Funeral directors share their stories for your inspiration

This Book of Ideas is about honouring lives.

Every life is unique and to honour it in a way that reflects that individual is a privilege. In the Book of Ideas, funeral directors have shared some of their stories of how families have honoured their loved ones, so that you can draw inspiration for your own arrangements.

A funeral is about saying goodbye, about good grief and about support.

These days we find people want to have their say in how the funeral will look, and they can be quite different to days gone by. There’s no one size fits all. We’re learning that people want more involvement, more about the person, more creativity with personal touches – they want the funeral to be meaningful, relevant and true to the life that was lived. They want it to be authentic.

You don't even have to call it a funeral - call it a gathering, a tribute, a farewell, a ceremony...

You can be as modern or as true to traditions as you like in your funeral arrangements with us. The funeral can be relaxed, not stiff or formal; funny not just serious; colourful, not sombre; filled with music, not just words; outdoors or in a favourite place; themed around hobbies or achievements; held at dusk or dawn. The important element is that the funeral reflects the life that was lived and how that life mattered to others.

Book of ideas inspirational gallery

Take a look at some of the funeral services that funeral directors across the country have already arranged in the image gallery below, and draw inspiration for your own funeral arrangements.