Shoobridge Funeral Services

12/12/2023

Join us tonight in our Honiton chapel for a service to remember all those we love and miss so much. ‘In Love and Light’ will include lighting candles and singing some peaceful Christmas carols. Afterwards, there will be festive food, hot drinks and a very warm welcome! The service starts at 7.30p.m.
Our Honiton chapel, White Lace Chapel, is at our new home - 5, Reme Drive, Heath Park, Honiton.
Our service will be live streamed on our webcast so please email us for the login details if you would like to join us from your own home. [email protected]

05/12/2023

We are holding ‘In Love and Light’, a reflective Christmas ceremony to remember all those people we love and miss so much.
It’s on tomorrow (Wednesday, December 7) at the Salvation Army Hall, Sheppard’s Row, the lane by the Exmouth Arms), Exmouth at 7.30p.m.
We will have some quiet carols and other music, some beautiful readings and, importantly, we will light a candle in memory of our loved ones.
Afterwards, please do stay behind for coffee, mince pies and other festive food!
We would love to see you there ❤️

05/12/2023

In our Honiton chapel this morning, our Christmas tree looks absolutely stunning in the sun! It is full of stars, each with a personal message from a precious loved one from a family we have looked after at a very difficult time in their lives.

We moved to our new home in Heath Park so that we could fulfil a dream and build our own chapel. White Lace Chapel is available for any kind of funeral at any time of day with any theme. Quiet and small or a dancing celebration, we write all ceremonies with the families to make them unique. We continue to hold funerals in churches, crematoria and natural burial grounds but our chapel is now a lovely option to consider as well!

04/12/2023

We were honoured to take part in Hospiscare’s Light up a Life event last night at the Deer Park in Honiton. It was a beautiful service and the lighting of so many candles was so moving. As the daylight faded outside the tall windows in the orangery, the tiny little lights flickered, reminding everyone there of their loved ones. Thank you for letting us be part of it ❤️

01/12/2023

An awesome morning in Exmouth welcoming Advent in. Just like Lent, Advent is a season of waiting. We wait for the love of God to be revealed at Christmas in the form of an amazing man called Jesus!
But Christmas, and the lead up to Christmas through Advent, is hard for SO many people. We will be holding all our families in our hearts and minds, especially in our reflective, calm memorial services over the next two weeks. Do look at our website for all the dates and times. You will be very welcome and we would love to see you.
www.shoobridgefunerals.co.uk

28/11/2023

Fancy being creative and making your very own Christmas wreath?

Spaces for the course, led by Dilly's Florists of Honiton and Ottery St Mary, are limited and on a first come first served basis; tickets (£20) must be booked in advance. Any profit will go to the Hospiscare charity that Shoobridge Funeral Services is proudly sponsoring this Christmas.

The course runs from 10 a.m. until 12 noon, and will be held in our White Lace Chapel, Honiton (Shoobridge Funeral Services, 5, Reme Drive, Heathpark, Honiton, EX14 1SE). Please contact Paul on 07780 888 281 or via email on: [email protected] to book your place.

For more information or to speak to our team, please visit our website. https://shoobridgefunerals.co.uk/whats-on/

We pride ourselves on offering a personal and caring funeral service to our local community in Honiton and beyond.

27/11/2023

You are warmly invited to our Honiton premises where we will turn on the lights on our Christmas tree, dedicated to all the families we have worked with, and families of the local communities in which we serve.

Mince pies and hot drinks will be served at the event in White Lace Chapel in our Honiton branch (5, Reme Drive, Heathpark, Honiton), and the opportunity to write a message on one of the dedicated stars and place it on the tree. The event runs from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

For more information or to speak to our team, please visit our website. https://shoobridgefunerals.co.uk/whats-on/

24/11/2023

Myth 11. Children Can’t Handle the Truth

Talking about grief and loss remains one of our society’s greatest taboos. Most of us are even reluctant to use the word “death,” instead preferring gentler alternatives like “passing away.” “Gone to Sleep”, the truth is children can handle the truth about death and what it means to be dead. Often the things we say to protect them are confusing.

