We are delighted to have been accepted as a “Recommended Funeral Director” by the Natural Death Centre for 2015 – 2016. The Natural Death Centre seeks to inform, empower and inspire the public in all matters relating to death and dying, and in particular to increase awareness of funeral choices outside of the mainstream.
Recommended Funeral Directors have to agree to support and promote the following
- To be flexible with the public and provide the service they request.
- To state clearly what their services entail, including a clear breakdown of costs for each part.
- To provide a very basic disposal service if requested.
- To provide information regarding all disposal options to all clients.
- To assist families who only want a part service, and not to make this difficult by offering ‘packages only’.
- To inform customers that they can send feedback about the services provided to The Natural Death Centre.
- To explain that embalming is optional – and also explain what embalming entails.
- To inform families that they may like to help with some aspects such as washing and dressing the person who has died, or carrying the coffin.
- To state clearly if they are a member of a larger ‘group’.
- To inform families whether the person who has died is being kept at another facility.
- To provide families with options for other types of celebrant beyond simply a minister or a humanist.
- To meet and make arrangements at the family home at no extra charge.
Despite their long running links with environmentally friendly funerals, they are not a green pressure group, but primarily a movement for social change.
They have played a central part in demystifying the traditional funeral, encouraging thousands of families in having the kind of funerals they wanted, and helping create opportunity for new rituals to emerge.
They are, and will continue to be an informed and reflective presence on issues such as dying at home, caring for our dead and changing funeral practices and actively promote natural burial as an option that should be offered to everyone.