INDEPENDENT FUNERAL DIRECTORS & MONUMENTAL MASONS
HELPING FAMILIES AND FRIENDS HONOUR THEIR LOVED ONES
WE PROVIDE A RANGE OF SERVICES INCLUDING ARRANGING BURIALS AND MANAGING THE MAINTENANCE OF THE GROUNDS
EVERY LIFE DESERVES A SPECIAL TIME OF HONOURING AND CELEBRATING
Established in 2018, although the business is still young we have a vast amount of knowledge and expertise to offer. In 1983 I enrolled in The North West School of Embalming at Middleton and Woods in Wallgate in Wigan. I then worked at Middleton and Wood in Wigan until I joined Greater Manchester Ambulance Service in 1986, 16 years later I became a freelance embalmer covering local major funeral homes in Wigan, Bolton and Manchester area. I lost my father in 2007. It was then I realised how much funeral services were charging and felt not only could I make a difference but offer everything Major funeral homes can at a more reasonable price with the same quality service, if not better.
We will do our utmost to offer a caring, personal and dignified 24 hour service that your loved one deserves and go that extra mile, we want to take the stress and strain away from you, so you can grieve while your loved one is looked after in our care. With the help of my husband Karl who has been a funeral director for 15 years we aim to provide a unique and professional service of outstanding quality in a dignified manner. Our aim is to provide affordable funerals whilst giving back to our community. We understanding loved ones leaving us will be the most daunting experience, but can ensure that we will be there for you and your family at this difficult time in your lives. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen legal issues we are now changing our name to Sue Gibbons Funeral Service but will continue to provide the same dignified, professional service for you.
• Flowers
• Headstones & Memorials
• Pre-paid funerals
• Transportation
• Creamation Jewellery & Keepsakes
• Coffins & Caskets
• Repatriations
Planning for the Inevitable
We are here for you through this difficult time, providing you with guidance and support to create a meaningful service. We are here to assist you through each and every step of the way.
Many people are overwhelmed and unsure what necessary steps to take when a loved one passes away. In this difficult time, we are here to support you and offer guidance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This guide will help explain the details on what to do when your loved one has passed away.
If the death occurred at home and is expected
You should not contact the police or ambulance as the death is expected. Instead, contact the deceased’s GP’s surgery and a GP will come and verify the death. Then you can contact us to take the deceased into care. If there is no involvement of the coroner, the GP will issue a medical certificate of cause of death, which you can collect from the surgery and will need to take with you when you go to register the death at your local registrar.
If the death occurred in hospital
If there isn’t any coroner involvement the bereavement office will be able to help you with any questions or problems. When the certificate is ready, they will make an appointment with you so you can collect it. Each hospital has certain paperwork to be completed before we are authorised to bring the deceased into our care. We can always give you advice through this process.
If the death occurred at home and is unexpected Dial 999 for an ambulance, and they will guide you through the next steps to take. The police will be called due to the death being unexpected and they will report the death to the coroner. Once the death has been verified, the coroner will call his chosen funeral directors who will take the deceased to the hospital mortuary. We must then await further instructions from the coroner.
If the death occurred in a nursing home or a hospice
A GP or a qualified member of staff will verify the death, given that there is no coroner involvement. The medical certificate of cause of death will be issued by the GP and the staff at the hospice/nursing home can tell you when it is completed and where to collect it from. After this step, we can then take the deceased into our care.
If the death occurred elsewhere
If the death occurred in an area away from home, the local GP, hospital or coroner will attend to the required paperwork. The registering of the death must be carried out in the district where the death occurred.
If the death occurred abroad
In certain circumstances, the medical certificate of cause of death cannot be issued by the hospital or GP and the death must be reported to the coroner, usually by the GP or the police. We offer repatriation services for those who wish to return the deceased back home. Click here for more information
Death due to natural causes
If the post-mortem examination shows that death was
due to natural causes, the coroner will send the necessary paperwork directly to the register office. If the coroner decides to hold an inquest, the death cannot be registered until after the inquest has been completed. They will, however, issue you with an interim death certificate that will be accepted by most banks and building societies. The coroner will also issue the funeral director with the necessary forms for the funeral to take place.
Arranging The Funeral Service
There are many decisions to be made in arranging a funeral, and every funeral is unique to the family’s wishes. It is our duty and purpose to assist you in the planning of the funeral for your loved one to ease your worries as much as we are able to through this difficult time. Some aspects to consider are listed below.
