Letting a loved one go into that unknown country from which none returns is one of the hardest farewells we’ve faced, especially with this loved person.
From the moment I called Burgess and Harper, to say our beloved had passed at home, their compassionate professionality immediately shone through when speaking with the office manager, Jill Till, to tearfully ask “what now?” It was then, after speaking with Jill, that we knew this was a service whose team were offering expert guidance with profound sympathy, when she reassured us, we will look after your loved one with care, kindness and respect.
Thereafter, their distinguished specialist, Funeral Manager, Andrew Foster, came to our home. He was amazing; a calm presence who took beautiful care and charge of our beloved to begin their final journey on earth. Andrew, an amazing man with gravitas and grace along with his colleague Tim Deans, is outstanding. Taking our beloved with them, they left us with a sense of tranquillity, knowing she was in the care of excellent dignified, kind people.
The Burgess and Harper team is incredible. Their conscientious mindfulness in dealing with people - who are stunned by grief and discombobulated by the unexpected - is a deeply moving experience. They are, in their different roles, along with, Pip Owens, Helen Roberts, are anchors of calm, providing steady, compassionate expertise in moments when being so overwhelmed, we felt we’d be drowned by our sadness.
They assisted us with gentleness and attentiveness as we finalised plans; their actions, showed their peaceful acceptance of death as a part of life, so working with them on this Celebration of Life, made us remember our joys and love for our cherished one.
Besieged with grieve, the day arrived for our loved one to complete the last chapter of their journey. This momentous day, was taken on by elite specialist, funeral director, Tony Kellar, and his superb team,- each one brilliant and thoughtful, - consisted of: Neal Kelshaw, Dan Chapman and Karina Mitchell.
Tony, like a great orchestral conductor, directed everyone and everything beautifully. He created movement and flows, like a musical genius moving all participants through this final ritual and celebration with such expertise, we could show undeterred our grief and joy inside our tears.
With grace and dignity, Tony, with a touch of the sublime, helped finalise our joyful graveside ceremony.
Definitely if you want to have a ‘Celebration of Life,’ for someone you love who is now passed into the non-physical, then Burgess and Harper are the exceptionally accomplished team who will give you that gift to remember that significant day, with happiness and love.
I would say that team may be touched with the Divine.
But that’s just our incredible experience with them.
"For those who seek to understand it, death is a highly creative force. The dying are the ones who teach us about the meaning of life."