The next steps

When someone you know dies, even if it has been anticipated, is can come as a huge shock to the system. Unfortunately, there is not much time to fret or grieve in the first few days, as you will need to inform a number of people and organisations and complete certain documents needed by law.

If you are a relative or friend, you can do some of these things yourself. Others will need to be done by the Executor or Administrator of the estate. It can all get confusing and overwhelming, so we’ve put together some information that should help you through the process of getting their affairs in order.

You won’t be able to do everything right away, but in the first few days you’ll need to do the following:

  • Obtain a medical certificate of cause of death signed by a doctor or if the Coroner is involved, take instructions from the Coroner’s Officers regarding registration of the death.
  • Register the death at the Register Office.
  • Begin arrangements for the funeral – you should check the Will for any special requests.
  • Contact a Funeral Director. If death occurs at home or in a nursing home, a Funeral Director will need to be contacted to move the deceased to a Chapel of Rest.
  • Tell the family doctor.
  • Contact the Executor as soon as you can to enable him/her to start the process of obtaining probate if necessary. The Executor is usually nominated in the Will.
  • If there is no Will, decide who will apply to administer the deceased’s affairs and contact the Probate Registry to apply for ‘letters of administration’ if necessary.

At Harry Tomes Ltd., we are here to support you every step of the way. We have created this website to help and share as much information to cover most circumstances, but please do give us a call at any time for assistance or advice.

In a hospital

If death occurs in a hospital, hospice, nursing home or retirement home the medical staff will contact the next of kin. A medical certificate is issued by the doctor in charge of the patient, and this is normally collected by the next of kin

At home

In England around 20% of deaths occur at home. If you are first to discover the body, you need to get in touch with a doctor – typically the person’s GP (if known). The GP will confirm the person is dead and arrange for a medical certificate stating the cause of death.

If the first person aware of the death is not next of kin, they will need to contact the deceased’s nearest relative or whoever is entrusted with handling the deceased’s affairs.

Away from home

A small number of deaths happen away from home, for example while on holiday. When this happens, if you are the person to find the body, you will still need to seek out a medical practitioner to confirm the person is dead. If you are not the next of kin, you will need to get in touch with them without delay.

If death occurred abroad, you should find out about the local procedures as these will probably be different to England and Wales. Contact the local police of the British Consulate if you need advice. If the person has travel insurance, contact the insurance company to see if the policy includes repatriation.

From a hospital

If death occurred in a hospital, the body is usually moved to the hospital mortuary for collection after the medical certificate has been issued. Nursing homes and hospices will typically ask next of kin or a funeral director to make arrangements to move the body.

From home

When death occurs at home, the doctor who confirms death will let you know if the body can be moved. If the death was unexpected, the body may have to go to hospital for a postmortem.

In the old days, some families kept the body at home, typically in the front parlour. Nowadays, most people prefer to employ a Funeral Director to take the body to their premises and keep it there until the day of the funeral.

At Harry Tomes Ltd., we have six chapels of rest, so after we move the body there will be opportunity to see your loved one again.

Since the body is normally ready for removal within hours of a person’s death, please do not worry about contacting us at any time – day or night.

A death must be registered within 5 days from when it occurred.  This period can only be extended in exceptional circumstances and will require you to provide the registrar with written confirmation a Certificate of Death has been issued.

The registration should, if possible, take place in the District where the death occurred. If the doctor or hospital did not tell you where you to register, you can find your local registry office here: https://www.gov.uk/register-offices

If a death is reported to the Coroner and an inquest is to be held, it will not be necessary for the next of kin to attend the Register Office to register the death. The Coroner’s officers will explain this process to you.

If it is difficult for you to get to the appropriate Register Office, you may visit your local office and make a ‘death by declaration’ registration. They will then send the information you give them to the Register Office in the district where the death occurred, and they will issue the relevant documentation. This process does inevitably cause a delay in the issue of the death certificate and documentation needed for the funeral arrangements as it takes time for the exchange of information.

If you would like information on deaths that happen abroad, please visit the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.

