to tell our readers your story.
I created Aura after being diagnosed with the terminal illness MND in 2017. I wanted to leave a meaningful legacy: to tell my life story for future generations, record my funeral wishes clearly, and gather the practical information my family would need after my death. When I looked online, I found very little that offered this kind of support. That gap became the spark for Aura.
I also wanted to encourage more open conversations about death and dying, and to help people feel less afraid of something that will happen to every one of us. Beyond that, I wanted to improve people’s end-of-life experiences. In the UK, we do not always treat older people with the dignity they deserve; too often, they are moved into care homes or spend their final days in hospital. That was another issue I felt that Aura could help address.
Q: The Aura ethos seems to be very much about celebrating life as well as mourning a death, and giving people the flexibility to choose the type of service that is right for them. How do you help people to make these decisions?
We are seeing a real shift in how people think about a final send-off. For many, it is no longer about a sombre, traditional funeral, but about creating a celebration of life that feels personal, uplifting and true to the person being remembered. That is certainly what I want for myself: a big, fun, happy party where people celebrate the life I have lived. Anyone dressed in black will not be allowed in! I have had a great innings and a wonderful life, so why not celebrate it?
Aura supports this by focusing on simple, low-cost funerals, giving families the freedom to hold a celebration in their own way and at a time that feels right. We offer simple cremations, sometimes known as direct cremations, with options ranging from no guests to a fully attended service. We also share ideas for celebrating a life a little later, when the loss is not quite so raw and families feel more able to reflect, plan and come together.
Q: And can you share about the other aspects of Aura.
Aura is much more than a funeral company. Our aim is to give people and their families the tools they need to prepare more thoughtfully for end of life, so that practical decisions are made in advance and loved ones are supported when the time comes.
We believe that people can face death more peacefully when they know they have done everything they can to ease the burden on their families. Preparing ahead is an act of love, and it becomes an important part of the legacy you leave behind. We’ve already built some helpful tools for our customers, but we’ve got some exciting plans in the works to make planning for the end much more accessible. Aura also recommends trusted companies that can help with other end-of-life services, including wills, probate and powers of attorney.
In addition, Aura offers affordable funeral plans, which allow people to arrange and pay for their funeral in advance. This can help families in several important ways – it reduces the financial burden on loved ones, it removes the pressure of making funeral arrangements while grieving, and it gives people the reassurance of fixing the cost at today’s price.
Q: Your family have accompanied you on this journey and your son, David, is CEO and Co-founder. Alongside the rest of your wonderful team, how has his input and participation shaped what you do?
When I first discussed the idea for Aura with my son David, who was 26 at the time, he immediately understood the concept. He knew that, following my diagnosis, dying was very much on my mind, and he recognised the importance of creating something that could help other families face the same difficult conversations. He embraced the opportunity, and the rest of my family were enormously supportive too.
Being a family business, guided by family values, really resonates with our customers. At Aura we offer a genuinely compassionate service without pressure or hard sell. We understand that thinking about death and dying is never easy, so we approach every conversation with care, sensitivity and respect.
I am genuinely proud that Aura has the highest percentage of five-star Trustpilot reviews in our industry, as well as a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Google Reviews. I read every review, and they remind me why this work matters. Aura is helping many thousands of people have a better end-of-life experience, while giving their families greater clarity, reassurance and support.
Q: Things are changing all the time in this sector. What are your hopes and dreams for Aura in the future?
The funeral industry has changed dramatically over the past decade — arguably more than it did in the previous century. Regulation is, quite rightly, increasing and people’s expectations for their final days are changing too. Increasingly, people want their lives to be celebrated, rather than their deaths mourned.
My hope is that Aura continues to stay true to its core values and ethos for many years to come — and I will certainly do everything I can to ensure that happens on my watch. I also hope we continue to develop more products and services that improve people’s end-of-life experiences and provide meaningful support for their families.
More broadly, I would like Aura to play a part in encouraging more open conversations about death and dying, so that it becomes less of a taboo subject in this country.
Q: And finally, you love a challenge, and we constantly marvel at your exploits and achievements. Do you have anything major in the pipeline?
In September 2025, I managed to break four wheelchair speed Guinness World Records in a single day. It was a fun-packed event at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, and we raised a significant amount of money for MND. However, the challenge took a great deal out of me, both physically and mentally. Afterwards, I decided to officially retire from any more extreme challenges — I had already pushed my luck far enough!
This year, I have set myself a gentler challenge: to do 50 things I have never done before, all within 50 miles of home. So far, I have already enjoyed some memorable experiences, including a concert at Ally Pally and the FA Cup final at Wembley. I still have plenty to look forward to as well, including professional golf at Wentworth and an opera at the Royal Opera House. It has been a fun challenge, and I am pleased to say I am on target.
Thank you Paul for sharing these insights.
If you would like to find out more about Aura Life please visit Aura.life or click here to read a whiteballoon review about Paul’s inspiring book ‘Very Much Alive’.