You should contact us as soon as possible after the death of your loved one, even before obtaining the Medical Certificate.
We will arrange to meet with you to make all necessary arrangements for the service.
Cremation
The forms which need to be completed for a cremation are:
Burial
If you prefer a burial service this will usually follow a service in church or chapel.
Occasionally families request a graveside service only.
We can also arrange woodland or natural burials.
The Funeral Service
Whether you require a Church of England, Methodist or Catholic service we will contact the minister of your chosen church/chapel to make arrangements for their minister to meet with you to discuss the type of service you would like.
You may chose to have a service in a church or chapel followed by a short committal service at the crematorium or you may wish to have all the service at the crematorium.
Sometimes families prefer to have the committal service at the crematorium first followed by a Memorial Service in Church/Chapel.
If you would prefer a non-religious ceremony we can organise a Civil or Humanist Celebrant to officiate at the crematorium.
Ashes can be scattered in the garden of remembrance at the crematorium or buried in a churchyard or cemetery.
We can arrange this for you.
You may choose to scatter them in the deceased's favourite spot or keep them at home in an urn.
In the case of a burial service, if a cemetery burial plot has already been purchased, you should have received a burial deed issued by the cemetery clerk.
We can purchase new plots on your behalf if they have not already been purchased.
Most burial grounds locally are cemeteries, but there are some churchyards in use.
We will liaise with the vicar/churchwarden with regards to churchyard burial plots.
Music, Poems and Readings
You may chose hymns, a favourite piece of music or a mixture of both and include a poem or reading if you wish.
Order of Service
We print Order of Service sheets in house and you can choose to have a photograph of your loved one on the cover or a cross instead.
We are more than happy to discuss your own ideas.
We also print attendance cards which are given out at the service for mourners to write their names and a message to the family if they wish.
Flowers And Donations
Many people choose to have floral tributes from close family only and ask for donations to a chosen charity instead.
We forward on the donations to the charity on your behalf around two weeks after the service. You will then receive a letter of acknowledgement/thanks from them. Some families prefer just floral tributes and no donations.
We will always advise you what time we need the flowers delivered to our Chapel of Rest so you can tell the florist when you arrange them.You may wish that we bring the flowers back after the crematorium service and place them on a family grave or take them to the local Church/Chapel
Coffins
Whether you chose a traditional oak coffin, willow or one printed with a favourite scene we can arrange it.
Transport to the Service
You can either travel to the service in your own vehicle or we can arrange a limousine car to collect you.
A hearse is what the majority of families choose for transporting their loved one to the service but there are many other modes of transport we can arrange including a horse drawn hearse or motorcycle hearse.
Flowers
We can either arrange flowers on your behalf or recommend a florist to you.
Memorials
We can arrange memorials or recommend a stonemason for you to contact directly.
Newspaper notices
We can arrange for an announcement to be placed in your local newspapers or in the national press to notify people the details of the service.
Chapel of Rest Visits
Our private, modern, purpose built Chapel of Rest provides a peaceful place for your last goodbyes to a loved one.
Visits to the Chapel of Rest are by appointment.
We realise that it is often difficult for family members to arrange time off from work, even at times of a bereavement so, as we live just opposite the Chapel of Rest, we offer appointments in the early evening and usually a Saturday morning for you to visit if work commitments prevent you from visiting in normal working hours.
There is no extra charge for this.
We have ample off street parking and you are welcome to take as long as you need.