Woodville Co-operative Funeralcare planners go out of their way to provide a personal touch to a service
For many people, saying a final goodbye to a loved one still means having a church service followed by a burial or a cremation.
Many families, however, now opt for a bespoke service that celebrates the character of the person and how he or she lived their life.
Woodville Co-operative Funeralcare offers a large selection of features designed to help you create an individual send-off which is both memorable and dignified. A horse-drawn hearse, for example, might be a good choice for someone who loved horses and riding, lending a sense of old-fashioned pomp to the occasion. We can supply a carriage drawn by black or white horses in pairs of two, four and six.
Unusual tributes
Other means of transport at our disposal are less conventional. We have a Harley Davidson, Triumph and Suzuki hearse and sidecar available for those who had a passion for motorcycling.
Whatever your wish, our Co-operative funeral staff will try to make it come true. One customer wanted a VW camper van as a hearse – and we provided it. Another family requested a pink hearse because their relative loved the colour pink. We scoured the country until we found the only one in existence.
Our group of funeral directors has even produced a coffin in the shape of a skip for a scrapyard owner who was buried with a few bits of scrap metal, according to his last wish. A firefighter was taken on his last journey in a fire engine.
Other people’s ashes have been spectacularly dispersed in fireworks. The release of white doves is also popular, offering both a beautiful and poignant symbol of peace.
These are just some of the examples of the unusual requests our funeral directors have fulfilled.
Even a traditional funeral can have personal elements added to it. The horses’ plumes and drapes don't have to be in black. They could be in the favourite colour of the deceased which relatives could reflect in some way in their dress, perhaps in the flowers they wear in their hats.
Our staff are more than happy to co-ordinate their attire with the theme of the funeral. They have a collection of different coloured ties and cravats they can put on, or corsages where applicable. It could be the colours of a football team or some other appropriate gesture. Sometimes they surprise the family by doing this.
Themed funerals can add colour and bring comfort
As long as it is legal, we will do our best to help you lay your loved one to rest in a meaningful way. In fact, we encourage people to add personal touches to the service. It is these gestures which bring comfort to the bereaved and aid them in coming to terms with their loss.
See our floral tributes section to see how funeral flowers can be individually designed too.
We also have a large choice of coffins which can be decorated with pictures, along with high quality, hand carved headstones in various colours and shapes to meet individual requirements.