A high-profile news story this week has focussed on the police intervention at an independent funeral business in the north of England following report of "concern for care of the deceased". As the news reports continue, we can't begin to imagine how distressing this situation is for the many families concerned.
Of course, we don't know exactly what has happened at this time, but the story raises pertinent questions about how bereaved families can feel reassured when they make a decision about which funeral director to appoint, and can then be confident that the person who has died will be treated with the care and respect that we would all expect. To assist that decision-making process, we've set out a few relevant ideas that we hope will help.
There has been a huge increase in online funeral provision, particularly since the 2020 pandemic, with several of these providers having huge marketing budgets and focussing on 'low-cost' and 'fuss-free' direct cremations. Despite this change in the market, local independent businesses continue to provide genuinely dedicated care within their local communities and they can usually provide the same, simpler options at equally affordable costs, while giving a more personalised, local service. Smaller, independent businesses tend to have genuinely vested interests in providing both quality and value in their products, care and service. It's in our interests of course to build our reputations and maintain positive relationships in our local communities. We would always recommend making a trusted local business your first option.
0 Comments
Please click the file below for a summary of current restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic. You can also contact us by phone or email for any further advice about the current situation.
We remain committed to take all necessary steps to comply with the government’s recommendations, keeping our clients and staff safe, while continuing as usual to provide all the help and support that we possibly can in planning, arranging and carrying out funerals.
Our reception and office is open Monday - Friday 10.00am - 4.30pm.. However, we are always available and can be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as follows: By telephone on 01884 258881, email via our Contact page or see our Social Media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We are available to help you plan arrangements and carry out funerals throughout this difficult time. If you or other family members are isolating, and to minimise personal contact, we can make most arrangements by phone, email, Zoom and WhatsApp. We will be also be pleased to meet you, by appointment, at our Park Hill office where we have hand-washing/sanitising facilities and we can meet while maintaining appropriate safe-distancing. We love this new product created by 4 talented students from Tiverton's Petroc College. Off To The Stars is a unique & magical way of comforting a bereaved child, enabling parents to support them through grief and loss. The kits are priced at £11.99 and are available from our Gold Street office. Contact us for more information.
We are so pleased to be the first funeral directors in the UK to have the recently-launched ‘GriefChat’ online bereavement support service available directly from our website. With access to real-time online chat provided by qualified, experienced bereavement counsellors, GriefChat is available free of charge from Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm. It offers advice and support for grieving people, giving information about grief and how bereavement affects both individuals and families. The service will also be able to signpost users to other helpful bereavement care resources including online and in-print information as well as to local bereavement care services. Emotions after a bereavement can become overwhelming, especially at this time of year with the festive season fast-approaching. That’s why we’ve chosen to offer GriefChat; to give easy, on-demand access to reputable counsellors who can provide reassurance and understanding about grief and the impact of losing someone you love. Why use GriefChat?
In April 2017 the UK Government updated its criteria concerning the two main benefits that are available to help with paying for a funeral if you are on a low income. The two schemes are:
Clicking either of the headings above will link directly to the relevant Gov.uk website pages for both payment schemes with an overview of each, an explanation of eligibility, what you might receive, and how to claim. We will also be pleased to speak to you personally if you're worried about paying for a funeral. Do feel free to get in touch. We are delighted that our application to become a member of the National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) has been approved.
More than just giving clients confirmation that we adhere to a professional Code of Practice, we hope this also gives reassurance that we have robust policies in place to deal with critically important areas of our work, including the way that we handle charity donations, cremated remains, jewellery, complaints, and the Health & Safety of our staff & visitors. Updated versions of these policies will be available in the footer of our website in the next few days. We think that ALL funeral directors should offer this level of transparency with regard to policies, procedures and prices.
The latest edition of the official magazine of The Natural Death Centre, featuring analysis of the concept of Direct Funerals (see page 88), as offered via our associated website ClearFunerals.com
The Somerset Registration Service is pleased to announce that there is now an online booking service for appointments to register a death at any registration office in Somerset.
The function is simple to use and gives you all the information you need before attending the appointment. You will receive a confirmation email detailing the appointment and what documents you need to bring, along with the address of the office you are attending. The online service is available by clicking the link below: http://www.somerset.gov.uk/births-marriages-deaths/deaths/register-a-death/ The Fair Funerals campaign is run by the anti-poverty charity Quaker Social Action (QSA), aiming to tackle the growing problem of funeral poverty, which has increased by 50% in the past five years. By signing the Fair Funerals pledge, Countryside Funerals hopes to help people on low incomes to arrange meaningful, affordable funerals. Here are QSA's 10 ways to avoid financial problems when paying for a funeral:
|
Posts by Damon
For advice, guidance, and practical support. |