Who can register a death?

The death can be registered by:

  • A relative.
  • Someone present at the death.
  • An occupant of the nursing/residential home/official from the hospital.
  • The person making the arrangements with the Funeral Directors.
  • The person who found the body.
  • The person in charge of the body.

Most deaths are registered by the relative of the deceased. If no relative is available, the Registrar can accept the information from a person who falls into one of the other categories listed above.

Documents you will need

You must visit the Registry Office in person and it is worth making an appointment beforehand to avoid waiting or missing opening hours. Before your appointment, gather the following documents together to enable registration of the death and to start funeral arrangements:

  • Medical certificate of the cause of death, signed by a Doctor unless the Coroner is involved and there has been a Coroner’s postmortem
  • Birth certificate*
  • Marriage/civil partnership certificate*
  • NHS number/NHS medical card*
  • Organ donor card (if appropriate)*

*It is not necessary to have these documents, but you will need to provide information contained in them

The registrar will also ask for you for the following information:

  • the person’s full name at time of death
  • any names previously used, including maiden surname
  • the person’s date and place of birth (town and county if born in the UK and country if born abroad)
  • their last address
  • their occupation
  • the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving spouse or civil partner
  • whether they were receiving a state pension or any other state benefit

The whole registration process takes between 20 and 30 minutes.

Documents you will receive

The Registrar will enter the details into the death register, ask you to sign, and issue you with the following:

  • A certificate for burial or cremation (known as the ‘green form’) unless the coroner has given you an order for burial (form 101), or a certification for cremation. These give permission for the body to be buried or to apply for the body to be cremated. We need this form from you so the funeral can be held.
  • A certificate of registration of death (form BD8). This is for benefit claim purposes only. You should read the information on the back of the certificate.
  • Leaflets about bereavement benefits, and income tax for surviving husband/wife or civil partner, where appropriate.

The death certificate

The death certificate is a certified copy of what is written in the death register. The Registrar can let you have a death certificate if you want one, but you will have to pay a fee.

You may need a death certificate for the will and for any pension claims, insurance policies, savings bank certificates and premium bonds.

You might want to ask for more than one copy straight away as the price increases if you need one later.

Donating a body or organs

Some people are too upset to discuss donating the body of their recently deceased for the purpose of medical research or organ transplants, so this can be a difficult subject.

If the deceased has expressed it as their wish, the usual process is for the hospital to approach the next of kin to ensure they have no objections. Unfortunately, decisions need to be made quickly and this can feel somewhat indecent. The only reason for this haste is to ensure the organs remain viable to save someone else’s life.

In the case of organ removal, the body will be returned to the next of kin for burial or cremation after the organs have been removed. Normally, organs are not taken for transplants if the donor is over 75 years old.

For more information visit the Organ Donor and Transplantation website.

Informing people and organisations

Notifying close relatives and friends about the death, can be a rather emotional task for the next of kin.

Historically, it was a custom to send notification in a black-edged envelope, but with the availability of modern communication methods, more people are communicating the news via telephone or e-mail.

It may be helpful to delegate the task to others, especially if there is a long list of people involved. Your friends will be only too willing to help you during this time. It is always handy to have a list of people and mark them off as you contact them.

Your loved one may have been prepared and made a list of people to contact, but if not, you might start with their address books.

If telephoning, you should try and keep the message short, simple, and clear. You might find it helpful to write down the message you want to say. Prepare the person you’re speaking to by starting off with something like “I’m afraid I have some bad news”. It is a good practice to include the name with the relationship to the person you are calling. e.g. Your Uncle Andrew Smith. While you might think it sounds too harsh, it is better to use the word ‘die’ rather than ‘passed away’ or ‘passed on’ as these can be misinterpreted or mean need you to repeat yourself or explain further. This can prolong the message and makes the conversation emotionally more challenging.

The people on the other side of your call will doubtless express sympathy and shock and might ask for details of how it happened. They may ask for details of the funeral. At this stage you may not know those details but can simply inform them that you will notify them at a later date.

