We are very pleased to announce that Charlotte has joined our Aftercare team and is already well under way with referrals from our families.
Charlotte specialises in Bereavement and Loss and has been helping people in Brighton & Hove through The Palmeria Practice and the Brighton Therapy Rooms where she sees clients. She has previously worked for the NHS and she currently helps provide essential support for a local community counselling service based here in Brighton.
Charlotte is a BACP registered counsellor and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Humanistic Psychotherapeutic Counselling from Brighton University. She is a humanistic counsellor and her practice draws on Person Centred, Existential and Gestalt theory.
This essentially means that she works in a warm empathic way, seeking to understand how bereavement has affected you and to support you through your own unique grieving process. We are glad Charlotte has joined our Aftercare team, and look forward to a long lasting professional relationship with her supporting our families.

In keeping with our long held tradition of supporting local charities we are pleased to announce that for 2019 we will be proudly supporting the ‘Food & Friendship Luncheon Club’ based at Hove Methodist Church in Portland Road Hove.
We are keen to maintain our close links within the Community and this worthy charity is one close to our hearts.
The Luncheon Club provides older people and adults with learning disabilities with a home cooked lunch and friendship twice a week, and has been proudly doing so since 1996!
27 volunteers work hard every week to ensure there is transport available for those who need it, lovely hot food and a friendly atmosphere for the guests to enjoy and we cant wait to get stuck in and help out at this worthy club.
Please go to https://www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk/news/news-stories/hove-luncheon-club to watch a short film about the Food & Friendship Luncheon Club, or you can visit their Facebook page for more information or take a look at their website http://foodandfriendship.org.uk/

After supporting the foodbank for an extended 18 months, yesterday was the last day that Richard from Bungard Funeral Directors helped as a volunteer and presented Anna Bromwich, the Food Bank coordinator with a cheque for £750.

The food bank is an independently run Foodbank, with a management committee made up of volunteers from two local churches.

Their aim is to help individuals and families who are in urgent need, access short term support – in terms of food, but also money advice, energy advice and community support.

Clients must be referred to the Foodbank by a professional organisation, for example a Health Visitor, Social Worker, Housing Officer or Advice agency.

Clients are offered the opportunity to obtain money advice from Moneyadviceplus, and energy advice from BHESCo.  The mental health charity MIND visit the Foodbank once a month to offer support and advice.

The cheque was presented by Richard Whittle of Bungard Funeral Directors, Brighton & Hove’s oldest independent family funeral directors.  The business was founded in 1906 by Richard’s great, great grandfather and has become a cornerstone of Hove for over 110 years.

Richard was delighted that they were able to raise so much money. “We have really enjoyed supporting and volunteering at the Food Bank and even extended the support for a further six months. Yesterday was particularly moving because there were so many people in need but also a huge number of donations being brought in from those wanting to help people have the best possible Christmas. We will definitely remain a friend of the Foodbank and continue to support them.”

To find out more about them please go to http://www.hangletonfoodbank.org/

The Martlets plays a vital role in helping people to live life as fully as they can, right up until the end. Through expert clinical care provided by highly skilled and experienced doctors and nurses, they ensure that wherever possible peace, respect and dignity is retained – it is a very simple and very human ethos. Emma Knight, Head of Corporate and Major Donor Giving was presented with a cheque for £595 to support their many activities.

The cheque was presented by Richard Whittle of Bungard Funeral Directors, Brighton & Hove’s oldest independent family funeral directors.  The business was founded in 1906 by Richard’s great, great grandfather and has become a cornerstone of Hove for over 110 years.

Richard was delighted that they were able to raise so much money. “We chose the Martlets to be our Charity of the Year because they provide such an invaluable support to the area. They care for people across our local community, yet the hospice is not part of the NHS. Financial support from individuals and community groups is essential for them to continue providing these vital hospice services. The Martlets is your local hospice and they do need your support.”

To find out more about them then please go to http://www.the martlets.org.uk

A lovely article in the Argus today 01/11/2016

ONE of the oldest established businesses in Sussex is celebrating its 110th anniversary in 2016.

There has been five generations at the helm of Bungard Funeral Directors, who are based in Sackville Road, Hove.

And current MD Richard Whittle is hoping there may be a sixth in the future with his son being born earlier this year.

