The dedicated teams at Edwards Funeral Directors independent funeral directors Wigan provide a sympathetic and personal service 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. We cover the whole of the North West and beyond, and have helped many families through their most difficult times. We know that when someone dies it comes as a great shock – even when death is expected, but nothing prepares you for losing someone close. As your funeral directors, we are here to help and It's an honourable privilege to be a funeral director, standing in a sensitive position at a critical time, with the full responsibility for fulfilling a family's wishes by creating a meaningful ceremony to honour the life of a loved one. We appreciate how precious and priceless life is; you can be assured that we put the same level of care and attention into every funeral, regardless of the cost.

Bringing a loved one into our care

• Once all the relevant legal documentation in completed and in place, our fully trained funeral professionals are able to attend your loved ones place of death and respectfully bring them into our care.
• If the death occurs at a care home or nursing home, or at private address we will await your instruction as to when we attend allowing you and the family ample time to spend those precious moments together.
• Once your loved one is with us we can assure you of our professionalism at all times, and above all else the deceased is treated with the up-most respect and dignity at all times. Between the family and the funeral director a decision will be made as to whether or not the deceased will rest at our private rooms of repose or at their home address.
• Once the coffin and presentation has been chosen you will then be able to pay your respects in a manner you find befitting to both yourself and the person who has passed away.

Burial

No two people are the same and therefore each and every funeral is as individual as the person who has passed away. There are many different options available.

There may be an existing grave in a churchyard where someone may be buried; this can also be arranged for a new grave.

• A new or existing grave may be opened in one of your local municipal cemeteries.
• A green burial site may be selected, although this form of burial site does not usually allow for traditional headstones, although other types of memorial can be discussed with the funeral director and the relevant authorities.
• Burial at sea, while uncommon is another option that could be considered, this can become very expensive and there are only three sites designated for burials at sea. None of these sites are in the North West, however this service can be arranged with your funeral director.

Cremation

Cremation services can be organised at any crematorium of your choice, the style of service is also completely at your discretion.

• Both religious and secular services can be held at the crematorium. The service and all of its constituent parts will be organised between yourselves and the person leading the funeral service. Readings, poems, and music are all things that you have the opportunity to choose, thereby making the funeral tailor made to both you and your loved ones wishes.
• In the case of a separate service being held before the service at the crematorium, this doesn't always have to be held after the service. It is entirely possible to hold the service at the crematorium first and follow that up by a memorial service in a church afterwards for example.

Coffins and Caskets

A coffin along with floral tributes will be the focal point of any funeral, and we at R Banks & Son funerals believe the coffins and caskets are as individual as your loved one, and offer many different designs and styles, all of which can be discussed with your funeral director.

Please note that our Coffins & Caskets are supplied by Halliday Funeral Supplies, established in 1979, an independent family run Funeral Company just like our own that are FSC & Rain Forest Alliance accredited, operating under a strict ethical policy, a company we believe represents our values.

We can also offer fully bespoke "colourful" coffins, as individual as live lived.

Floral Tributes

Floral tributes are something that can take a lot of consideration and therefore cannot be rushed.

Floral tributes can be discussed, designed, and ordered with your funeral director. While we offer a large variety of styles and colour schemes in our brochures, should you wish for something bespoke then this can be arranged making the flowers on the day as fitting as they can possibly be.

• After the funeral the flowers could be taken by the family to be used as you see fit. Alternatively they could be placed on an existing grave (regardless of location) or possibly forwarded to a local church or hospice.
• If no decision is made, it might also be an option at the end of the service for everybody in the congregation to take one flower each away. Not only is it a good use of the flowers, but it is also a great way for people to take something away on the day to remember.

Choosing the music and words

At this difficult time we understand that writing a fitting eulogy, or choosing the correct musical tribute to your loved one can be very difficult. Your dedicated funeral director will be on hand to assist you through every step of the process. We have our own printing service and are on hand to assist you in the design and production of bespoke service sheets.

Choosing the memorial

At Edwards Funeral Directors we have a team of skilled professional monumental masons who create beautifully elegant, lasting memorial stones, using the highest quality stones and granite, using time served traditional methods, combined with the latest technologies to produce monuments of exceptional quality. Your funeral director will be more than happy to go through all of the options available to you.

Who can I talk to for extra support and advice?

Our staff at Edwards Funeral Directors will be on hand for you every step of the way to offer caring support at this difficult time, however if you feel like you need additional support then you can visit any of the links below to seek extra help and advice.