For people you don’t have a telephone number for, send them a short note by first class mail including your telephone number or e-mail. You can use special cards or notelets but ordinary note paper is quite acceptable.

Typically, an announcement in the press should only be made after you get the details of the funeral. If the deceased is a well-known person, you may wish to contact the editor of the local newspaper before funeral arrangements have been confirmed.

The first thing to be done as soon as possible following death, is to get a medical certificate or to set the wheels in motion to get one. Without a medical certificate, the death cannot be registered and without the death certificate the funeral cannot take place.

Typically, the medical certificate will be issued by the doctor who has been treating the deceased. It will state the cause of death and be given to you in a sealed envelope and addressed to the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths. A ‘Notice to Informant’ may also be issued by the doctor, stating the medical certificate has been signed and providing instructions on how to register the death.

If death occurred suddenly or unexpectedly the doctor(s) may wish to investigate the cause of death and will ask for permission to carry out a postmortem examination. This is not something you need to worry about at all and does not indicate they suspect foul play.

Under certain circumstances, for example a sudden or violent death, a coroner may be called in. A coroner is a lawyer or doctor responsible for investigating a death. In these cases, the coroner may be the only person who can confirm the cause of death. The doctor will write on the formal notice that they have referred the death to the coroner. A report to the coroner is also necessary if the doctor treating the deceased has not seen him or her after death or during the 14 days before death. This decision may delay the issue of a medical certificate so funeral arrangements may need to be postponed.

Check the will to see if the person who has died has given any instructions for their funeral. If not, it is generally up to the executor and the next of kin to decide whether to have a cremation or burial. The executor does not have to follow the instructions about the funeral left in the will, but of course doing so respects the wishes of the recently departed.

Cremation is the most popular method in the UK, and it is normally a cheaper option since there is not the expense of a gravestone or burial plot, which can be particularly expensive in urban areas where land is scarce.

That said, certain religions will stipulate certain requirements. For example, Muslims and most Jews traditionally opt for a burial.

No one can be cremated until the cause of death is known. For us to proceed with a cremation, we will need:

  • an application form signed by the next of kin or executor
  • 2 cremation certificates. The first signed by the treating doctor and another signed by a doctor not involved with the treatment of the person who has died) or a cremation formed signed by the coroner
  • The second doctor will ask brief questions relating to the circumstances of the deceased’s death. This is very much a formality, and it should not cause you any concern.

One of the doctors will forward the certificates directly to us.

If you wish to be interred in the same grave as a loved one who has already passed, you will need to provide the deeds to the plot.

We can arrange with the churchyard, cemetery, or burial ground for the grave to be reopened and the headstone removed so the burial can take place.

The deceased may have left specific instructions as to what kind of funeral they wanted. This might be included with the will or may have been communicated to close relative or friend. The ultimate decision for what kind of funeral, and where it takes place, is with the next of kin or the executor.

Many funerals in England have a Christian orientation unless the organisers specify otherwise. This means cemetery and crematorium chapels tend to have services books with prayers and hymns approved by the major Christian denominations. This does not mean all Christian faiths use them.

If the deceased was a non-believer, they might choose to have a Humanist funeral. The aim of this type of service is to celebrate the deceased’s life as opposed to committing their soul to the hereafter. A trained officiant from the British Humanist Association can be engaged to conduct the ceremony similar to how a religious ceremony would employ the services of a clergyman.

Chapels at the cemetery and crematorium are multi-purpose and cater for all kinds of funeral – not only those of the mainstream religions. You can also hold the ceremony elsewhere, perhaps at home or the graveside for instance.

It is important you communicate your wishes as early as possible so we can arrange the right facilities for you and the funeral party.

Basic Funerals

We offer a basic funeral for those who specify from the beginning this is what you want. This normally consists of:

  • Collection of the deceased from the place of death (up to 10 miles)
  • Care of the deceased at our premises
  • Simple wooden coffin
  • Provision of a hearse
  • Arrangements for the funeral and cremation or burial

Fees for services from other providers, such as crematorium, cemetery, church, and funeral officials have to be added to the total cost.