17/11/2023

When a relative dies, leaving the express wish to have a no-fuss, Direct or Pure Cremation, it can send families into a spin about what to do.

It might have been mum or dad’s insistence that they went ‘quietly’ but the same is often not said for the children, grandchildren and friends, who want to say goodbye.

Attending a funeral of someone we love is standing in solidarity with other people who feel the same. It is a chance to share memories and reminiscences. Sometimes, people even discover something that they hadn’t known such a charity that their loved one regularly supported or a sporting prowess from younger years. For the duration of the funeral and the wake that almost always follows, this precious person’s life is honoured through the words of those who knew him best.

According to grief counsellors, this is immensely important. When family and friends offer condolences and acknowledge the family’s loss, it helps to validate feelings which, in turn, helps with the grieving process of saying ‘goodbye’.

At Shoobridge Funeral Services, we are in the unique position of being able to honour a person’s wishes at the same time as providing a space for a simple but healing goodbye. White Lace Chapel, our 50-seater private chapel, is used for bespoke traditional funerals but it is also available for informal and more intimate gatherings. This way, you can honour your loved one’s wishes but give yourselves the chance to say goodbye, too.

We also provide free bereavement support from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday on our website, where you can talk confidentially to one of our qualified bereavement counsellors.

13/11/2023

After the band and the marching, the hymns and the prayers, now comes peace. We are privileged to be able to show our gratitude because we have freedom of speech and expression, and we are resoundingly grateful for peacetime in this country while, in so many others, war bulldozes life and happiness.

13/11/2023

Twenty-four hours after the Strand was flooded with people wanting to pay their respects to those killed and wounded in war and the mood was much calmer; just a single busker in the sunlight and a lone white rounded seagull looking down on a sea of red wreaths. If you sit down with a cup of tea today, do read our Remembrance Day blog on our Shoobridge Funeral Services website …

When November blows itself into our lives, a season of remembrance begins. First, we have the almost pantomimical commemoration of the failed gun powder plot and then we move into the solemnity of remembering the victims of war on Armistice Day. We wear poppies in the lead up to the 11th and we wea....

12/11/2023

Fantastic to be part of Exmouth’s Remembrance Day service this morning. What an amazing turn out! Thank you to two of the Exmouth Sea Scouts who very kindly placed our wreaths on the war memorial.

“When you go home, tell them of us and say:
For your tomorrow we gave our today”.

10/11/2023

Choice is vital when it comes to planning a funeral. With Shoobridge Funeral Services, you can make your funeral whatever you want it to be, big or small.

We offer an unattended Direct Cremation with no service; a simple attended service; or a bespoke traditional funeral with a wide range of elements and tailoring.

The interest in Direct Cremations has risen substantially. There has been a significant increase in TV advertising from national companies. They are low-cost but many lack the required funeral facilities and experience.

Caring for your loved one is often handed to remote third-party providers; visiting your relative in a chapel of rest isn’t always possible; families are discouraged from gathering to say goodbye. And it’s all done without government or industry oversight.

We, Shoobridge Funeral Services, believe in giving our customers a full choice of funeral services from a Direct Cremation to a traditional full-scale farewell. We believe in delivering the highest standards of care, locally, and at a price to suit most budgets. We believe that only our trained professional staff, not external contractors, should care for your loved one. As a fully licensed, family-owned, local funeral directors, we will never compromise on care, choice or standards.

We provide free bereavement support from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday via our website, (see homepage) where you can talk confidentially to one of our qualified bereavement counsellors.

03/11/2023

You might well have heard a relative or friend say this sort of remark casually with a wave of the hand, you might have even said it yourself! It’s indicative of someone who doesn’t want the spotlight on them; someone who wants to make life easy for those around them.

However, not attending a funeral service can often be very unhealthy for bereaved family and friends as they have not been able to say a proper goodbye.

And this brings up a familiar question: who is the funeral for? Is it for the person who has died or the people who are left? At Shoobridge Funeral Services, we view it as a two-winged aircraft: for both the living and the dead. It is important to honour what your relative wanted but it is also important to look after yourself in the bereavement process and avoid further complications with grief and resentment, and with unspent emotion.

