Ernest Heal & Sons Funeral Directors has been named the best large-sized funeral planner in West England at 2015’s Funeral Planner of the Year awards. The win came during a competitive year. Run by market leading funeral plan provider Golden Charter, the awards are the biggest gathering of independent funeral directors in the UK, with this year’s event the largest ever held.
The funeral director’s Neil Williams said: “The entire team at Ernest Heal & Sons Funeral Directors is proud to receive the regional Funeral Planner of the Year award for the third consecutive year and look forward to fulfilling the growth potential of the pre-need funeral sector for many years to come”. In addition to the award itself, a framed certificate and a cash prize, the Woodland Trust has dedicated trees on behalf of Ernest Heal & Sons Funeral Directors, which are to be planted locally in recognition of the company’s achievement. Ronnie Wayte, Golden Charter’s Chief Executive, said: “In their 22nd year the awards are more competitive than ever before, with funeral plans continuing to grow in popularity. This award is well earned proof that Ernest Heal & Sons Funeral Directors has reached a remarkable standard.” The Funeral Planner of the Year Awards focus on the funeral planning achievements of independent funeral directors, who make up a growing majority of the funeral industry. With recent Mintel figures showing that the average price of funerals has increased 88% in the past ten years to £3,609, more people are choosing to use pre-paid funeral plans to freeze the cost of the funeral director’s services at today’s prices.
