Offering personal, flexible and cost-effective funeral service in Suffolk & Norfolk
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Meet the team Susan Whymark – Owner and Funeral Director Susan has been a funeral director since 1996 and gained the National Association of Funeral Directors diploma in 1998. She was the Chairman of the Suffolk and Essex Association of the NAFD 2008 – 2010. Susan arranges, administrates and conducts funerals and is also part of our ‘out of hours’ team.
Mandy Porter – Funeral Director Mandy joined us in May 2016 and is a funeral director at our Eye branch. Mandy arranges, administrates and conducts funerals and is also part of our ‘out of hours’ team.
Joanne Rowe – Funeral Arranger and Administrator (Eye)
Introduction Susan Whymark Funeral Service Ltd is an independent, family run business with funeral homes in both Eye, Suffolk and Harleston in Norfolk. We understand that when people come to us, it is at a confusing and distressing time. Our aim is to make everything as straightforward and stress free as possible. We can help you with all aspects of arranging a funeral; from ordering flowers and printing an order of service through to providing bereavement support.
About us Susan Whymark made the decision to become a funeral director when she was just 19, following the loss of her grandmother. “It seemed like such a caring profession, I had no idea how much detail they go into. Nothing was too much trouble and I felt my Nan would be really well looked after. I realised it is more than a job, it is a vocation”. Susan became a funeral director in 1996, gained the National Association of Funeral Directors diploma in 1998 and founded Susan Whymark Funeral Service with mother Dianne in 2004. It remains a trusted, independent and family run business, free from the constraints of the many larger corporate or group-owned businesses in the profession. Susan is one of the few female funeral directors in the country to open a funeral service from scratch without it being a family concern handed down over generations.
Why choose an independent funeral director? Susan Whymark Funeral Service is one of a small number of totally independent funeral service providers, with no “corporate policies”, upper management dictators or shareholders to worry about. As a small and close-knit team, we provide every family with a personal, flexible and cost-effective service. By paying close attention to the small details we can help make a funeral that is personal, dignified and meaningful.
Branches in both Suffolk and Norfolk We have premises in Eye and Harleston that are easily accessible for wheel chair users and those with limited mobility, and have ample parking directly outside the front door. All arrangements are carried out under one roof, from arranging the funeral to visiting our Chapel of Rest, and we offer free transport for all those necessary appointments relating to the funeral if required. Alternatively we are happy to visit you in the comfort of your own home to make the arrangements. Call us on 01379 871168 (Eye), 01379 851253 (Harleston) or Mobile 07879776175 email us. Calls are answered personally, 24-hours a day.
Available 24hrs - Eye 01379 871168 Harleston 01379 851253
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Joanne joined us in January 2018 she is kind natured and keen to help families in any way possible, she arranges and administrates funerals at our Eye branch.
Kelly Williams – Funeral Arranger and Administrator (Harleston)
David Goodey – Operative/Bearer David joined us in 2019, he lives with his wife Elaine in Creeting St. Mary. David is also part of our ‘out of hours’ team.
David Banks – Operative/Bearer David lives in Diss and has a background in the Print Industry. David has been helping us since 2020. Being freelance in Funeral Service means he works for us on an ‘as and when’ basis.
Maurice Gibbs – Bearer Before coming to work with us, Maurice was a member of the Eye Fire Service for many years. He is currently the Mace Bearer for the town. He’s been with our company since opening as a bearer.
Dennis Frankland – Bearer He joined our company in 2011 as a bearer and is also part of our ‘out of hours’ team.
Simon Leggett – Bearer He joined our team in 2011. Prior to working with us, Simon worked for Lloyds Bank throughout East Anglia and at the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Kelly joined us in May 2018, bringing with her over two years’ experience in the funeral profession. Kelly arranges and administrates funerals at our Harleston branch and is also part of our ‘out of hours team’.
