A Beautiful, Relaxed Occasion

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services were privileged to host a funeral ceremony at their premises, Gate Lodge, in the heart of St Neots, yesterday.

The ceremony was designed based on the wishes of the deceased, who had specified that something very simple was what she wanted.

Members of the family took part by reading poems. Music chosen by several people was included. Carolanne Gibson, a qualified Civil Funeral Celebrant presided over the event.

Mourners gathered at Gate Lodge about half an hour before the ceremony started. We provided tea, coffee and biscuits to welcome everyone and help them to relax. They were welcome to mingle, to settle in the ceremony room, or to do whatever they wanted.

The informality and simplicity of the ceremony was something that quite simply could not have been achieved at a crematorium.

Several visitors commented that they did not know a funeral could be like this. But they will now tell others. So slowly the word will spread.

After the ceremony, the immediate family had asked if Roxie could be around. I was hesitant about this, as she is still quite lively, but she was absolutely wonderful (despite jumping on a few people!)

Roxie is becoming firmly established as a member of the Kingfisher family. She is adorable, and will shortly start her training to become a bereavement dog available to help all clients who want to meet her.

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services are proud to be the only locally-owned, fully independent funeral directors in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. We are open to all suggestions, and positively encourage participation in funeral arrangements. We are recommended in The Good Funeral Guide 2011 and by The Natural Death Centre, and we are the only funeral directors to feature on The Best of St Neots. For more information or if you require any help, please telephone us on (01480) 471001 or e-mail info@kingfisherfunerals.co.uk

The 2012 Challenge is on!

Over the last couple of months, Roxie and I have been clocking up the miles to kick start the 2012 Challenge, in which I aim to cover 2012 km under my own power (walking, cycling etc) before the start of the olympics in July.

The challenge will be sponsored, and the target is to raise £2012 between now and July. Money raised will be donated directly to Sue Ryder St John's Hospice, Moggerhanger, which provides palliative care to so many local people.

Please visit my fundraising page by clicking here or if you prefer to sponsor me in person, telephone (01480) 471001 or call in at Gate Lodge, Cemetery Road, St Neots, PE19 2BX during office hours.

Look out for more details in the local press, and regular updates on this blog.

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services are proud to support local charities and organisations. We are the only locally-owned, fully independent funeral directors in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. We are recommended in The Good Funeral Guide 2011 and by The Natural Death Centre, and we are the only funeral directors to feature on The Best of St Neots. For more information or if you require any help, please telephone us on (01480) 471001 or e-mail info@kingfisherfunerals.co.uk.

The Call to Market

As a new business, at Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services we are working hard at marketing ourselves to the community.

Barely a day goes by without some company or other telephoning, claiming they can increase traffic to our website, or wanting us to advertise in their new brochure, or even, as some do, guaranteeing that work will increase if they are contracted to do our marketing. Surprisingly, when they’re asked to put that in writing, they are not quite so forthcoming with their claims.

Yesterday, I was called to remove a gentleman whose GP had certified his death and had already completed the cremation paperwork and left this with him.

The paperwork had the large stamp of another Funeral Director very clearly on the front page. Two chances of being called then, once by the GP, and once by the next-of-kin. But not a lot of scope for the client to make any informed decisions.

Clever marketing, or just a wee bit cheeky?

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services are proud to be the only locally-owned, fully independent Funeral Directors in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. We are recommended in The Good Funeral Guide 2011 and by The Natural Death Centre, and we are the only funeral directors to feature on The Best of St Neots. For more information or if you require any help, please telephone us on (01480) 471001 or e-mail info@kingfisherfunerals.co.uk.

Changing the way we price Pre-Need Funerals

We had feedback from a few clients about the way that Pre-Paid funerals are priced in the area, and that they would find it much easier if an inclusive price was quoted.

It is quite difficult to do this, because everyone's wishes are slightly different. Crematoria charge varying fees, Religious and Secular officiants are paid differently, the requirements of burial and cremation are different.