When and where

It is quite common for people to hold the funeral ceremony at the local cemetery or crematorium chapel. These are fine buildings in pleasant setting and very suitable for the purpose, especially if cremation has been chosen.

One disadvantage with those venues is they can be quite busy, and authorities typically restrict the length of time you can spend there. A service is typically limited to 30 minutes although it may be possible to extend this at additional cost. You might also be more limited when it comes to choosing the time of the funeral.

Alternatively, you may choose to hold the funeral in a church, template, mosque, or synagogue depending on the religion of the deceased. In this situation, there is less likely to be a time limitation and usually more flexibility as to the precise timing of the ceremony. If the deceased has close relations with an institution, the authorities will typically go out of their way to accommodate.

Lapsed Christians may feel they are not able to host a funeral at their local parish church, but in fact you have a right to a funeral there even if you are not a regular worshipper.

Whatever you decide, please inform us your preferences regarding venue and date and we will do our best to secure this for you.

You might want to suggest someone to officiate at the service, such as a local parish priest, a family friend or even the spouse or child of the deceased.

Occasionally, 2 separate services are held; a small family funeral in the cemetery chapel followed, or even preceded, by a memorial service at a former place of worship, being open to the wider public.

Planning the funeral service

Funerals can take many different forms and is in effect a person’s last public appearance on this earth and entitled to reverence.

The idea behind a Christian funeral is to commit the deceased to the afterlife, but in modern times its scope has been extended to one of thanksgiving for the life of the person who has passed on.

The most moving funerals reflect the nature and qualities of the person, and a great deal of thought is given to those who knew the deceased as to how these feelings can be best expressed.

Usually, the officiant will want to discuss the service details beforehand and make suggestions. However, you and those close to the deceased should offer ideas of your own as you see fit.

Music

It is common practice, although not mandatory, to have music at the beginning and the end of the funeral service and even during it. Some people select this music while others leave the choice to the organist.

You might want to play some of the deceased’s favourite music, and most chapels have the facilities to play CD’s. If you provide us with the recordings, we can do the rest for you.

If your preference is for live music, you do not have to be confined to organ music only. We can arrange for a band, or you might choose to employ a band that was known by the deceased.

Whatever you decide, please inform us your preferences regarding venue and date and we will do our best to secure this for you.

Hymns

If the funeral is a Christian one, you will most likely need to choose some hymns. It’s a good idea to choose ones the congregation will be familiar with. For a 30-minute service, you can probably choose 2 hymns.

When selecting hymns, ask around to find out if the deceased had any favourites or expressed any preference. Here is a list of Popular Funeral Hymns.

Readings

At a Christian funeral, it is usual to have a reading from the Bible although you do not have to restrict yourself to Biblical texts. This is also a nice way to bring other people to participate in the service.

Poems or other devotional passages are suitable whether a religious funeral or not. Perhaps you might choose a particular reading from the deceased’s favourite author.

Here are some Popular Funeral Bible Verses, and we would be happy to recommend other passages if you have a particular theme in mind.

A Eulogy

A eulogy is a speech or a piece of writing that celebrates the life of the deceased. It is a lovely way of reminding everyone there of someone’s best qualities, their achievements, and how they have touched their lives. You may wish to provide a eulogy that you or one of the mourners can read or alternatively, the person conducting the service can read it on your behalf. Do let us know your preference.

Before the funeral

Out of respect for the dead, it is customary to dress conservatively for a funeral. Men typically wear black or dark suits, with a black or dark tie and women wear black dresses and sometimes back hats. In some circumstances, more casual dress is acceptable, particularly in the case of someone who dies when they were young.

Close family members usually congregate at the deceased’s house on the day of the funeral to await the arrival of the hearse. The hearse will carry the coffin and the funeral conductor.

The hearse will lead the cortege, followed by either limousine and/or other people who wish to drive together. Most people attending the funeral will make their own way there. We provide markers to help keep the cortege together during the drive to the ceremony.

