Get to know our funeral directors

Coping with the loss of a loved one is never easy for anyone, and planning a funeral can feel overwhelming. We all want to give our loved ones a meaningful send-off to celebrate their life, but planning a funeral while dealing with grief is particularly challenging. However, this isn’t something you have to face alone. A funeral director can take the pressure off your shoulders by answering any questions, offering advice and guidance, and handling any necessary preparations you and your loved ones might need for the funeral.

Here at Heart of England Co-op Funerals, we want to help guide you through every step and ease your mind so you can say a meaningful goodbye. We have created this blog to introduce you to our Community Funeral Directors and help you understand what to expect when meeting them for the first time.

What do funeral directors do?

At Heart of England, our funeral directors are here to guide you through the process of planning a funeral, offering advice and support so that it feels less overwhelming. Fully experienced in helping those suffering a recent loss, we understand that this is a hard time for you and are committed to helping you avoid any unnecessary pressure.

Ultimately, we will do as much or as little as you want and are here to follow your instructions. Our team remains on hand every step of the way to answer any questions you may have. The ultimate goal of our Heart of England Co-op funeral directors will always be to provide you with the support you need through the funeral planning process, ensuring your loved one has a fitting send-off.

Meeting a funeral director

All funeral directors will be empathetic to your situation, our team understands the heartbreaking circumstances that bring people to our door, so you can also request that we come to your house if you are not yet ready to go to the funeral home.

When you do finally meet with your funeral director they won’t bombard you with questions about your loved one but will need to ask you a few questions about the funeral itself. We understand that it might be hard to talk about the funeral and you might feel anxiety if you don’t know what kind of questions to expect.

We want to offer some insight into what kind of questions they might ask you to help you feel more prepared and comfortable during your meeting. Here are a few examples of questions your funeral director may ask.

  • Are you thinking about a burial or cremation?
  • Would you want a service in Church, or another location?
  • Are there any days or times we should avoid for the day of the funeral?
  • Would you like to spend time with the deceased in the Chapel of Rest?
  • If so, would you like to provide us with some clothes for the deceased?
  • What vehicles would you like on the day of the funeral?, as we have many different choices of hearses and limousines
  • What music would you like during the service?
  • Would you like us to provide an obituary, orders of service, flowers, or catering?

Don’t forget, you can ask them questions as well. They are here to help you understand what to expect and what options are available. If you’re not sure what kind of questions you can ask your funeral director we have included a small list for you below to give you some ideas.

  • You can ask them about the prices.
  • Ask them how you can personalise the service.
  • Ask if you can visit your loved one before the funeral.

If you find yourself wanting a more in-depth look at what you can ask, we have a helpful guide on questions to ask a funeral director to help you through this. With more than just questions, our blog answers things you may have had in the back of your mind for a while. 

Our funeral directors at Heart of England

We understand that the service we provide is only as good as the people providing it. That’s why our team will listen carefully to your wishes, work together with you to create a send-off that encapsulates the person’s life and write everything down in an easy-to-understand way with all the prices so that the service is both personal and straightforward.

We ensure that we only recruit colleagues who feel the same way as we do about providing a professional and respectful service. Our colleagues take part in regular comprehensive training and hold accredited professional qualifications as well as undergoing a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check. So you can rest assured that our funeral directors are trusted and caring individuals who will be there for you and your family. If you want to know more about us, we have a whole page dedicated to telling you our story so you can get to know our Society and the people behind it. 

Meeting with your funeral director is the first step in starting to plan a funeral, but the first step can sometimes feel like the hardest, and we understand you may still feel nervous about meeting them for the first time. That’s why we have created a video series on our YouTube channel. The series is built so that you can get to know our trusted and reliable funeral directors from the comfort of your home and in your own time. 

You can watch our full playlist and start with the first episode to get to know our funeral director | Jack. Learn about everything from why our funeral directors chose this as their career to how they approach arranging a funeral and feel more prepared for your first meeting with them.

Find more support with Heart of England Co-op Funerals

Whether you find yourself with a lot of questions or none at all, our funeral directors are here to support you through every step of this journey. However, if you’re still not ready to meet with our funeral directors personally, you can contact us 24/7 for help and guidance. Similarly, you can check out our funeral blogs, where you can find advice on everything from whether it’s better to cremate or bury to how to choose flowers for a funeral. We are here to support you with anything you need during this difficult time.