Page 43 - South Issue 12
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Celebrating the Individual
When it comes to organising a funeral, it shouldn’t be
a choice between a bronze, silver and gold package – it
should be individual to your loved one. This is where
the Individual Funeral Company excels. Independent
family funeral directors based in Oxfordshire, there is
no hard sell or targets to meet. All staff want is to make
sure their customers feel they have had a personal and
sympathetic service at such a difficult time.
Lucy Jane from the Individual Funeral Company explains
the origins of the company. “We have been open since
September 2014, but the whole process started three
years ago. I have been in the funeral industry for over ten
years and I could see people wanted to personalise the
funeral more. I decided that other companies weren’t
giving people the choice or opportunity to do that, so I
decided to open my own funeral directors where people
could.”
Being independent helps Lucy to meet this aim. There
are no cooperate policies or procedures to follow, which
means Lucy and her team can offer a service that is truly
individual. “The ethos of my company is really simple - to
be honest in everything we do, to give people choice
without the added cost and to give them the funeral they
want and not what is easiest for us. I don’t think there is
anything that makes the ideal funeral. What is right for
one family may not be right for another. Small, personal
touches make each funeral unique. “
This ethos of honesty goes all the way through the
company and it even extends to the design of their
premises in Rose Hill, Oxford. Passers-by will notice that
unlike many funeral directors, there are no curtains
or blinds and there is always a highly creative window
display. “There are a few funeral directors who have
window displays, but it is usually a dusty headstone with
a few faded brochures!” Says Lucy. “I put a lot of time into
our displays because there are so many exciting products
people can have these days. I also make a point of putting
the prices on everything in the window so people know
what things cost.
“The ‘no curtains’ approach is just who we are. We are
open and honest about everything we do. I am really
proud of each and every product we use and the building
we are in. Because of how the building looks, which is
bright and airy, people just pop their head in the door
to ask a question that may have been on their mind
for a while. We want to be part of the community and
encourage people to ask questions.”
A time of grief is a time when families come together
stronger than ever, and so it is fitting that the
Independent Funeral Company is a totally family run
operation. Lucy’s brother takes care of the maintenance
of the building, her mother takes care of the deceased
and her sister is the receptionist while Lucy attends
to the families. It is reassuring that Lucy’s family look
after those in need with the exact same care that they
extend to each other and the atmosphere staff create is
welcoming and comforting at what can be a terrible time
in the life of any family.
To find out more about the Independent Funeral
Company, visit
The Individual
Funeral Company
The Individual Funeral Company is an
independent, family funeral directors based
in Oxford specialising in traditional and
bespoke funerals.
01865 714130
86 Rose Hill, Oxford, OX4 4HX