The funeral itself

When you arrive at the funeral venue, the Funeral Director will lead the procession, followed by the coffin, the funeral officiant, and the chief mourners. The coffin is placed in position and the chief mourners normally take their places in the front seats.

At church funerals, the congregation is typically already seated as the procession enters. At others the congregations tend to file in after the chief mourners and take their seats as directed by the Funeral Director.

If the funeral is a cremation, the coffin normally disappears from view as the officiant says the committal, often accompanied by music. The chief mourners will then leave followed by the rest of the congregation. Sometimes, a plate is left by the door should people wish to make a donation.

If the funeral is a burial, the family mourners follow the coffin and the officiant out of the church or chapel to the final burial place. The congregation stands around the graveside, the coffin is lowered into the grave and the officiant says the prayers of committal. Sometimes the mourners sprinkle earth over the coffin.

There are many variations of course; sometimes the funeral consists only of a graveside ceremony, while at other funerals the coffin is already in place when the mourners arrive. The service can be very short and simple or in the case of a Christian funeral could incorporate a mass.

After the funeral

Once the ceremony is over, the chief mourners and the officiant greet the other funeral attendees. If a reception is arranged, you might wish to extend the invitation to anyone present.

Although you might dread the thought of meeting large numbers of people during this difficult time, it’s always a nice idea to arrange a get-together of some sort after a funeral, especially if a people attending have travelled some distance. Most people comment how a reception turns out to be an enjoyable, heart-warming occasion and a time for sharing memories, catching up and looking to the future together.

You do not need an elaborate reception. Sandwiches and tea at someone’s home or church hall is more than adequate. However, doing the catering yourself can be quite time-consuming and distract the next of kin from circulating and talking to the guests. You might therefore consider asking friends or a catering company to help or holding the reception in a hotel or restaurant close to the funeral location. Any expenditure incurred is an allowable expense against the deceased’s estate.

Should you wish to use catering services or host a reception outside of your home, we can arrange this for you.

As difficult as it can be, a meaningful funeral service is an important part of the grieving process. Funeral rites are as old as human culture itself and gives people the opportunity to:

  • acknowledge the life of a person and to acknowledge their passing
  • share feelings together while supported by family, friends and others in the community who knew the person
  • celebrate the life of the person who died; to share the memories, good times, funny moments, favourite music, and unique contributions the person made, and to hear tributes and stories from others.

More frequently these days, individuals may have developed a funeral plan and it is simply a case of carrying out their written wishes. However, when there is no plan, please do not worry; not everything needs to be decided right from the start and if you prioritise what has to be done, the task will seem much more manageable.

Helping you every step of the way

We know making decisions and arrangements at this time can be difficult and at Harry Tomes Ltd. we are here to support you every step of the way. This website has been developed especially for you to provide you with information that can help you plan the funeral. You can even use it to discuss details and ideas with your family and friends. We are also available to you at any time on the telephone or at our Funeral home, so please call us at any time and we would be delighted to talk through any questions or concerns you have.

The first step is to arrange for the body to be taken away and cared for until the funeral.

Once you have obtained the death certificate, we can then fix a date, time, and plan for the funeral. Most funerals taken place within a week or so of death. If there has to be a postmortem or if relatives live far away and need time to travel, then there is no reason why the funeral date cannot be later.

The final details of the funeral can be left for a further day or two, so you will be able to consult with close relations and friends as required.

Choosing a Funeral Director

While some people choose to be responsible for their own funeral arrangements, most will choose to go with a funeral director. Not only will this help during a very stressful time, but it will make it more likely there will be no major disappointments during the service.

Depending on the situation, you may have to locate a funeral director, but there may be those times when the decision has already been made for you. If a loved one pre-planned their funeral, then they may have already picked the director to handle the arrangements or they may have paid into a funeral plan that specifies which funeral directors can be used. Even if the deceased has made these decisions, those in charge have the ultimate decision.

If the planner of the funeral chooses to go with a different funeral director, there are several things to consider.

