Celebrating the Launch of the Ageing Well Festival 2025
This morning (26th September 2025), Richard from Bungard Funeral Directors attended the launch of the 10th Anniversary of the Ageing Well Festival, held at the historic Theatre Royal, Brighton and organised by the local charity Impact Initiatives.
We were warmly welcomed by Penny from Impact Initiatives, who invited us to be a sponsor for this year’s festival. We are especially delighted as Impact Initiatives is also our chosen Charity of the Year for 2025–2026.
The launch was a joyful occasion, with the Deputy Mayor, Ty Galvin, in attendance to say a few words, and with a real sense of community as this much-loved festival begins.
This year’s Ageing Well Festival is bigger than ever, with 126 events across 88 venues over the next two weeks, celebrating life, creativity, health, and community in later years.
For Richard, the launch was also a personal treat. Having been a bit of a theatre enthusiast in his youth, he particularly enjoyed standing on the stage of the Theatre Royal and experiencing the special intimacy between performers and the audience. The opportunity to go backstage afterwards was a real highlight too!
At Bungard Funeral Directors, we are proud to support initiatives like this that bring people together, celebrate ageing in positive ways, and strengthen our local community.
👉 You can find out more about the festival and its programme of events here: Ageing Well Festival Events
Turning Grief Into Good: Bungards’ Charitable Journey
Since 1st March 2025, we’ve raised a whopping £16,820.51p for 20 charities across the UK!
Our families have chosen to support causes that matter deeply to them and to our community, including hospice care, mental health, children’s services, and animal charities.
We’re incredibly grateful to the families who’ve chosen to honour their loved ones through charitable donations. Your kindness helps create lasting legacies and brings hope to others.
Reuniting a Family After 62 Years: The Remarkable Story of Margaret Mackillop’s Ashes
Every now and then, a story comes along that reminds us why we do what we do. This is one of those stories—and I’m so proud to share it.
It all began in April 1963, when Bungards held the funeral of Mrs Margaret Mackillop, a local resident who lived just across the road from our office in Hove. Her devoted husband, Archibald, made sure she had the finest farewell possible: a beautifully polished coffin and two of our best limousines. Nothing was too much trouble for his beloved Margaret.
Archibald had a Sunday ritual—calling his family in Ireland using the phone at the local newsagents. But not long after Margaret’s passing, he fell ill. Concerned for his wellbeing, the newsagent pressed redial after one of Archibald’s Sunday visits and alerted his family in Ireland to the fact that Archibald appeared very unwell. In a touching act of compassion, they came over and took him back home to care for him. And so, Margaret’s ashes remained with us, quietly stored away for the next 62 years.
Over the years, I have made several attempts to trace Margaret’s family, but each time I came up short. This year, I decided to try something new: Ancestry. To my amazement, I found a link to Archibald—and even a photo of him standing beside a cruise ship! I enlisted the help of my mum, an avid Ancestry researcher, and within two hours we received an email from a family member who knew Margaret and Archibald’s grandchildren.
The response was overwhelming. Margaret’s grandchildren were overjoyed to hear from us. They had no idea their grandmother had been resting just across the street from their old home in Hove. After many heartfelt emails, it was decided: One of the grandchildren would travel up from Cornwall to collect Grandma and take her back so the family could all get together to honour her final wish—to be scattered at sea!
After 62 years, we’ve finally brought a loving family back together with their grandmother. In doing so, we’ve honoured our promise to return her home. Stories like this remind us of the profound emotional bonds that lie at the heart of every funeral—and why perseverance matters. As a sweet thank-you, Margaret’s grandchildren sent me a beautiful box of chocolates. My heart is full… though my waistline might not be quite as grateful!
Lets Get Moving! – Free sessions for all ages across the city
Brighton & Hove City Council have an array of free activities across the city for all ages to try out. Their Healthy Lifestyles Team have put together a host of things to do! Choose from ‘Healthwalks’, Dancing, Zumba, Boccia (indoor Bowls) Table Tennis, and In Shape for Life sessions. Theres also a whole host of things for kids to do for free across the city too.
Check out whats on offer by visiting https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/events/activeforlife?page=1 for a calendar of all the free sessions available across the city and to download the Lets Get Moving brochure. Perfect for people on a budget, for those who want to meet new friends or to just out try something new.
