Recommended Funeral Directors
«Back to Recommended Funeral Directors list
Peace Funerals
Address: Gleadless Mount, Sheffield, S12 2LN
Phone: 0114 253 0505 Email: info@peacefunerals.co.uk Web: www.peacefunerals.co.uk
Funeral Director/s: John and Mary Mallatratt. John is in charge day to day. His team: Stephen Parkin, Gavin Moorby, Liz Greaves. Holders of Natural Death Centre Best Funeral Directors in the UK award. In another life John was a university lecturer. Reflecting on the funerals of 3 members of his family he realised that the funeral directors had taken away from him practically all decisions about the funeral. He says “I thought that there must be a better way of doing things and decided to leave my well paid job to try and set up a funeral service where people were empowered to make funerals personal and where choice and control were in the hands of families. It is a very emotionally rewarding job to do and one which I feel very privileged to carry out.” Out of death interests include walking, travel, holidays, photography. Diehard Birmingham City Football Club “in spite of the misery they cause me.” Chair of trustees of the Natural Death Centre.
Specific Gravity: Probably everything you would want a funeral director to be. John and his team are, simply, terrifically nice people, friendly, humane, attentive. Calm. Nothing’s too much trouble, they give you all the space you need to make your decisions at your own pace. They meet every morning, a small tight-knit team, and share what they’re doing so that, when you ring, whoever answers knows all about you. That’s rare. 1960’s parade type shop. Modernly-decorated meeting room inside, simple chapel of rest. Bright environment throughout – white walls, pine doors. Customarily wear blue lounge suits. Will wear anything “as long as it’s in our wardrobes”.
What’s important? Says John “We hope consumers are going to become progressively more demanding and exert far more control over what happens in the funeral arrangements of a loved one. Far from feeling threatened by this, we look forward to it happening.” Usually meet clients at home “as we want them to feel as relaxed as they can be. But we can meet in our premises when it suits families better.” Will talk about the funeral ceremony with you, start you thinking and share some possibilities so that, by the time you meet your celebrant, you’ll have developed a clearer view of what you want to happen.
What’s different? Very keen to empower you to find your own way, a distinctive philosophy developed by both John and his co-director wife, Mary, whose pioneering work in the early days did so much to shape working practices here. Will do anything that is legal to help you create a funeral that is personal, appropriate and special, whether traditional or alternative. “We like it when families request something that we’ve not done before or ask for a product that we’ve not used before. Because we are all so different, the combination of things that a family chooses will be unique from one individual to the next.” Keen that you should do everything you want, including caring for the body. Will spend time discussing with you the practicalities “so that we can remove as much fear of the process as possible. For many who choose to get so involved they find the experience very special and extremely cathartic.” Bring your music, your candles, your essential oils.
Services: Phone always answered by John, Stephen, Gavin or Liz. You will see the same FD throughout. Will act as consultant to home funeralists: “we have done this many times.” Do not customarily embalm. Yes to same sex undertaker to lay out body if you wish. Can put you in touch with a range of celebrants. Have their own natural burial grounds (2) and source their own native willow coffins. Wide range of funeral transport offered. Have designed their own pre-need ethical funeral plan. In all respects, astonishingly good value for money. Very good website.
Remarks: No praise too high. Greatly admired by the new generation of funeral directors. You will count yourself lucky to have found them and you’ll wonder how they do it at that price.
There are 3 comments about Peace Funerals
Lisa Holden said...
Peace funerals carried out the funeral arrangements for both my parents. Mr Parkin and the whole team were professional, yet caring and sensitive to things that I asked for on both occassions. I cannot recommend them enough. I dont know what I would have done without them. Thank you so much.
Jennifer Argent said...
All of the staff at Peace Funerals were extremely caring, sensitive and helpful. It was also of great comfort to only have one point of contact to deal with once the initial enquiry had been made. Stephen was able to help with everything we needed and nothing was a problem. He was sensitive to our emotions, not so sombre as to not be able to laugh with us when we were remembering the good times or seeing the funny side, but serious and a guiding hand when we felt adrift with grief. You hope never to have to recommend a Funeral Directors but the sad fact is we all need them and so I fully recommend Peace Funerals. Thank you.
Jo Charlesworth said...
After half a day of trying to deal with a funeral director who took none of my feelings or wishes into account, I took the hard decision of moving my mother’s body to the premises of Peace Funerals, over an hour away. It was the best decision I could have made. True to their philosophy, I felt empowered again and able to have the funeral that I wanted for my mother. The costs were totally transparent and I was offered a good range of services from coffins to flowers, all of which I could view online. John took the time to get to know a bit about my mother which made him more involved and the process very personal. The whole team was a pleasure to deal with and this very sad occasion became a beautiful and uplifting one. I can’t thank them enough.