Things to know when arranging a funeral

There are many different options available for a funeral service.    

First and foremost, we will need to know whether the committal will be a burial or cremation, as different legal documents will need to be completed.  If the choice is cremation, we will ask which crematoria you would like the committal to be held; the most local crematorium is in Portchester, Fareham; however, unless you choose our unattended cremation option, you have the final say. 

If a burial is chosen, we will need to know the name of the cemetery, whether there is an existing grave and the details of the last person who was interred (buried) or if you would like us to arrange for a new plot, we will also ask you if the person who has died is a resident of the area where the cemetery is located and if there is a monument (headstone) in place.

Once these decisions have been made, we will discuss the service itself, whether a service is required, if you would like it to be held at the place of committal (cemetery/crematoria), in a church or other place of worship, or at an alternative venue.  

If the service is to be held at the cemetery/crematoria, we will discuss the type of officiant you would like to lead the service.  We work closely with different officiants; whether you require a religious minister, a non-religious humanist, or a celebrant, we will make recommendations based on our experience. Remember, you do not have to hold a service at all, or you can take the service yourself or ask a family member/friend to do this on your behalf.  

Although we are Funeral Directors based in Gosport, we are able to help with arrangements in Portsmouth and the whole of the UK  

Bespoke Choices: Our core funeral packages include everything you need for a simple funeral service.  There are several changes that you can make if you wish; some of these include: Vehicle Choices Whether you would like to add a family car with seating for up to six people or choose one of our alternative hearses, you can even specify a certain route for the cortège to travel. Coffin Upgrades We have many options for you to choose from: traditional wooden coffins,  environmentally friendly options, bespoke pictures, or glitter coffins.

We have included some further ideas for you to consider, but we will work with you to create a truly meaningful farewell if you have a vision of your own.  

• Floral Tributes and/or Charitable Donations 

Floral Tributes: If you would like to use your own florist to arrange your floral tributes, you are more than welcome to - the florist will ask you the funeral directors name, the name of the person who has died and the date and time of the funeral service so they can be delivered in good time.    If you are creating your own tributes, we ask that they are delivered to our office two clear hours before the time of the service.  We work closely with local florists in Gosport, Fareham and Portsmouth; we are happy to provide their details so you can approach them or place the order on your behalf and place them onto the final account. 

Charitable Donations: If it has been decided that there are to be no floral tributes or family flowers only, we can receive and collate charitable donations in memory of the person who has died.  We can set up a complimentary online donations page that you can share with family, friends and colleagues.  Online donations are collated and sent directly to the charity.  

Alternatively, we can accept cheques made payable to the charity.  

We will collate these cheques 4-6 weeks after the funeral date; we will provide you with a list of names* of the donators and the final amount raised and ask the charity to send you a receipt.  

*We will only provide names as shown in covering letters or on cheques; due to GDPR, we cannot pass on any personal data, e.g. addresses or telephone numbers.  Likewise, if we are asked to provide your details for a condolence card to be sent, we will instead offer to forward this to you on the person's behalf. 

• Service Sheets

You are welcome to design and produce your own service sheets; however, we offer a full design service; we recommend that you meet with and obtain a running order from the officiant before you proceed with printing any service sheets.    

These can be designed with a certain theme in mind and include poems and photographs. 

• Visual Life Tribute (Photo Slideshow) 

At certain venues*, there are facilities to show a Visual Life Tribute.  We would typically play this during the time of reflection along with the chosen piece of music for around 2-3 minutes.  Alternatively, you can have photographs flipping through the entirety of the service (without music) or, you can have one static photograph showing (known as a holding picture)  Whatever you decide, we can create the Visual Life Tribute for you; however, if you would like to create your own, there are certain requirements that we will discuss with you in full.  

*Certain venues refer to crematoria chapels. Other venues may accommodate a Visual Life Tribute; alternatively, we can create visual life tributes to be played at the reception following the service. 

• Poetry and Readings 

There are so many different poems and readings that you can specifically use at funeral services; however, you are welcome to create your own tributes or poems, which you can either read during the service or have the officiant read on your behalf. 

• Live-streaming the Service (Webcast) 

It may be that there are family members or friends who are unable to attend the service as they live abroad or are unable to travel; we can facilitate live-streaming.  

Certain venues have this already in place; however, alternative options are available at other venues that currently do not have these facilities.