Amy Griffiths, Celebrant Steve’s Personal Assistant, shares some thoughts about working alongside Simpson & Wilde Independent Funeral Directors, who celebrate their first year serving Stoke-On-Trent this month.
We celebrate 12 months of working alongside Simpson & Wilde Independent Funeral Directors this week.
Working Together
Steve and I have enjoyed working alongside Ben and Dan on numerous occasions over the last 12 months, serving families across Stoke-On-Trent and Newcastle-Under-Lyme and at crematoriums including Bradwell and Carmountside.
I have found them very efficient in their processes, sending all the information required to Steve. They understand that as a Celebrant that covers Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle, among other locations, Steve’s diary can often be busy, and they work alongside me to find a suitable date and time for the families.
They can also accommodate the initial meeting between Steve and the family at the funeral home if this is requested.
Their ethos embodies Steve’s mission to offer “quality and compassion” to those we support at a challenging time in their lives. Like Steve, Ben and Dan are available to help families after the funeral service.
We have received numerous reviews from families to say how pleased they are with the services Celebrant Steve, alongside Simpson & Wilde, provided.
Ben Simpson & Dan Wilde
Opened 22nd February 2021, Ben and Dan decided to open the independent Stoke-on Trent-based funeral directors after Ben worked for nine years in an Independent funeral home. Dan had worked for a family firm since leaving school at 16.
Their idea was to open a modern, comfortable funeral home that offered families an open and honest pricing structure to ensure every family they serve receives the same level of care regardless of their financial situation. They have maintained their standard to be affordable without compromising on quality and have delivered outstanding services to the many families they have supported. Following their ethic “Celebrating life, one family at a time”, they offer those they serve excellent service, facilities, compassion and professionalism.
They are the only funeral directors in Newcastle and Stoke-on-Trent to have committed to the Fair Funerals Pledge and have decided to freeze their prices for the next 12 months, furthering their commitment to putting families before profits.
They have also taken pride in their endeavour to support the local community and charities. At Christmas, they collected gifts to support Aspire Housing, adding a donation of their own so the charity could buy more gifts. They donated 300 selection boxes to Chesterton One Stop Shop and had their special visit from Santa himself at their premises.
As active community members, they hope to bring back the old days, when Funeral Directors were the hub of a community.
A Complete Service
Ben and Dan offer a full range of services to their clients. Their website includes funeral pricing, funeral plans, coffins, floral tributes, and a refreshments menu.
They also have a section that includes the phone numbers of various agencies families may need to contact after the death of a loved one. They have developed working relationships with other businesses to enable the families they support to have access to everything they need in one place.
They work alongside Natalie’s Florist, based in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, with her website available through their own. Natalie’s website is accessible here.
The Next 12 months
Steve and I very much look forward to working alongside Simpson & Wilde over the next 12 months and for many years to come.
We wish them the very best for the future and continued success.