The Service
Choosing what's right for your family
Who will lead the ceremony?
If the deceased had an active faith it will be clear to you where you would like the service to be held and who you’d like to officiate. We are happy to liaise with local or retired clergy to find you the advice and support you require.
For many people a traditional religious service is not appropriate and there are many qualified people who will provide a dignified funeral service with your desired blend of content. We can enlist the services of a civil celebrant or those of a secular humanist. Celebrants normally command a fee, which we will forward on your behalf. On the whole, clergy do not charge a fee but many will accept donations to a place of worship.
World Religions
We provide funeral arrangements for all world religions including Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. We understand that faiths, traditions, rites and beliefs are very important and there are many different ways of celebrating lives lived.
Consequently, managing funerals can vary significantly and we are able to draw on our considerable experience across this spectrum.
Roles for family & friends
You may wish to include other special people in the ceremony such as relatives and friends or others, such as employers, colleagues or teachers, by asking them to deliver a reading or compose the eulogy, a tribute to the life of your loved one. Readings can also include poems or favourite passages from books as well as religious readings.
Event planning
From the most extravagant events to the simplest send-offs we can assist with unusual requests as well as the conventional.
Service sheets or tributes
We can provide service sheets or tributes, usually 4, 8 or 12 page A5 booklets, that provide a running order, names of key contributors as well as words from hymns, songs or readings. It can also include photos of your loved one.
Attendance cards
We offer attendance cards to provide you with a record of who came to pay their respects. These are distributed to mourners and are commonly used to offer messages of comfort that, in some cases, they may not have felt up to doing in person. We can collect and collate these for you after the funeral. Charitable donations or collections can easily be taken on your behalf.
Attendance cards
One True Dove are a white dove release company in Teeside. They provide a unique service of releasing beautiful, pure white doves. Doves represent peace, faith, hop, love and fidelity, the perfect symbol to express a deep sentiment. They have three packages available, with additional doves costing £20.
Spirit Dove Release – A Single White Dove is released in memory of the dearly departed. This presents a quiet moment of reflection and a sense of enlightenment that the spirit has lifted and become free to begin its heavily journey home. Single Dove Release starting from £90.
Reunited Dove Release – The single spirit dove is released followed by a companion dove, representing two souls reunited in heaven. The two doves may be released from a heart shaped decorative basket or by hand. Pair of doves from £110.
Spirit Dove Release – Family Member or loved one steps forward and releases one dove from our heart shaped decorative basket or by hand, followed by 2 pure white doves representing the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three Doves from £130.
Get in touch if you’d like to book a One Tree Dove package or require further information.
Arrange the funeral
Music can lend a lot to the atmosphere on the day. We know families often like to personalise the funeral service by choosing special pieces of music. You can opt for church hymns or popular songs which carry meaning. Whatever you choose, we can liaise with the organist and, if it is in copyright, source the music.
All crematoria have sound systems to play music and generally have the most commonly requested pieces, including popular, classical and religious. All chapels have an organ and an organist is usually on hand. They are able to source additional music, providing it is commercially available, although will need some notice. In the absence of specific requests, something appropriate will be played at the organist’s discretion. You could also consider live performers such as a choir or musicians. They will need to be booked in advance and performers do charge a fee.
Distant friends & relatives
For families and friends who cannot attend, crematoria provide a weblink service. In addition, we can commission a professional to record the service for social media streaming or for your personal reflection.
In some cases, this can include the whole funeral, filmed by using drones to follow the cortège route where possible, as well as inside the venue to capture the spirit of the ceremony.
Take care of everything
We can handle every aspect of the funeral arrangements so you don’t have to.
Arranging a Funeral
Creating a farewell for your loved one is a difficult process, we’re here to help make it as smooth and stress-free as possible.