Cremation or Burial
The first decision people usually make is whether you choose a cremation or burial. There are several aspects to consider surrounding each type. With a cremation, it may cost less and you will have choice in deciding your loved one’s final resting place. A burial, on the other hand, will require a memorial and arranging a burial space for your loved one. Whichever type you choose, we are here to make all the arrangements on your behalf.
with care, creativity and attention to detail. Sometimes, sending flowers can be a healing gesture for people who have lost someone close to them.
Coffins and Caskets
We supply a wide range of coffins and caskets, ranging from simple designs to the most luxurious. If you would like to view the selection of coffins and caskets, you can make an appointment to meet a member a staff. We understand that sensitivity is required first and foremost, and we are available to answer any question and queries that you may have.
Transport
A hearse is the vehicle used to take the coffin or casket to the funeral service. The hearse is usually followed by limousines, which carry the closest family and friends. We can arrange chauffeured limousines to give you the relief of worrying about parking, driving, and arriving at the service on time. We will always try to accommodate the requests of alternative hearses.
strict rules on the type of music permitted. If there is an organ, make sure the organist can play the hymns or songs you want.
There are other ways of making the funeral reflect the life of the person who has passed away and we will do our best to arrange anything we can for you. Some of the things people choose include horse-drawn hearses and releasing doves at the crematorium or at the burial.
The coroner’s involvement
The coroner may either: decide that death was natural and allow a doctor to issue the medical certificate of cause of death, or the coroner may decide a post-mortem examination is needed to determine the cause of death. A death will be reported to the coroner when:
The cause of death was unexpected
The death was sudden, unexplained, violent or occurred under suspicious circumstances
The deceased was not attended by a doctor during their final illness
The deceased’s doctor has not attended to the deceased in the 14 days prior to death or after death Death occurred during an operation, or before the person came out of the anaesthetic
We are able to invite ministers of any religion to conduct the funeral or to perform their respective religious rituals upon the family’s request. If a Humanist (non-religious) funeral is chosen, we will arrange the service accordingly.
Floral Tributes
Many people choose flowers that were a favourite of the person who has passed away, which can be another way of making the funeral more personal. The expert florists who we work with handcraft the flower arrangements
Music, including hymns, CDs and live music, often plays an important part in a funeral service. Some churches have
We offer Golden Charter pre-paid funeral plans, which are the most renowned funeral plans which are supported by the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD). By having a pre-paid funeral plan for yourself or for your loved one, it guarantees you can secure the costs of the funeral at today’s prices so you can put your mind at ease of the financial and emotional worries. By investing in a pre-paid funeral plan, it ensures you can organise every detail of the funeral to your personal specifications, relieve your family of worry and uncertainty, and avoid additional expenses.
What happens to my money?
Payments made towards a funeral plan will be placed in an independent trust fund, which is invested with a view to ensure that no matter what happens, there will be sufficient funds available for your funeral to take place as specified, thus providing protection against inflation and rising costs. This is increasingly more important as funeral costs are gradually rising. So as long as we carry out the funeral and the requirements remain the same, you or your family will not need to pay any extra costs for the plan that was arranged, regardless of how many days, weeks or years pass.
What options do I have in a pre-paid funeral plan?
There are several options that you can choose from to suit your preferences, budget and if you would like any special requests. You can make your wishes known in advance so there are no worries in the future.
How do I purchase a funeral plan?
If you would like to discuss your options regarding a funeral plan in more detail or purchase a funeral plan, we would be happy to meet with you. This meeting could either take place at our funeral home in Wigan, or we can arrange a meeting in your own home if you would prefer. Please call to make an appointment on 01942 820 290.
A funeral plan is an easy way to arrange the funeral you want in advance. A plan allows you to specify your wishes and pay for the funeral director’s services included in your plan. As our customers often tell us, that can bring peace of mind to you and your family. A plan from Golden Charter also includes an allowance towards third party costs. These are essential, non-funeral director services such as the cremation or burial fees, plus the minister or officiant’s fee to perform the service.
At SG Funeral Service, we work in partnership with Golden Charter to provide you with a safe and reliable way to plan ahead. As one of the UK’s largest funeral plan providers*, Golden Charter has helped 900,000 people make funeral provisions** so we’re completely confident in offering their plans to you.
Everyone has different needs when it comes to funeral planning, so we make sure the plans we offer are as flexible as possible. When you get in touch, we’ll be happy to discuss your funeral requirements and tailor a plan to suit you. Rest assured a plan from Golden Charter is available to all UK residents who are over 18, regardless of age or state of health.
*Based on selling 14% of funeral plans in the UK in 2021 **Correct at April 2022