Our Services to You
A funeral for a member of your family is the most difficult day of your life. Everything your family and friends ever thought about a loved one is expressed on that day.
Whenever someone dies it comes as a great shock, sometimes the death may be expected, but nothing prepares you for the emotional shock of losing someone. This together with the distress and emotional upset often leaves the bereaved completely disorientated and unsure of what to do next. It is exactly this situation that our funeral directors have been trained to understand and cope with.
Funeral Service Arrangements
Every funeral is unique, there are no set rules about what should happen. Our job is to discuss your thoughts and ideas and help decide the best way for you to include them in the service. We can offer guidance, opinions and advice, act as a sounding board and make recommendations, but ultimately it is up to you what you want to include in the funeral service. We will also discuss what services you would like us to provide, including, but not limited to funeral vehicles, coffin selection, and the care you want us to provide to the deceased, please see below.
Anything discussed is not set in stone, you are free to change your mind or make decisions once you have had time to think and talk with your family. We then work to put this into place for you, liaising with any ministers/celebrants, venues and anyone else we need to.
We offer to organise all matters relating to the funeral, including those detailed below, but you are free to make your own arrangements. We will not put you under pressure to use a supplier mentioned by us. If you do ask us to make these arrangements, the cost will be the same as if you had arranged them independently.
We will also explain and complete and legal documentation that may be required. This includes, but is not limited to, applications for cremation or burial, a written estimate of costs and explaining your right to cancel our services. We will also send you a copy of this estimate of costs for you to refer to.
We are here to help you in whatever way we can, we pride ourselves on providing you with a personal, 24 hour a day, 365 day a year service.
Care of the Deceased
This is one of the most important aspects of what we do, we want you to know that your loved one is treated with dignity and respect at all times. We have what we believe to be the most up to date and best care facilities in the area, with dedicated care suites and staff.
Unless we are asked not to, our care would include at a minimum, washing and dressing the deceased, but potentially include dressing the deceased in their own clothing, hair and make-up, as well as putting on or removal of jewellery, embalming, or any other special personal requests.
In some instances there may be religious requirements as to how this is carried out, and we will always honour these. We have private areas suitable for washing ceremonies, or for families to use should they wish to be directly involved with their loved ones care. You can see an example of our facilities at our York branch by clicking here, but we have similar facilities at other branches.
Service Sheets
It is becoming more and more popular to have a printed Order of Service at a funeral, although there is no requirement to do so. We use professional printers to ensure a high quality product, which can be customised to meet your requirements, and you are welcome to see a proof before we do the final print.
If you choose to produce your own Order of Service, we do ask that you pass these on to us at least the day before the funeral, this is so we can ensure they are at the venue for when mourners begin to arrive, and do not delay the start of the service.
Floral Tributes
A floral tribute is a personal way of saying goodbye to your loved one.
We have brochures of various styles of floral tributes for you to browse to get ideas, you can either choose one of these, personalise them, or have a completely bespoke piece made by our florists.
After the funeral, we will if requested, take the tributes to the destination of your choice so that they may be appreciated by others.
It is now common that only immediate family will arrange floral tributes, and ask that anybody else who wishes to, to make a donation to a chosen charity.
Catering
We can provide venue and menu choices in whatever area you choose to have the reception, whether this be near the service venue, or somewhere closer to home.
In most cases this tends to be a simple buffet, but can be as simple as drinks and biscuits, or as elaborate as a sit down meal, there are options to suit all budgets.
Some venues offer a hire only option, where it is necessary to bring in outside caterers. We have a number of tried and tested caterers that we are happy to recommend, they offer sample menus, or can customise a menu to meet your requirements.
Press Notices
It is traditional, though not essential, to place an announcement in a local or national newspaper. We can place a notice in any paper or publication you choose.
This serves two useful objectives. To make sure anyone wishing to attend the funeral is able to, by informing relatives and friends of the appropriate time and place. Secondly, to reduce the chance of an embarrassing encounter with an uninformed friend or neighbour.
With social media becoming commonplace, many people now forego placing a traditional newspaper notice, instead opting for an online obituary page that can be shared electronically. We offer to set up a suitable page free of charge, and then pass over control to you so that you can personalise and share it as you see fit.
Donations
The majority of people now ask people to make a donation in memory of a loved one instead of bringing flowers, and this can be divided amongst as many charities as you wish. If people who are unable to attend wish to send a donation, they can send a cheque to us, please make it payable to the charity. These can often also be made online through an online obituary.
We offer to administer donations on your behalf at no cost, this will include counting and dividing donations as required, and then sending, or if possible, hand delivering them locally. We keep full records, and ask all charities to acknowledge receipt to the person arranging the funeral.
Bereavement Support
Each person’s bereavement journey is unique and there’s no right or wrong way to grieve. If you feel that you are struggling following the death of someone close, we have access to bereavement support services, please talk to us and we will be able to assist in getting you the support you need.
