The funeral industry can be perplexing and daunting for many people. To help answer some of the frequently asked questions, our team has compiled a list of the most commonly asked questions. If you have a question that is not listed, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Contact usYes. We offer a choice of your loved on being dressed in either their own clothes, or we can provide a gown for them. Once your loved one is dressed, our staff will call you to inform you that you are welcome to visit the Chapel of Rest to visit. We do ask that Chapel Visits are by appointment.
When someone dies in England or Wales the death needs to be registered within 5 working days at the Registry Office for the County in which the death occurred. You can go to a different office if it is more convenient, but the process – known as registration by declaration – will take a day or two longer. This is because the registrar will need to forward your information to the original district, where the registrar will issue and send out the death certificate and other paperwork. Doing things this way may mean a slight delay to the funeral, since it is not possible for a burial or cremation to take place until after the registrar has issued the necessary paperwork. If the person has died in the hospital we will usually need registrar’s paperwork to allow us to bring your loved one back into our care.
You are more than welcome to be as involved with the service as you wish. If a service is taking place in Church, then the local minister in charge of the will be present, but allow you to deliver a eulogy or read a poem. If the service is at the crematorium, which is a public building, you can deliver the whole service yourself if you wish. We would, however, recommend that someone acts as a Master of Ceremony, just to offer guidance, and take some of the pressure off you when having to play music etc.
No. The curtain allows for the option of either closing around the coffin before you leave, or staying open. There are benefits and drawbacks to each scenario, however you are free to make a choice on which option suits you best.
Yes. We are happy to receive and list floral tributes that are sent to us, as well as donations if you so desire. We always strive to supply a donations box and envelopes at the funeral service, however some Churches won’t allow us to collect for charities. We keep the donations account open for a month after the funeral has taken place.
Yes. A cremator can physically accept only one coffin at a time and all remains are removed before the unit can be used again. An identity card accompanies the coffin and cremated remains throughout the process until final disposal. The code of ethics and practical necessity are complementary and combine to ensure that the separation of cremated remains is achieved.
No, you don’t. If it was yours, or the deceased person’s wish, to use a specific funeral director then you are free to make that choice. A coroner becomes involved if a death has been sudden or unexpected, and the deceased has to be taken to a hospital for a post mortem examination. You do not have to use the services of this funeral director for the funeral arrangements. The funeral director who took care of your loved one via the Police or Coroner is appointed by the Coroner for this role only.