Backed by a wealth of experience, Keith Munt and Jenny Uzzell established Saint and Forster Funeral Directors Ltd in 2011 with one aim in mind – to offer genuinely personal funeral services that empower the bereaved to take the driving seat.

Thirteen years later, trends have come and gone and times have changed, but their passion for making funerals as special as they can has never wavered.

It's part of the reason they urge people to think carefully when planning the funeral of a loved one.

“We’ve all seen the adverts which say no one likes going to a funeral, that they have no value and that you should consider a direct cremation if you don’t want to ‘make a fuss’,” says Jenny. “But we believe you should make a fuss – whatever type of funeral you choose - because the process of remembering the person who has died is important.

“A good funeral is of immense value for people who are grieving and it’s the perfect opportunity to remember the person who has died; how they were, particularly if they had a long-term illness or there’s the need to heal a rift.

“A funeral that is well done and tailored to what you want will not only honour the deceased but give those in attendance the chance to grieve as well as laugh and heal.”

While Jenny and Keith see the need for direct cremations, and regularly carry them out for families who may not be able to gather for a funeral but want to hold a memorial ceremony elsewhere with their loved one’s ashes, they urge people to think carefully about this choice.

Many people don’t realise that opting for a direct cremation could mean the last time they see the deceased is in hospital or a nursing home and that their ashes could be scattered at a crematorium somewhere they have no link to and without anyone they know being present. It many cases it can leave the door open for regrets and feel like unfinished business.

While direct cremations are often portrayed as a cheaper alternative to a full funeral, Jenny and Keith believe that cost should not be the deciding factor at this important time.

“If budget is a consideration there are options we can look at to bring the cost down,” says Jenny, adding that cheaper certainly does not mean inferior as even a cardboard coffin can be beautifully decorated – as she has seen one family do – to make the occasion special.

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She stresses too that when it comes to funerals it is your choice about what happens; family members can speak from the heart about the deceased instead of there being a celebrant, those in attendance can gather around the coffin and remember the deceased instead of it being a formal service and, of course, there is the option to add personal touches throughout.

“The process of remembering somebody is important, so we are happy to help you create a funeral that is intimate, organic and from the heart. It’s a beautiful way to honour and remember a loved one.” ends Jenny.

Saint and Foster will tailor-make a funeral that celebrates the life of your loved one in the way that means the most to you, however simple, elaborate or unusual that may be and whether that's a direct cremation, a traditional funeral or a natural burial on a site in the region.

To find out more, please get in touch with Saint and Foster by calling 01325 485111, or head over to their YouTube channel to discover more.

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