Most funeral directors are chosen through recommendations, but the family may have to consider the financial situation, transportation of the deceased, or religious reviews. You can ask your doctors or clergymen, friends, or other family members for their recommendations.

The National Association of Funeral Directors or the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors can also provide information of funeral directors in your area. These associations don’t provide recommendations, but they do guarantee their members have a strict code of practice.

If the person died in a hospice or nursing home, the manager may have an arrangement with a particular funeral director to remove the body, particularly if there is delay contacting the next of kin. You have the option of continuing to use this firm or appointing another.

Paying for the funeral is the responsibility of the person arranging the funeral. Generally, the costs will be borne by the estate of the deceased, so it is important for the executors to check there are sufficient funds before going ahead. The following may also be sources of fund for the funeral payment:

  • A prepaid funeral plan
  • A life assurance policy
  • A pension scheme offering help with funeral costs
  • Death benefits from a trade union or society

If the estate is not big enough to cover the cost of a funeral, a funeral payment from the Department of Work and Pensions’ Social Fund may be payable. The payment may not cover the full cost of a basic funeral and they have the right to reclaim some of the cost from the deceased’s estate and close relatives, except in the case of war pensioners.

Further information on entitlements can be retrieved from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Cruse Bereavement Support.

If there is no next of kin, the local council or the hospital takes responsibility for the funeral and normally appoints a funeral director. Both recoup the costs from the estate.

There can be some delay in claiming funds from the deceased estate or other sources, though the deceased’s bank or building society will often be willing to release funds to cover the funeral expenses.

If you envisage any problems in settling the bill on time, you should inform us accordingly where we can potentially arrange installments. We are also happy to accept payment by credit card.

What costs are involved?

Many people feel they should give the deceased a “good send-off” irrespective of cost, but a few react differently when they receive the funeral director’s invoice. We believe your loved ones deserve the best, but you do need to consider what you are paying for before the funeral and we work closely with you to ensure the funeral best matches your budget and wishes.

What are you paying for

First there are the services we provide, some of which can be omitted depending on your choice. The most notable are:

  • The coffin
  • Professional Charges (e.g. administation, advice)
  • Removal and care of the body
  • Provision of a hearse
  • Provision of a limousine
  • Coffin bearers
  • Visits to the chapel of rest
  • Embalming

Then there are services provided by third parties, which are called disbursements. We pay these fees on your behalf and add them to your invoice. In the case of a cremation these include:

  • Fees to the crematorium for cremation
  • Fee for the funeral service officiant
  • Cremation certificates
  • Funeral wreaths and flowers
  • Press notices
  • Printed funeral service cards or sheets
  • Organist’s fees
  • Verger’s fee (if a church service)

If the funeral is a burial rather than a cremation, there would be cost for a burial site, unless a family plot is available, and a fee for digging the grave.

We can provide you with an itemised written estimate before proceeding.

To help you decide what services you would like, here is a list of the usual items on offer. At Harry Tomes, we pride ourselves on being able to help you with pretty much any request, so the list below is more a useful guide as opposed to an exhaustive list:

The coffin

We offer a wide range of coffins varying in quality and price to choose from. A cost-effective and more ecologically friendly alternative is a cardboard coffin, but care needs to be taken it is strong enough for the purpose and not affected by rain. Bamboo or wicker coffins, and shrouds are also used, but in some cases, we need to check with the cemetery or crematorium if they permit these. For personalised coffins we also offer Colourful Coffins.

Professional charges

This covers a variety of services, including initial consultant, advice, liaising with the authorities, obtaining the necessary forms, and processing them.

Removal and care of the deceased

We remove your loved one to our premises at Barham House where arrangements can be made to view at our private chapels of rest. Embalming can be arranged if requested, although this may depend on the length of time between the date of death to the day of the funeral.

Hearse

We have a beautiful pacific blue Jaguar hearse for carrying the coffin, but we can also arrange horse drawn carriage if you would prefer.

Limousine(s)

This is the car that follows the hearse, and each limousine can accommodate up to 7 people. It is not essential, and the chief mourners may wish to make their own way to the funeral in their own transport like other funeral guests. Where there are several family mourners, we can provide additional limousines.