Mark Underwood – Bearer
Louise Wiseman – Administration Assistant (Harleston)
Pete Richardson – Bearer
Louise joined the team in October 2020 and is a keen and enthusiastic member of the team who always has a smile on her face.
Ian Patrick – Funeral Service Operative Ian first joined the team in 2017 as a bearer before joining full time as a funeral operative in 2019. Ian is also part of our ‘out of hours’ team.
He helped Susan with her first ever funeral for this company. Mark is also part of our ‘out of hours’ team.
Pete joined the company in 2004 as a bearer, he runs his own picture framing business in Old Buckenham. Pete is also part of our ‘out of hours’ team.
Jack Francis – Apprentice Funeral Director Jack joined us in September 2021 on a 13 month apprenticeship. Following a close family bereavement, Jack felt he wanted to pursue a career in Funeral Service. After a short work experience at another funeral service, Jack contacted Susan to ask about an apprenticeship to which she gladly accepted.
Available 24hrs - Eye 01379 871168 Harleston 01379 851253
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Burial or Cremation? Often the first decision to be made when a arranging a funeral concerns the type of service. The decision of cremation or burial may be dictated by religious beliefs or simply reflect the personal wishes of your loved one. Whether you choose a burial or a cremation, we will be there to make all the arrangements on your behalf. You can choose to scatter, bury or keep your loved one’s ashes, whichever you find most comforting. In fact, you can even do all 3 if you please.
How Susan Whymark Funeral Service can help you. Susan Whymark Funeral Service Ltd is proud to offer a 24-hour caring, personal service, and our premises have a private chapel of rest. Arranging a funeral is typically the final thing you can do for somebody and carries a lot of responsibility at a difficult time. We understand this and endeavour to make things as straightforward as possible for everybody concerned. A funeral can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish. The most important thing is that it reflects the person it is being arranged for. We offer a comprehensive service and believe in giving tailored care and giving you the time and freedom to make the choices you want. The initial arrangement meeting can take place in our private arrangement lounge at either branch or in the comfort of your own home. Our staff will listen to your requirements and provide advice and guidance. Arrangements will be detailed and a full estimate of costs provided. We strive to make the arrangements as painless as possible, so please do not be afraid to ask questions or query anything you do not understand. We are happy to include you, your family and friends as much as you wish with all aspects of planning and preparing for the funeral.
Quality Assured As members of the National Association of Funeral Directors we adhere to a strict code of practice assuring you of our high standards, dedication and professionalism.
What we can do for you: •M aking all funeral arrangements on your behalf •P rovide advice on how to register a death • L iaise with clergy, celebrants and local authorities
•O rder floral tributes •P rovide printed order of service •M anage charitable donations •P lace announcements in the press •T ake names of those attending the funeral •O rganise catering •P rovide advice on environmentally friendly funerals •P rovide pre-arranged funeral plans •A dvice on monumental masonry and other forms of memorial •G rave attendance service •A ftercare bereavement support group
Sign Language We are pleased to announce that Susan Whymark has gained her Level 1 award in British Sign Language. Following a funeral arrangement where she did not know a family member was deaf, and only realising at the end when all the decisions had been made, she made it her mission to try and learn British Sign Language so those from the deaf community having to make funeral arrangements, can be included in everything. At Susan Whymark Funeral Service, it is important that, where possible, everyone, not just the deaf community, who want to be included in arrangements, are included. We have worked with BSL interpreters at funeral services for many years but, within the setting for the arrangement meeting, it is often left to another family member to interpret or for the deaf family member to try and lip read. The language used whilst arranging a funeral, sometimes contains words not used in an everyday setting, or just the context of the conversation can be hard to understand when everyone present can hear every word let alone if somebody present cannot hear.