Richard said: “We are very proud of our company, of what we have achieved over the years and what we continue to offer the community.
“We may be 110 years old this year but we certainly aim to continue for many years to come.”
It all began in April 1906 when Oliver Bungard, a monumental mason, conducted the first funeral for the company..
His two eldest sons, James Oliver and Ernest, joined the firm on leaving school and when their father died in 1919 they carried on as partners until Ernest died in 1928.
Ernest’s place was taken by younger brother and youngest son of James Oliver, Hervey Arnold, in 1922.
In 1930 they employed their brother-in-law William Wilmer who worked for the firm for the next 30 years.
James Oliver died in 1941 at which point the business was run under the direction of Hervey until his retirement in 1971.
In 1939 Leonard Whittle – who married one of James Oliver’s twin daughters, Margaret – joined the firm.
During the war Margaret took Leonard’s place in the business.
Rupert Hervey Bungard, Hervey Arnold’s son, joined the firm in 1970 and became a director of the firm in 1971.  Rupert retired in 2000 after 30 years at the family firm.
The current director team was established when James Whittle joined in 1968 and became Joint Managing Director with Rupert when Leonard Whittle.
James retired after 44 years with the company in 2012 and handed the reins over to his youngest son Richard as the fifth generation of the Bungard family lineage to join in 2011.
Richard says he has joined at a particularly exciting time for the business.
He said: “My key challenge is to ensure that the business and also importantly Bungard Funeral Directors location   meets modern customer needs but preserves the history and tradition of the property and the family.
“In the early years of the business a Chapel of Rest was not required as families usually laid their deceased at home.
“As this tradition changes the need for a chapel became apparent and therefore renovation took place to include a chapel.
“Since I joined the entire shop front and chapel have been updated with a modern clean look and soon the shop signage will reflect the new modern branding that has also been introduced with our new website.”
Bungard Funeral Directors has worked with the local community for five generations, two world wars and over 100 years and remains committed to helping local families, charities and businesses to the best of their ability.
Richard and his wife Amie welcomed a possible sixth generation this year with the birth of their son Luke in May.
Richard hopes that one day his son will be inspired to carry on the family business one day.
He said: “We are 110 years old, we are still the original family and we believe in serving the community in the best possible way we can.”

The Carers Centre, is a charity that is passionate about looking after Carers in Brighton and Hove. The Carers Centre offers different kinds of services working with and supporting young and adult carers in the city. Chris Lau, the Director of the Chairty was presented with a cheque for £480 to support their many activities.

The cheque was presented by Richard Whittle of Bungard & Sons Limited, Brighton & Hove’s oldest independent family funeral directors.  The business was founded in 1906 by Richard’s great, great grandfather and has become a cornerstone of Hove for over 110 years.

Richard was delighted to receive in return a card created by the children at the Centre and said “We chose the Carer’s Centre to be our charity of the year because we have found a lot of crossover with the families that we help and support. Many people do not realise they have been carer’s for years and it is important to help make people aware and that their is support for them out there. With all this they truly benefit the local community and that is something we want to support.”

To find out more and to help support a local charity go to http://www.thecarerscentre.org/

Bungard funeral directors in Hove are improving their free aftercare service for its customers in a bid to offer much needed practical and emotional support to people who have recently been bereaved,

 

Bungards have teamed up with experienced bereavement counsellor, Eve Miller to offer two free counselling sessions. Eve has been practising as a counsellor in Hove for over 10 years and was previously an accredited Bereavement Counsellor for Cruse Bereavement Care and helped launch the aftercare service.

 

In addition to offering emotional support Bungards have also teamed up with Home & Company, a local home help organisation, to offer practical help in the home. Home & Company will provide up to four free hours of their service and can provide help with shopping, cooking, laundry and any other help around the house that is needed.

 

“At Bungards Funeral Directors we believe that we have an important responsibility to care for our families, not just by offering support during the funeral, but also providing aftercare in the difficult days, weeks and months that follow” says Richard Whittle, Managing Director.

 

A recent report by The National Council for Palliative Care said that 75% of people who have been bereaved said they didn’t get the support they needed. After the inevitable busy period immediately following someone’s death it can be particularly lonely and difficult to get back to doing the things you did. By offering aftercare in the form of counselling and practical home help Bungards hope to help with the grieving and healing process.

 

This week we have been celebrating the long service of Simon Jupp who is one our part time Funeral Assistants.  Simon has worked with us for 40 years and started in 1976 when he was 18.