Coffin Bearers

We normally provide coffin bearers during the funeral, but we are also able to support family members and close friends should they wish to perform this duty. Please bear in mind, carrying a coffin is a skill and some rehearsal is vital in order to avoid accidents on the day.

Crematorium fees

There is some variation in the costs of a cremation, depending on which crematorium you choose, but it is not significant enough to warrant traveling distance for this service. In Bournemouth, the crematorium is attached to a garden of rest provided for reverent dispersal of the remains. If ashes are to be taken away in an urn, there is an extra charge.

Cremation certificates

Two doctors’ certificates are required before a cremation can take place for which there is a standard charge.

Cemetery and churchyard fees

For a burial, there are two items that need to be paid for: the plot and digging the grave. In this case, there is a considerable variation in cost. In many urban areas, there is very limited space for burials in churchyards and a cemetery has to be used. Most people opt to be buried in the local authority cemetery nearest their home but there are many private cemeteries you might consider.

Garden Burial

Burial in one’s garden is permitted under the Burial Laws Amendment Act 1880. Burying a body on private land requires various permissions, most notably from the local authority planning and environmental health departments. You will then have to state on the deeds of the property the exact position of the burial. Bear in mind, having a burial site on the land may affect the value of the property. You can bury ashes too.

Woodland Burial

Woodland burial is an becoming increasingly popular choice for the ecologically minded. Many of these burial grounds are privately run and do not normally have any permanent memorials, such as gravestones, as cemeteries do. Some do offer tree planting by way of a memorial.

Funeral service fee

Fees are payable to the officiant at the funeral services, the organist, and the verger (if the service is held in a church). Some of these fees might be waived in exceptional circumstances.

Orders of service

The order of services, and often the words of hymns, are printed on sheets or in specially designed booklets. These are not essential as most place of worship have service books, but it is a nice idea for people to have something to take away as a memento of the funeral service. Spare copies can be sent to friends and relations who are unable to attend the funeral.

Mourner Listing

Although not often requested, we can provide place setting cards if required. These are cards we place in the pews or seats and where people write their name. We gather these up after the service and provide you with the names of the people attending the funeral. Chief mourners are normally be too preoccupied during the funeral to take note of who has come, and if the funeral attracts a large number of people, this list can be extremely useful.

We also provide you a list of names of the people who have made a donation to a charity, if that is something you have chosen as part of the memorial.

Flowers

We can order flowers on your behalf and have them delivered to an appropriate address with the message of your choice. Flowers may be sent to our own address prior to the funeral service where we note the name of the sender. The list will then be sent to relatives.

You can also meet with Wendy, our in-house florist and winner of Bournemouth in Bloom Small Businesses for the last 10 years. She can help you choose from a wide selection of packages.

Notifications

It is quite usual to place an obituary notice in the local or national paper as required. We can arrange that for you. A Thanks for Sympathy notice can also be arranged after the funeral if requested.

Online Obituary and Tribute

It is becoming increasing popular to place an obituary notice online. Not only does this allow friends and family to learn of the funeral and reception details but provides them a forum to share their thoughts and memories of the recently departed.

Research shows that in addition to a funeral procession, an online tribute helps family and friends through their grieving; especially among the younger generation who wish to honour the deceased and share their feelings and pay their respects. We can secure your own online tribute within 24-hours and this will last forever. Your family and friends will be able to visit this online tribute whenever, and from wherever. Please visit our tributes page for more information.

Memorials

Whether an existing grave is to be reopened or a new grave to be established, we can assist with memorial work if requested. We can arrange for our Stonemason to contact you and we have brochures to help you make your choice.

Limousine Arrangements

Our limousines seat six adults comfortably. Please let us know, as soon as possible, if extra or social transport is required and we will be pleased to help in any way we can.

We have funeral cortege identity markers designed to help keep the private vehicles in ‘convoy’ and funeral no parking cones for placement outside of private address or church.

A supply of umbrellas is available for use in inclement weather.