•T he funeral service can be held at the crematorium. Most will have a service room or other appropriate facilities •T he service may also take place in a church or another location before going to the crematorium •T here is often a time limit for the length of the service, although this will vary depending on the crematorium • You can keep the ashes in an urn, scatter or bury them •O ther options include incorporating a small amount of the ashes into jewellery or keepsakes
Some things to consider about a burial: •Y ou may already have a family grave or plot. We can arrange for this to be reopened and the headstone removed before burial •W oodland burials are now available in many areas •Y ou can hold the funeral service in a local church or in a cemetery chapel. We have a room you can use at our premises for a service if you prefer •A fter the burial you will need to consider if you want a memorial headstone, or a new inscription on an existing headstone •W e can also give you advice on choosing a memorial and any local regulations you should know about
Religious/Spiritual Funerals We can make all the arrangements for the funeral, burial or cremation. If your wish is for the deceased to have a Church service but they were not a regular at Church it does not necessarily mean they cannot have their funeral in Church,
Faiths, beliefs and cultural practices form a fundamental part of the lives of many people in the UK today. The UK is a diverse society, and we can arrange a funeral for all religions and cultures. We are pleased to work with people from any faith and background and will provide more detailed information when we meet with you.
Funerals without religion A funeral service should be a reflection of a person’s life – their loves, their achievements and the things that made them who they were. If the deceased was not of a religious orientation and a religious ceremony is felt to be inappropriate then one option is for us to arrange a civil funeral for you.
Civil Funerals A civil funeral can be held almost anywhere, with the exception of religious buildings and churches. The ceremony is appropriate for either a cremation or burial at any non-religious burial ground, such as a Local Authority Cemetery or woodland burial site. The person who conducts the ceremony is a trained professional Civil Funeral Celebrant, many of whom are members of the Registration Service. The Civil Funeral Ceremony gives you the freedom to make a number of choices about the ceremony, such as the music to be included and readings to choose from. Religious elements such as hymns and prayers can be included if desired, as can contributions from family members and friends.
Humanist Funerals The British Humanist Association (BHA) offers a personal and dignified funeral ceremony for those who have chosen to live without religion. As with Civil funerals, a humanist funeral can be held anywhere except a religious building or church. Humanist officiants are men and women familiar with the procedures of cremation and burial who can empathise with the experience of bereavement. They are sensitive to the family’s wishes yet ready to give clear guidance when needed. Unlike a civil funeral, however, Humanist officiants will not include any religious elements such as hymns or prayers and any music chosen must not have a religious connotation.
The level 1 award is basic skills and includes mainly everyday conversation. Susan’s ability so far, would not mean she is able to arrange a whole funeral using BSL but our hope is we can make a deaf family member feel a little more comfortable in a strange setting.
Available 24hrs - Eye 01379 871168 Harleston 01379 851253
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Some things to consider about a cremation:
however, this would be at the discretion of the incumbent or priest. We can help find your preferred local Church or place of worship and liaise with the Minister on your behalf if you wish. Funerals for all religions, faiths and cultures.
Available 24hrs - Eye 01379 871168 Harleston 01379 851253
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We will help you to plan and arrange a personal and dignified funeral ceremony, and conduct it on the day.
Choosing a coffin
Nothing in a humanist ceremony would offend people who may be uneasy about a non-religious funeral. The idea is not to be hostile to religious beliefs, but to focus in a sincere way on the reality of the life that has ended.
We will guide you through the process of choosing a coffin or casket for your relative or friend. As independent funeral directors we are able to use any supplier and therefore provide the coffin you want. From the traditional dignity of a wooden coffin to more unconventional designs and materials, we can accommodate your wishes.
The Humanist Celebrants will speak to you and, ideally, meet you and others affected by the death. It is helpful for the officiants to learn as much as possible about the person who has died, so that the funeral tribute really captures their life and personality. If required, they will give you a transcript of the service.
Eco-friendly funerals We are increasingly mindful of the impact we have the environment, which has led to more people wanting to take this into consideration when they leave this world. We would be pleased to discuss the options with you, and arrange a personalised funeral with due consideration to the choices that are most sensitive to the environment.
