At Rosedale it is our belief that each funeral should be tailored to suit the character of the person that has died and the individual needs of the family.

Every funeral is different and these considerations are by no means exhaustive. It will help if you give some thought to the options open to you and discuss these with members of the family prior to making the funeral arrangements.

Some questions to take into consideration:

Did the person that has died leave any instructions regarding their funeral? Where would you like the service (if any) to take place, and will this be followed by burial or cremation?

If there is to be a cremation there are many options available as to the final resting place of the ashes and we can guide you through these options.

What is your budget?

We will advise you on the likely costs and provide you with a written estimate in advance of the funeral. Your budget may guide your choice of coffin or casket. We offer a range of coffins which includes cardboard, bamboo, or metal caskets amongst the more traditional choices. It is also possible for coffins to be decorated to reflect the life of the person that has died, the list is almost endless, so please ask. How much does a funeral cost?

Will family or friends wish to come and visit the person who has died in our chapel prior to the funeral?

Our chapel is available for you to visit at any time during the day or the evening providing you make an appointment. It is possible for the person that has died to be dressed in their own clothes that will be familiar to friends and family. This could be anything from a best suit, to their old gardening clothes. It is also possible for photographs, drawings or other small items to be placed in the coffin. You will need to consider whether jewellery, such as a wedding ring is to remain with the person who has died, or whether it will be removed and kept by a friend or family member.

We can place funeral notices and acknowledgements in local and national newspapers on your behalf and guide you with the wording of these. You will need to decide if you would like mourners to send flowers or donations to an appropriate charity in lieu of flowers. We can advise on local florists and guide you through the choices for floral tributes.

Should there be a service with religious content in a church or crematorium chapel or would you prefer to hold a secular service in a local hall or garden?

You will of course be guided in this decision by your own religious beliefs and those of the person whose funeral you are arranging. A high proportion of funeral services are conducted by a minister of religion, but secular services are growing and we have a list of humanist or civil funeral celebrants who will conduct a non religious service should this be your choice. Please see useful contacts for more information.

Do friends or members of the family wish to be personally involved in the service by reading or paying a tribute? What kind of music would be appropriate?

Often you can select the music that will be played on entering and leaving the place of service, as well as hymns or music during the service. In conjunction with the person who will lead the service, we can guide you with the order of service and arrange for these to be printed for you. These can be personalised with appropriate photographs drawings or a badge or emblem. We can also provide In Memoriam books to record the names of the mourners at the service, or we can list these for you.

Do you wish to provide catering for the mourners following the service?

We can advise on conveniently placed local hotels or arrange for outside caterers to attend either at your own home or in a local hall.

Informing other organisations and individuals

When someone has passed away, there are many organisations and individuals that will need to be informed over the coming weeks and tasks which may need to be carried out.

We hope you will find this checklist useful, which can be used in conjunction with this simple form which you can download and fill in the blanks and use to notify the various authorities of the death of a loved one.