Direct Cremations are becoming a part of what we do more and more. But we have a range of options to make it work not only for your loved one but for you, too. Come and see us to find out more or visit our website where we have an extensive FAQ’s section.

We provide free bereavement support from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday via our website, where you can talk confidentially to one of our qualified bereavement counsellors.

We are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and just a phone call away.

Offering direct cremations in Exeter and surrounding areas in East Devon, we are aiming to educate local families on the options available.

01/11/2023

We do have ample parking for our clients at our Honiton premises, whilst Exmouth, we are only a few hundred yards away from the nearest car park.

This ‘temporary offer’ from East Devon Council does make you wonder … if it encourages visits to the towns we all shop in and actually supports the businesses that operates in these towns, why not allow reasonable parking charges all year round??

❄️From Wednesday, 1 November 2023 to the end of March 2024, you can park until midnight for just £2 at car parks owned by East Devon District Council 👉 https://eastdevon.gov.uk/news/2023/10/2-all-day-winter-parking-offer-returns-to-east-devon/

28/10/2023

We offer a free online counselling service to everyone, via our website: shoobridge funerals.co.uk

Click on the banner at the top of the home page.

"Sometimes it's calm, sometimes it's overwhelming."

We have our unique ways of describing grief, but sharing and supporting each other through the calm and overwhelm can make all the difference.

Look after yourselves this weekend: https://ow.ly/A3j850POFNI

28/10/2023

This full-size Lancaster Bomber sculpture will be mounted on a steel frame to give the impression it is in flight.

It will have a wingspan of 31 metres, making it taller than the Angel of the North. What a sight and tribute it's going to be, read more 👇

https://www.exploringgb.co.uk/post/full-scale-replica-of-a-lancaster-bomber-to-be-built

27/10/2023

What do David Bowie, Anita Brooker, and Karl Lagerfield all have in common?

They were big names in life but in death they wanted to go quietly. David Bowie made plans to be cremated in secret; he wanted ‘to go without any fuss.’ Anita Brookner, the novelist, and Karl Lagerfield, the fashion designer, also requested Direct Cremations.

For the last few years, celebrities have dominated the headlines for choosing humble departures, a far cry from the fame they knew in their lives.

This, along with changes that Covid inflicted upon the funeral industry, has hastened the shift to unattended funerals. Before Covid, just 4% were Direct Cremations. This shot up to 18% in the pandemic when funeral services were restricted to six mourners. Last year, this figure settled at 14%. Between 37% and 40% of pre-planned funerals are currently Direct & Simple Cremations.

One of the main drivers of the Direct Cremation is cost. Why pay for a funeral when a Direct is cheaper? But not being able to say goodbye can be, according to professional grief counsellors, detrimental to the bereavement process.

We are in a unique position at Shoobridge Funeral Services; we cater for almost all budgets and wishes. We carry out Direct funerals but we also offer our own private chapel for a simple farewell. Talk to us about how we can work with you to plan the right goodbye.

“Just put me in a cardboard box” – said so often but what do your family and friends want or need??

We provide free bereavement support from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday (see the top of our home page), where you can talk confidentially to one of our qualified bereavement counsellors.

Offering direct cremations in Exeter and surrounding areas in East Devon, we are aiming to educate local families on the options available.

20/10/2023

What people want from a funeral is always evolving. The days of a traditional church service and wearing black have been largely replaced by a personal celebration of life – through memories, favourite songs and even colour dress codes. The latest is the rise of the unattended funeral, also known as a ‘Direct’ or ‘Pure’ Cremation, which is gaining popularity because they are simple, low-cost and ‘fuss-free’.

We, at Shoobridge Funeral Services, have championed changes over the years and aspired to meet the wishes of all local and wider communities. From having the first female funeral director in the area to having a strong online presence to creating our own 50-seater private chapel, we strive to be inclusive, versatile and understanding. 🕊💜

The rise of the Direct Cremation is the latest change in the industry that we face. We do this by supporting families to ensure that they understand the range of services open to them to make the right decisions.

