Family Funeral Service

read moreHere we are. Some terrible photos' taken at the new premises in Maidstone. Obviously we are not all there all the time, however we can be there at the drop of a hat, unless we are actually on a funeral service when you come in. Nothing worse that going into anywhere, least of all a funeral directors, and being met by a miserable face. We will probably force feed you tea or coffee for the duration of your visit. You can have brandy in it too, or just the brandy if you like! It does sometimes come in handy when you visit the chapel of rest.

read moreOnce the registration has been completed you will be asked to sign the entry. It is important that the information recorded is as accurate as possible as the correction of errors discovered after the register has been signed will certainly cause inconvenience to rectify, and possibly delay the funeral service for example if the name is wrong. Take your time when you check. No, registration of a death is free of charge. However, certified copies of the death entry (death certificate) can be purchased for a small fee.

read moreFirstly, we would prefer all donations to get to the charity of your choice as quickly as possible. To this end we would like to create a JustGiving page for you, and the donors. This will provide a safe and swift method for donors to make their donations directly into the charities own bank accounts. It will also give immediate 24 hour access to the total raised for your selected charity. However should you prefer, we will also accept cheque donations here at the office, or passed to us by you, or passed to us at the service.

read moreBereavement benefits are available to men and women and are designed to provide fast and direct financial help following bereavement plus longer-term help where the needs of children make self-support difficult. Women who are already receiving benefits under the Widows Benefit scheme will not be affected provided they continue to qualify under the rules. Widows and widowers who are not entitled to receive any bereavement benefits may, subject to the normal qualifying conditions, be entitled to income-related benefits in the same way as any other single person.

read moreIts true that music is playing a greater and greater part in most funerals these days, and frequently families will reserve additional time at the crematorium chapel to accommodate this, and the family tributes or Eulogy, which are the real "grit" of the funeral for many people these days. The Minister will do it for you if you can't do it, but do try, you'll never get this chance again. Below are the music libraries for Medway Crematorium, and Vinters Park Crematorium. Both crematoria use the same system, and as Medway Crematorium has been using this system for many years, their list is twice as long as that at Vinters Park and may be better able to indicate just how good this system is.

read moreStart by thinking of the people you are addressing as well as the person you are describing: the eulogy is about the person, but for the audience. How will they feel? Listening to you will obviously by highly emotional for those closest to the person, and some people will be in tears. But this doesn't mean the eulogy should be mournful and depressing. People will be grateful if what you say is uplifting and inspiring. What do they want to hear? Most people want to hear good things about a person who has died, and forget the bad things.

read moreOur approach is simple. We sit with you in our office or your home for as long as it may take. It may frequently involve more than one visit to fully discuss with you how we might accomplish your wishes and objectives regarding the funeral service. The deceased may have left clear instructions and we will be able to advise how these can be accomplished with dignity and respect. On the other hand you may be facing an unexpected death where no discussion had ever taken place relating to this subject.

read moreI have to admit that poetry is not a strong point for me. Probably because I find it difficult to understand most of it. Whenever we did poetry at school, I was always a bit lost. The girls in my class always seemed to understand it and wander off in some sort of dream world that I never saw. I know some people will think me a bit dense, and they may well be right, but I just don't get most of it. However, very occasionally I do hear or read something that I do understand, and I will add these to this page.