Simon is now the 3rd longest serving employee in the history of the firm having overtaken his brother in law Rupert Bungard (who is the grandson of the founder) several years ago. James Whittle is second having been with the firm for 44 years. James retired in 2012 but is still involved as company director. The current longest serving is Hervey Bungard (Rupert’s father) who joined in 1922 and retired in 1971 and working for 49 years.

We would like to congratulate Simon again on a fantastic achievement. We know how proud he is of his work. Congratulations Simon.

 

 

Bungard Funeral Directors has created their first online video to be shown at Brighton Town Hall Register Office where member of the public can register with the local Registrar any births, deaths or marriages that have taken place . Brighton Register Office provide support for Brighton & Hove and surrounding areas. They have four TV screens promoting local services as well as providing useful advice for anyone attending their office split over two different waiting rooms.

Registering a Death

The death must be registered at the Register Office in the district where it occurred. If it happened in Brighton or Hove you should attend Brighton & Hove Register Office. Please book a death registration appointment online or call (01273) 292016 to make an appointment.

The funeral industry is changing rapidly each year. The last five years has seen a massive increase in pre-paid funeral plans and planning ahead is something that we try to promote along with charities such as “Dying Matters”.

In the UK there are about 5,500 funeral outlets. In the past few years there has been a significant expansion, mostly by acquisition, by the three largest funeral entities: Co-op, Dignity and Funeral Partners which has put pressure on the smaller, local independents which conduct  62% of all UK funerals. This has created more local choice for the consumer but there remains a significant variation in funeral director costs of up to 35% in some cases and in our opinion a lack of transparency. It would always be our advice to get a full indication of the cost for a funeral.

We expect 2016 to bring an increasing promotion of funeral plans through mass marketing campaigns led by online and telephone agents rather than funeral directors. We remain convinced that funeral plans are an excellent product when sold with the correct advice and the appropriate payment method: be very aware that not all plans are the same and Bungard Funeral Directors continue to only recommend Golden Charter products and most certainly would warn against engaging with non-FPA regulated companies.

Alarmingly, funeral directors are not regulated in the UK and it is not compulsory to be a member of a trade body.  We continue to be a member of one of the two main associations –SAIF which provide a self-regulatory framework and greater protection for the public should things go wrong. During 2016, the Scottish government is looking into the licensing of funeral businesses and we wait to learn of the outcome.

In Scotland, from May 2015, there was no longer a payment made to Doctors for cremation papers (a saving to the family of £170 per cremation) and we expect this system to be launched in the rest of the UK in the coming years – but certainly not in 2016! This change brings an improved level of accuracy as the certification is done by doctors electronically.

Bungard Funeral Directors 2016: We like to think of ourselves as being rather more dynamic than the average funeral service and strive to offer alternative options and opportunities to our families where appropriate. For example, many of our clients use digital technology and utilize social media to share information about funeral services. To compliment this we have a Bungard Funeral iPhone app and the ability to share funeral arrangements via facebook for each funeral that has a tribute page on our website.

Training 2016: We do a lot of training but initially we will focus on our new IT system that will drive some of our customer care initiatives. With 2015 seeing the graduation of one member of the team with their Diploma in Funeral Arranging and now starting the Diploma in Funeral Directing we hope to enter a new candidate for the Diploma in Funeral Arranging next year.

Events 2016: We will continue with the growth of our Bungard Aftercare service and promote our coffee morning and luncheons for individuals and families. Combating loneliness and isolation will be our focus.  We are also hoping to start offering a service of remembrance in 2016 to which all are welcome.

Charity 2016: The Carer’s Centre has been our Charity of the Year and we have raising money throughout the year by donating £5 each time we receive a completed feedback form from one of our families.  The family, including, Richard and Amie Whittle, and James and Ann Whittle will be attending their Charity Ball on Friday 12^th February 2016 to help raise funds for a new caravan. We also now provide families with a service to collect donations for a loved one’s chosen charity on our website which means that donors can leave a tribute as well as being an easier way of collecting gift aid from tax paying donors.

Our Team 2016: This year has seen long standing funeral Director Eric de Chalon get married, retire and also move to Brussels to live with his new husband. His departure see’s the arrival of a new Funeral Director, Benjamin Day and also a new administrator, Tony Yates and we welcome them to the team and have been delighted at the enthusiasm and energy they have brought to the company already.