Our Services start when you contact us and often extend way beyond the day of the funeral.
During those first difficult hours when you first contact us, we need to ask you some preliminary questions i.e., did the deceased die at home, in a private nursing home or in hospital? Once we have our answers, we will then advise on the conveyance of the deceased to our private Chapel of Rest.
All further funeral arrangements can then be made at a later date either at our office in Tenterden or in the privacy of your own home.
Our job is to take care of the practical arrangements for you. This means advising you of the options and choices for the funeral and seeing the arrangements are made in accordance with your wishes, and with the wishes of the person who has passed away.
There are some things for you to consider and we’ll be happy to discuss these with you in a calm and compassionate manner. Will it be a burial or cremation? If it’s a burial, do you have a grave and if so where is it and what is the grave number? If it’s a cremation, which crematorium would you like to use? Would you like a church service? If so, which Church would you choose, or would you prefer a service at the crematorium/cemetery chapel, or would the deceased prefer a non-religious service.
Whilst arranging the funeral, we will advise you on all costs and charges to be incurred, culminating in a full written estimate that should be agreed and signed by both parties.
The funeral account itself will be divided into two separate parts, the Funeral Directors charges and the Disbursements.
The Funeral Directors charges are our professional fees and include the provision of a 24-hour a day on call rota, the conveyance of the deceased to our private Chapel of Rest and the hygienic treatment and attendances to the deceased.
The Disbursements are the fees we pay out on behalf of you and/or the family, which include doctor’s fees (where appropriate), the crematorium and cemetery fees and the parochial fees. We have no direct control over these fees but our written estimate will detail an approximation of costs for you.
Our attention to detail extends to the immaculate turn out of all our vehicles, chauffeurs and bearers. The hearse and attendants are an essential part of our service to you.
Our limousines are charged for separately. This ensures that the family are not charged for something they do not need. Each limousine is chauffeur driven and will normally carry up to seven mourners.
Other vehicles are available other than our traditional hearse. e.g. Land Rover, Volkswagen Camper, Motorcycle Hearse, or if you wish for something more informal, we can arrange an Estate car, a panel Van or Horse Drawn.
The gentle beauty of flowers expresses your personal remembrance and brings comfort to the bereaved. We are happy to offer our personal recommendation to established and quality florists.
If you wish to make donations to charity in lieu of flowers we will happily accept and list donations on your behalf and forward them to you in due course and to a charity of your choice.
At this time, it’s worth remembering Gift Aid. Charities can reclaim from the Inland Revenue, 28p for every £1 donated. Just forward a letter (including your address) with your donation asking the charity to reclaim the tax.
Should you need it, we are here to help and guide you – if it helps we can collect and look after your loved one’s cremated remains until you make a decision as to what you would like to have happen to them. Depending upon what this decision is, we can help you further or simply you just need to come to our office and collect them.
At the time of making arrangements for a funeral, it is not always easy or necessary to determine what your future memorial requirement will be. In the case of existing memorials, it will probably be necessary to remove the headstone from the grave prior to burial.
You may wish to discuss with us a memorial plaque for the scattered remains of your relative. Again, we are happy to offer our advice.
A memorial is not just a marker erected over or near a final resting place of the deceased; it is a lasting symbol of remembrance, a tribute to a life now ended and perhaps a final gift for someone.
There are some key things to consider; choose a design and material that meets the regulations of the cemetery or churchyard, try to harmonise it with the surroundings and choose a suitable inscription that will withstand the weather.
If you are obtaining more than one memorial quotation, make sure it is a like-for-like quotation and make sure all fees are included.
Our experienced team will be happy to advise you on all aspects of securing a suitable memorial.