When my wife's father, John, died, we were somewhat reticent about the idea of a direct funeral,…read morefeeling we 'should' go down the conventional, full-blown ceremonial route. However, to put it bluntly, it would have been a farce given certain complex dynamics within our wider family. Because of those, it was an event we dreaded for years, fearing historical issues and personal agendas would come to the fore, overshadowing and detracting from the real meaning and significance of the event.
However, in the end, we're so glad we opted for Harbour Funerals and can't recommend their excellent service enough. Its owner, Steven Cains, was wonderful, giving us personal attention in a way we've never experienced before, having organised several other family funerals. He struck the perfect balance of being extremely professional and respectful but also genuinely friendly and personable, and he was readily available by e-mail or phone, keeping us in the loop throughout. The process really was as simple as making an initial enquiry and completing a thankfully straightforward form online.
We knew the actual time John's cremation was scheduled for, so were able to pass this on to others we thought might wish to set aside time to do their own thing, in their own way. For example, in our case, Sharon and I chose to reflect and reminisce near a focal point consisting of a photograph of John, some of his favourite flowers and a lighted candle. And that, in fact, made it feel much more personal and real to us than the alternative a large get-together would have, what with the need to organise so many practical matters and feeling obliged to make sure everyone else present was okay and catered for. Conversely, though, the sheer simplicity of Harbour's method also lends itself to anyone who wants to organise a larger or maybe more unusual event whenever they choose to, or can afford it, or are able to get various parties together at a mutually convenient time for the majority, perhaps in a more suitable place, for example, when obligations, commitments, health issues or distance, and so on, may pose problems.
In terms of cost, there was absolutely no comparison between this and a 'traditional' funeral with this being so much cheaper, but only in price and not the quality of our experience. With the latter persons arranging a funeral so often end up feeling ripped-off but guilty if not spending a small fortune on this, that and the other, often for the benefit of all and sundry rather than the person who has died. We could have had John's ashes scattered on our behalf, but we chose to have them delivered to us and were so surprised and pleased that Steven's personal touch even extended to him hand delivering them himself at a time of our choosing. They were housed in a tasteful, wooden box with a personalised plaque (the option of a scattering tube was also available as an alternative).
We can't thank Steven enough for personally ensuring that what would undoubtedly have been a much more complicated and traumatic event turned out to be simple and as calm and dignified as possible in reality.
In short, then, Sharon and I thoroughly recommended Harbour Funerals.