Understanding Direct Cremation: What It Really Means and Why It Matters
A Direct Cremation is simply a cremation without a formal funeral service. It can be the perfect choice for some people, offering a straightforward, no-fuss option. However, it’s important to understand that it may not be the right choice for everyone.
Funerals play a crucial role in the grieving process. They offer a meaningful opportunity to say goodbye, to gather with loved ones, and to begin the journey of healing. Postponing this moment in favour of a celebration later might feel easier at first, but it can sometimes leave a gap in the emotional process of saying farewell.
At Bungards, we’ve been helping families navigate this journey for over 100 years. Our goal is to make the process of arranging a funeral as smooth and stress-free as possible. Every family is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to saying goodbye. That’s why we encourage open conversations with your loved ones about their wishes. As the saying goes, “A funeral is for the living, not for the dead.”
Below, you’ll find a comparison between the Direct Cremation service we provide and those offered by national providers. You might be surprised to learn that our Direct Cremations are often more affordable—with no hidden costs, unlike many online or call centre-based providers. Our pricing is transparent, and everything you need is included.
| Direct Cremation Service |  |
National Online
Providers |
|---|---|---|
| Will my cremation take place in Brighton? | Yes – At Woodvale or Downs Crematorium | No |
| Will I be cared for in a local funeral home? | Yes – You will remain with us throughout | No |
| Can my ashes be collected quickly after the cremation? | Yes – Often available the next day | No |
| Will my family be told the date and time of my cremation? | Yes – With family input on the date and time | No |
| Can items like photos be placed in my coffin with me? | Yes – Photos, drawings and keepsakes are welcome | No |
| If I wish, can people visit me in the chapel of rest? | Yes – Your family can say goodbye in person | No |
| Are my family allowed to watch me being carried into the Crematorium? | Yes – Family may attend your arrival and placement if they wish to | No |
| How do I get to the crematorium? | In a hearse with a team professional bearers to carry you in | Removal van |
| Can I be dressed in my own clothes? | Yes | No |
A Heartfelt Thank You to James Whittle
Today, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to James Whittle, Dip.FD, MBIFD, for his unwavering dedication, hard work, and service to our family firm since 1968 as he steps down as a Director of the Company.
The son of Leonard and Margaret Whittle (née Bungard) and educated at Brighton College, James joined the company over five decades ago, becoming a Director in 1971 and later Company Secretary and Joint Managing Director in 1973. His commitment to the profession led him to earn a Diploma from the National Association of Funeral Directors in 1975, and he was also a founding member of the British Institute of Funeral Directors in 1982—a testament to his passion for excellence in funeral care.
Beyond his professional achievements, James has always been dedicated to his community. Having lived in Henfield, he served as a churchwarden and trustee at St Peter’s Church and Primary School and has been Honorary Treasurer of both St Peter’s Church and Henfield Youth Club for over two decades.
Now residing in Scaynes Hill with his wife Ann, James is a proud father to Mark and Richard and a loving grandfather to five grandchildren—two of whom are twins, just like his mother and aunt!
James, your commitment, kindness, and leadership have left a lasting impact on our firm and the families we serve. Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do. 💙
#ThankYouJames #FamilyBusiness #DedicatedService #CommunitySpirit
Team Domenica strikes again!
Please click on the Autumn Update link below to read about all the amazing things that our charity of the year has been up to recently – including their new status as a Specialist Further Education Provider in Brighton! Team Domenica provides invaluable support for many of the city’s disabled young people, and with help from local businesses many graduates from their ‘Supported Internship Programme’ are now in paid work and are absolutley thriving in their new roles, click the ‘Success Stories’ link to read just how peoples lives have been transformed!
To make a Donation or find out about Fundraising please visit: https://teamdomenica.com/get-involved/fundraising/
For Job Opportunities please visit: https://teamdomenica.com/join-the-team/
To read T.D’s success stories please click here: https://teamdomenica.com/our-impact/success-stories/
Baby Loss Awareness Week
Baby Loss Awareness Week has been running for 22 years, this years event starts today, Monday 9th of October and culminates this Friday 15th October with the global ‘Wave of Light’. This globally recognised event invites families from the UK and across the world to light a candle at 7pm (UK time) and to leave it burning for at least one hour to remember all babies that have died too soon. You can also take part in the ‘Virtual Wave of Light’ where you are invited to take a photo of your candle and share it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using: #WaveOfLight.