What is a green burial? A green funeral aims to provide an eco-friendly burial by allowing the body to return to the earth in a natural manner without damaging the environment. The body is buried in a simple casket made from biodegradable material such as bamboo, wicker or cardboard, which allows the body to return to the earth gradually and naturally. In some cases the body may only be wrapped in a simple shroud. Eco-friendly coffins can be viewed on our coffins and caskets page.
Woodland Burials Grounds. Beautiful woodland areas have been designated to bury your loved ones, in most places, ashes can also be interred at these grounds. We will answer any questions you may have and assist you with making your relative’s or friend’s funeral as eco-friendly as possible.
All coffins are manufactured to be suitable for burial or cremation, are fully lined and complete with handles and an inscribed nameplate. If the coffin is to be cremated, all embellishments are made in a combustible material so they do not need to be removed prior to cremation. Objects may be put in the coffin with the deceased, although for a cremation they must fall within the guidelines of the crematorium, for example photographs must be loose without a glass frame. We offer wooden coffins and coffins made of alternative materials.Please visit our website for more information www.susanwhymark.co.uk. Please take a look on our website for more detailed information on the following:
•S tationery and order of service •A shes Urns, Memorials & Keepsakes •C askets for ashes •S catter Tubes™ •M asonry • Tribute Hearts •M emory Bear •F lowers into Paperweights Call us on 01379 871168 or email us. Calls are answered personally, 24-hours a day.
Available 24hrs - Eye 01379 871168 Harleston 01379 851253
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Pre-arranged funeral plans Planning ahead in this way is never an easy thing to do, but it can be comforting and reassuring to know that you have taken care of your funeral arrangements, and in the process provided both financial and practical future help for your loved ones. At Susan Whymark Funeral Service we offer Perfect Choice as our funeral plan provider. Perfect Choice Funeral Plans are brought to you by Ecclesiastical Planning Services, and carried out by members of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD).You can be sure that your funeral will be of the highest possible standard, in accordance with a strict code of practice. Ecclesiastical Planning Services is registered with the Financial Planning Authority which exists to protect consumers’ interests across the funeral planning sector in the UK.
A Perfect Choice Funeral Plan allows you to: • Pre-arrange all the details of your funeral • Fix your Funeral Director’s costs in advance • Make a contribution to third party costs • Make your funeral wishes known • Choose from a range of funeral services with flexible payment options • Personalise your plan to specific requirements and budget
All our plans are tailored to your wishes. Each aspect of your wishes is costed meaning you can add as little or as much as wish to pay for making our plans very flexible and cost effective. Every penny of the full value of your Perfect Choice Funeral Plan (excluding the initial management fee) is held securely with a UKbased life assurance company that is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the PRA and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Funeral plans themselves are not regulated by the PRA or FCA. You may have had information posted to you, sent by email or seen advertising in your local paper or on the television from many other companies about funeral planning. If you are considering any one of these please do make sure you read the small print very carefully. Likewise, we are happy to discuss other plans and give a comparison service. If you would like to find out more about Perfect Choice Funeral Plans please call us to make a no-obligation appointment. We would be happy to visit you in the comfort of your own home if you prefer. Call us on 01379 871168 or email us. Calls are answered personally, 24-hours a day. Terms and conditions apply to funeral plans – please ask for details.
Available 24hrs - Eye 01379 871168 Harleston 01379 851253
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Eye Branch Chestnut House 12 Progress Way Langton Green EYE IP23 7HU Tel: 01379 871168 Mobile: 07879 776175 Email: susan@susanwhymark.co.uk
Harleston Branch Ley House 11a London Road HARLESTON Norfolk IP20 9BH Tel: 01379 851253 Mobile: 07879 776175 Email: susan@susanwhymark.co.uk
www.susanwhymark.co.uk
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