We go the extra mile to provide a personalised or traditional funeral which adds colour to the service
Gone are the days when all funerals had to look the same, with black being the overriding colour both for the hearse and the mourners. Some people still prefer a traditional service, but one of the biggest changes the funeral industry has experienced in recent years is the demand for a personalised send-off.
Tamworth Co-operative Funeral Service offers a huge range of features to create an individual funeral that captures the character and life of the person being celebrated. A horse-drawn hearse, for example, lends an old-fashioned feel to the proceedings, as well as a certain dignity and grace. We can supply a carriage drawn by black or white horses in pairs of two, four and six.
We can also organise a Harley Davidson, Suzuki or Triumph motorcycle hearse for people who want their final journey to mark the passion they had in life.
Whatever your wish, our 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 asked us for a pink hearse because their relative loved the colour pink. We scoured the country until we found the only one in existence.
We have 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 a beautiful sight and can poignantly symbolise your loved one being at peace.
These are just some examples of the unusual requests we have been able to put into action. Even a traditional funeral can have personal elements added to it. At one funeral the horses’ plumes and drapes were red, again to reflect the favourite colour of the deceased, matched by the mourners wearing red and black flowers on their hats. Another time two women outriders on horseback accompanied the funeral cortege.
Our funeral directors can even co-ordinate what they wear with the theme of the funeral. They have a collection of different coloured ties and cravats they can put on, or corsages where applicable. Sometimes they surprise the family by doing this.
As long as it is legal, we will do our best to help you say goodbye to someone who was special to you 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 also be individually designed.