For more information on Baby Loss Awareness Week 2024, or to find help and advice for yourself or someone else who may be experiencing the trauma of losing a child please visit their website https://babyloss-awareness.org/support/. Here you can find information on so many different topics, such as pregnancy after baby loss, losing twins, miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancies, fertility, stillbirth, prenatal diagnosis, where to access counselling, bereavement support and trauma therapy.
Book Recommendations for tackling grief
If you are going through a bereavement, and you need a helping hand to process your feelings and emotions, we have put together a small list of books about dealing with grief for you to consider. This selection looks at grief from many different angles, with a variety of approaches and experiences included from first person accounts to Tibetan teachings.
We hope that if you are seeking information and help that you can find something of comfort here, and if you have any recommendations for us from your own experiences with reading about grief and bereavement please do let us know so we can help other families.
On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Dr. Kubler-Ross first explored the now famous five stages of death: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Through sample interviews and conversations, she gives the reader a better understanding of how imminent death affects the patient, the professionals who serve the patient, and the patients family, bringing hope to all who are involved. Click here to purchase.
A Grief Observed by CS Lewis
This classic text of grief is still one of the best books on this subject, even though it is viewed through the lens of a religious feeling in an increasingly secular world. This book was written from the four journals that Lewis kept whilst dealing with the loss of his wife to cancer after only three years of marriage. This is a ground level study of grief, and the observations that Lewis makes in response to his wife’s death are moving and profound. Click here to purchase
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway wrote his memoir at the end of his life to address the writer and man he was at the beginning of his life. It details his years in Paris with his first wife, Hadley, and it is an account of a man grieving for the happiness that accompanied those early years. The grief, in old age, for ones youth, comes to us all in some form, and no one expresses this grief so beautifully and poignantly as Hemingway does in this little book. Click here to purchase
A Very Easy Death by Simone de Beauvoir
When someone is dying of cancer there is a kind of pre-grief that happens while the dying person becomes less themselves through to the changed to their physical body brought about on by the cancer. This short memoir is a powerful account of De Beauvoir’s mothers last days, written in a brutally honest prose that spares the reader nothing of the horrors of an individual life coming close to death. Click here to purchase
Healing Grief by Barbara Ward
A practical guide to help people through all kinds of grieving processes. The author considers divorce and separation, life-threatening illnesses, living with handicap, bereavement and children, death and dying. In each case, her material is illustrated by stories of people she has worked with. Click here to purchase
The Courage to Grieve by Judy Tatelbaum
This unusual self-help book about surviving grief offers the reader comfort and inspiration. Judy Tatelbaum gives us a fresh look at understanding grief, showing us that grief is a natural, inevitable human experience, including all the unexpected, intense and uncomfortable emotions like sorrow, guilt, loneliness, resentment, confusion, or even the temporary loss of the will to live. The emphasis is to clarify and offer help, and the tone is spiritual, optimistic, creative and easy to understand. Click here to purchase
The Early Days of Grieving by Derek Nuttal
This simple and straightforward book is for those who have recently lost a loved one, offering direct and personal support, explanation, and information. Click here to purchase
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
Written by the Buddhist meditation master and popular international speaker Sogyal Rinpoche, this highly acclaimed book clarifies the majestic vision of life and death that underlies the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. It includes not only a lucid, inspiring and complete introduction to the practice of meditation, but also advice on how to care for the dying with love and compassion, and how to bring them help of a spiritual kind. But there is much more besides in this classic work, which was written to inspire all who read it to begin the journey to enlightenment and so become ‘servants of peace’. Click here to purchase
‘You’ll Get Over It’: The Rage of Bereavement by Virginia Ironside
The death of a loved one is the most traumatic experience any of us face. No two people cope with it the same way: some cry while others remain dry-eyed; some discover growth through pain, others find arid wastes; some feel angry, others feel numb. Virginia Ironside deals with this complicated and sensitive issue with great frankness and insight, drawing on other’s people’s accounts as well as her own experiences. Click here to purchase
“Roll up the first woods” of the 2024 season at the Drive Bowling Club.
