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AB Walker & Son Limited
Address: Eldon House, 36 Eldon Road, Reading Berkshire RG1 4DL
Phone: 0118 957 3650 Email: julian@abwalker.co.uk Web: www.abwalker.co.uk
Funeral Director/s: This is a sizeable and long-established independent family business with four branches in the local area. In charge is Julian Walker, who joined after spells as an Army officer and businessman. His motivations are, he says, people, duty , faith and stewardship of the family business. Out of death interests include "running, fly fishing, skiing, gardening, literature, film - but most of all my family and friends!"
Specific Gravity: Walker's are traditionalists - top hats and tailcoats de rigueur. But they will soften this with pink, blue or rainbow ties. And they're not sticklers. They have conducted in tracksuits, workshop overalls and white coats. "We enjoy any requests!" They have best possible hearse and limousines. Why? Because "they signify investment in the provision of service and are often seen as a window into the standard of care given by a company." Sensitive to environmental concerns, they point out ingeniously: "Seven people in a limousine is about as efficient as car transport gets?"
What’s important? Highly professional and proud of it, but not in a way that swamps you or depersonalises the relationship. This is a busy business so finely tuned and well run you can hardly hear it tick. A sense of stately ceremonial pervades all they do, even when you're not looking. Behind the scenes (immaculate) they even have a formal, feather duster with which to send a departing coffin on its way looking immaculate. They all work hard at Walker's, proud to be associated with what is unquestionably a class act. Strong emphasis on training. All members of the Walker family are engaged in personal development programmes and all members of staff are continuously trained internally and externally.
What’s different? For all its apparent conservatism, which is important to its client base, Walker's is unusually forward looking. It is sensitive to market trends - ie, what people are increasingly wanting - and its business strategies reflect this. They do not look forward with reluctance, unlike so many other funeral directors. On the contrary, they recognise the growing need to cater for client choice and empower families to make choices. "We enjoy the challenge and have the energy to deliver whatever is needed or requested on time and on budget and with dignity." They keep themselves informed through client questionnaires, mystery shopping (internal and external), attention to legislation and wider social issues, and they re-invest "to ensure that the quality of the service is better than our clients expect and we go that extra mile."
Services: Your call will be answered by Julian, Matthew or Simon Walker. Your funeral will be arranged by an arranger; it will be led by a different person (one of the Walkers, or James or Tony) who will introduce himself to you well before the day of the funeral. Your dead person's body will be laid out and dressed by a dedicated team; same-sex person available to do this if you wish. Yes to home visit. Against embalming unless legally required or you want to come and visit your dead person more than two weeks after death. Very happy for you to come in and lay out and dress your dead person. In this multi-racial area, all cultural and religious customs are catered for "with the same respect and consideration". Happy to work with home funeralists. Good secular celebrants on their books. All branches have private viewing chapels with music if you want it, mortuary storage, offices and private interview rooms. They are all furnished in a modern office style and "are definitely not 'parlouresque'". All mortuaries have refrigeration and washing facilities. All branches are staffed during office hours - "no 'We are out on a funeral' signs!".
Remarks: Although the Good Funeral Guide prefers funeral directors where the person who arranges the funeral with you also conducts it on the day, we make an exception of Walker's. This is an impressive business whose splendid efficiency is never achieved at the expense of humanity. Expect great kindness and a very personal touch.
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