However, we believe in listening to our clients, so we have updated the prices of our pre-need funerals to give inclusive costs for both an Eco-Friendly, Economical Funeral, and a Traditional Funeral.

Details of the specifications and prices can be found here.

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services are proud to be the only locally-owned, fully independent Funeral Directors in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. We are recommended in The Good Funeral Guide 2011 and by The Natural Death Centre, and we are the only funeral directors to feature on The Best of St Neots. For more information or if you require any help, please telephone us on (01480) 471001 or e-mail info@kingfisherfunerals.co.uk.

Our New Website Goes Live

After much work, our new website (this website) is now up and running. Please do look around it.

We now offer an Online Tribute service, which we will set up for you free of charge once we are appointed as your Funeral Directors. You will have access to this web page at all times, and can share it via Facebook and Twitter, and via e-mail. Friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances can add their own tributes to your page to create a lasting memory.

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services continues to provide an unparalleled service to the communities of St Neots and the surrounding areas. We are very proud to be the only locally-owned, fully independent Funeral Directors in the town, and our 100% satisfaction guarantee gives you complete peace of mind. Read some of our testimonials here to give you an idea of the level of service we provide.

We are the only Funeral Directors in the local area to be recommended by The Good Funeral Guide, The Best of St Neots, and The Natural Death Centre. For more information on any of our services, please do not hesitate to call us on (01480) 471001, or use any of the other methods of contact detailed here.

Kingfisher Funerals Shortlisted for Local Business Award

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services are extremely proud and pleased to have been shortlisted for the Local Business Accelerators competition.

The shortlist of four local businesses has been announced today in The Hunts Post, and includes two businesses from St Neots and two from Huntingdon.

"The nationwide campaign, which was launched in October by regional and national newspapers across the country and backed by Prime Minister David Cameron and Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden, will see 1500 firms receive £15million of free advertising to help boost their businesses in 2012."

Andy Veale, Editor of The Hunts Post, said "The range of businesses that have entered the Local Business Accelerators competition has been impressive ... there is a large and diverse range of fledgling companies in Huntingdonshire. Now we have the shortlist, the even more difficult task begins of finding an overall winner - a business that will thrive with the added benefit of free advertising and expert advice."

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services are proud to be the only locally-owned, fully independent Funeral Directors in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. We are recommended in The Good Funeral Guide 2011 and by The Natural Death Centre, and we are the only funeral directors to feature on The Best of St Neots. For more information or if you require any help, please telephone us on (01480) 471001 or e-mail info@kingfisherfunerals.co.uk.

Local Headlines - Funeral Boss's Offer to Families

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services have made it into the local paper again this week.

The article details the Ceremony Room we have available for funerals and receptions.

Using this ceremony room enables clients to hold the funeral they want or need, in the centre of St Neots, without the need for travelling to Bedford or Cambridge Crematorium.

The room seats up to 30 mourners, and funerals can be completely personalised by way of religious or non-religious content, music, readings and poetry. You can even decorate the room if you like - balloons and flowers have been used to date!

By removing the need to travel, we are also reducing the costs associated with a funeral. You don't require a hearse or limousines, so you don't pay for them. We now offer a fully inclusive low cost funeral in St Neots for £1995.00, and this includes cremation at Cambridge or burial in St Neots Cemetery. Full details of inclusions can be found here.

You are also able to feel more relaxed in this setting. No clock-watching. No having to clear the chapel to make room for the next funeral. No feeling of being on a production line.

If you would like to find out more about this facility, please contact us via this link, or call us on (01480) 471001. You can also visit our new website here.

Kingfisher Independent Funeral Services are proud to be the only locally-owned, fully independent Funeral Directors in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. We are recommended in The Good Funeral Guide 2011 and by The Natural Death Centre, and we are the only funeral directors to feature on The Best of St Neots. For more information or if you require any help, please telephone us on (01480) 471001 or e-mail info@kingfisherfunerals.co.uk.