Unlike with national companies, if you choose a Direct Cremation with us, you can still visit your relative in our chapel of rest and even say goodbye with a very simple service. Our level of care is always to the highest industry standards, whatever the funeral service required.

We provide free bereavement support from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday (see the top of our home page), where you can talk confidentially to one of our qualified bereavement counsellors.

Offering direct cremations in Honiton and surrounding areas in East Devon, we are aiming to educate local families on the options available.

15/10/2023

An All Souls’ Service will take place on Thursday 2 November at 7pm in St Michael’s Church, Honiton. It is a time
for remembering those we love but see no longer. All are welcome to join us for this special service. If you would like the name of a loved one remembers during the service please visit https://www.stmichaelshoniton.com/ to leave their name or phone Honiton Parish office on 01404 44035.

13/10/2023

You’ve probably noticed recently a significant increase in TV and other media advertising for Direct Cremations and other limited funeral services.

There are many new online providers. They offer low-cost funeral services but many lack the required funeral facilities and experience.

Important things like caring for your loved one are often being handed to remote third-party providers.

Having the opportunity to see your loved one in a chapel of rest isn’t always possible.
Families are discouraged from having gatherings or funerals to say any sort of goodbye.

Often, the deceased is transported to a central cremation hub, far from home.
And it’s all being done without any government or industry oversight.

We, Shoobridge Funeral Services, believe in giving our customers a full choice of funeral services from a Direct Cremation to a traditional farewell and anything in between. 🕊⚰️

We believe in delivering the highest standards of care, locally, and at a price to suit most budgets.

We believe that only our trained professional staff, and not external contractors, should care for you and your loved one. 💕

As a fully licensed, family-owned, local funeral directors, we will never compromise on care, choice or standards.

Offering direct cremations in Exeter and surrounding areas in East Devon, we are aiming to educate local families on the options available.

05/10/2023

We’re supporting ‘Let’s Talk About Direct Cremation’, an awareness campaign to help bereaved families understand funeral options better.

There is growing concern that ‘no fuss’ funerals – also known as Direct or Pure Cremations – do not give families the send-off they expected and, for those left behind, there are growing numbers reporting regret that they didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. 🕊

As your fully licensed, local, and family-owned funeral director, we feel it is important that you are aware of exactly what a Direct Cremation entails.

A standalone Direct Cremation, as you might see advertised on TV, has no service for family or friends at all.

It is quite simply the removal of your loved one, followed by the return of the cremated remains some weeks later.

It is often the case that your loved one is transported to a central cremation hub, far from their home.

We do offer Direct Cremation but, unlike many of the companies advertised on TV, we will look after your loved one locally and continue to offer the additional services you have come to expect from us. 🌻

Whether arranging a funeral now or planning for the future, talk to us, your local, licensed professionals.

Offering direct cremations in Exeter and surrounding areas in East Devon, we are aiming to educate local families on the options available.

29/09/2023

Join Us in Raising Awareness: Let's Talk About Direct Cremation 🌼

At Shoobridge Funeral Services, we are proud to support the Nationwide campaign, "Let's Talk About Direct Cremation", led by SAIF, the UK's largest association for independent funeral directors.

We understand that making funeral arrangements can be a challenging and emotional process. That's why we're joining this campaign to help bereaved families better understand their funeral options. We believe that every family should have the opportunity to make informed choices when it comes to saying goodbye to their loved ones.

This campaign aims to shed light on the differences between unattended and attended funerals. We want to ensure that you have all the information you need to create a meaningful and fitting farewell for your loved ones.

Let's come together to make sure that every family's wishes are respected and that you can give your loved ones the send-off they deserve.

Stay tuned for more information and resources on this important campaign. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or need guidance.

Together, we can make a difference and provide the support and awareness needed during difficult times. 💕

Our family of funeral directors offer support and guidance when arranging a funeral, with offices in Honiton, Exeter and Exmouth.

13/09/2023

May be if interest … local group

Please share news of our return, we have invested in some new equipment and we now need your support :) we can't wait to see how much everyone has grown/changed over the summer.

05/09/2023

For all those travelling ….

Repairs to two bridges starts on Monday, with the works expected to last until Christmas