• Graeme Rodgers, Lily Watson, Matt Micheli.

The importance of choosing the right funeral director

Forrest Funeral Services are proud members of the Funeral Directors’ Association of New Zealand (FDANZ), which ensures members uphold high standards of quality, expertise and integrity. They are committed to upholding the association’s strict Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct and all staff are qualified and experienced in providing funeral arrangements that cater to your needs.

Manager and funeral director Graeme Rodgers was awarded the National Diploma in Funeral Directing in 2011. Funeral director Lily Watson qualified in 2017. Graeme and Lily both graduated with the Top Awards in Funeral Directing for their year and in 2009, funeral director Matt Micheli completed an Introduction to Funeral Directing before commencing his career overseas. Each of the staff receives ongoing training by their manager who is also qualified in the NZQA standards of clinical supervision for the industry.

Forrest Funerals are well versed in giving you practical support whilst caring for your loved one. They will take care of preservation and presentation of the deceased, and qualified embalmers provide embalming when required.  Liaising on your behalf with hospitals, government departments, celebrants, clergy, coroners, police, and crematorium and cemetery authorities, means you only have to deal with one person throughout the process. 

It is important when choosing a funeral director to ensure:

  • They have the ability to provide professional funeral services.
  • They are abreast of the relevant legal requirements and local authority regulations.
  • They have a broad understanding of different religious and ethnic customs.
  • Their team undergoes ongoing training as mandated by FDANZ.

Forrest Funeral Services are proud to provide all of the above.

Their reputation for providing caring and professional staff and services means families have both assurance and peace of mind during this time. They can arrange the kind of funeral that is both worthy of the person who has died, and a comfort to those who are left behind.

They are experienced in providing funerals for different cultures, whose ceremonies, beliefs and rituals often vary and require understanding of the different customs of our community. Proud to have been a part of the East Coast Bays community since 1978 they work closely with many establishments on the North Shore to arrange all your funeral requirements when you need them.

They have experience in providing military style funerals for veterans of NZ Defence Force services, as well as for Police, Fire Brigade and St Johns. Sometimes a simpler, private service or farewell is appropriate and if this is the case they can cater to your needs, and give assistance and advice on applications for funeral grants or financial assistance.

Many people come in to pre-arrange a funeral, so knowing what your requirements are ahead of time gives you peace of mind in knowing you and your family will be taken care of in your time of need. Some choose to make a pre-payment with the FDANZ Funeral Trust, where money is held by The Trust on their behalf until it is required. Graeme and the team are happy to provide information regarding pre-arrangements and pre-payments to help you with this.

Located in Glen Road in Browns Bay, Forrest Funerals offer a comfortable chapel and catering facilities, private viewing rooms and a lounge for use before or after the service. Also on offer are hearses to suit your needs, including a brand new Jaguar which was coach-built in the U.K. and offers a sense of honour, dignity and respect to the deceased on their final journey.

Team profiles and further information are available on their website www.forrests.co.nz so you can get to know them a little better. Forrest Funeral Services are proud to support and be a part of the North Shore community, and to support local organisations. 

“When you need funeral services, you need people you can count on.  You can count on us every step of the way.”

Forrest Funerals, 8 Glen Road, Browns Bay, 09 479 5956 and at 39 Riverside Road, Orewa

www.forrests.co.nz, Facebook www.facebook.com/forrestfunerals


Issue 90 August 2018