Personalising the funeral
The funeral service is an important part of the grieving process, to come together with family and friends to say goodbye to your loved one. For some it is a deeply spiritual or religious occasion, for others it might be a far more informal and celebratory affair.
We will arrange whatever type of funeral service that you want. The important thing is that it allows you and your family the opportunity to say goodbye to your loved one in a unique and personal way.
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Style of funeral
For many years cremation and burial funerals have been formal occasions following a traditional format. A traditional funeral provides a structured service, which for many families, offers comfort and a sense of closure.
But a traditional funeral is not to everyone’s taste, and today it is possible to include as few or as many of the traditional rituals as you wish.
A celebration of life service takes this a step further and is a less formal gathering that focuses on celebrating the life and achievements of the person who has died, the joy they brought to others, and the legacy they leave behind.
At Bartholomew & Sons we will help you create a funeral that is truly unique and personal to the person who has died.
Coffins and caskets
Choosing a coffin or casket is likely to be one of the most significant choices you’ll make when arranging a funeral for your loved one.
Today there are so many options and choices for a coffin, such as traditional wooden coffins, wood veneer, colourful coffins, wicker or willow coffins, cardboard coffins, woollen coffins as well as wooden or metal caskets.
We will help you choose a coffin that reflects the life and personality of your loved one.
Funeral transport
At Bartholomew & Sons we have a modern fleet of funeral cars to transport your loved one to their final resting place. We also have a fleet of limousines to transport family and friends on the day of the funeral.
We can also arrange for an alternative hearse if this is preferred. This may be a horse drawn hearse, or if you have a specific interest or would like something a little less traditional, then we can arrange an alternative vehicle for you, such as a colourful hearse, a motorbike and side car or VW camper van. There are lots of options available that we can show you.
Venues
We have excellent relationships with the local crematorium and churches, and for most people, these venues are where they choose to have the funeral service.
But if you wanted to host the service at a less formal venue locally to create a really unique and personal funeral service, we are more than happy to liaise with the venue on your behalf to see if this is possible.
Minister or celebrant to lead the service
It’s really important to choose the person who will lead the funeral service carefully, so we will always recommend a minister or celebrant who we believe will be the best fit for you and your family and to represent your loved one on the day of the funeral.
We have great relationships with all local ministers and celebrants and will talk you through the options available to you.
Funeral flowers
Funeral flowers are a beautiful way for family and friends to honour the memory of your loved one. We can help you decide on a suitable arrangement to include favourite flowers and colours.
We have a number of florists that we use locally that we can recommend.
Funeral donations
If you wish, we can arrange for there to be a collection of donations to a charity or charities of your choice.
Asking for donations to charity in lieu of funeral flowers is a common thing to do nowadays, and it’s also a thoughtful and meaningful way to honour the memory of your loved one and make a positive impact on causes and organisations that were important to them in life.
At Bartholomew’s, we provide an online donation service free of charge, which you can see here.
Telling people about the funeral
To help you easily share the details about the funeral arrangements with your wider family and friends, we provide you with a free of charge Funeral Notices service.
This is an online listing which includes the date, time and venue of the funeral. You can add a photo of your loved one, and it also allows people to write a tribute and make a donation to your chosen charity online.
Orders of service and funeral stationery
A funeral order of service is a printed document that is given to attendees and outlines the schedule of events on the day of the funeral.
It usually includes information about the proceedings, readings, music, and any other elements included in the service.
We can help you to create an order of service that is really personal and something that family and friends will treasure as a memory of the person who has died.
We can also help you with other items of stationery such as pew cards, message cards and condolence books.
Music, readings & audio visuals
The music, readings, hymns, poems and prayers that are chosen help to personalise the funeral and to honour your loved one. Whilst you may have an idea of a favourite song or poem that you would like to include in the funeral service, we can suggest others too that we think you may like.
And we can also coordinate an audio visual presentation of photos and video clips to be played on a big screen.
On the day, we will ensure that everything runs smoothly, just as you wanted it to.
Webcasting
We understand that not everyone can make it to the funeral service in person. At some venues it is possible to arrange for the service to be streamed online so that people can pay their respects to your loved one, even if they can’t make it in person.
If this is something you are interested in we can advise which venues locally where this is possible.
Creating a lasting memorial
After the cremation or burial, and when the time is right, you might wish to create a lasting memorial to your loved one.
There are a number of different things you can do with ashes to create a precious memento, from ashes urns to jewellery and keepsakes.
Or if your loved one was buried or you choose to inter ashes, we can help you to create a headstone or gravemarker.
Let us help you
We are here to help you in every way we can. Call us or contact us with any questions. For urgent assistance, call us on 01709 363 706, we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.