On Friday 12th June, keen to discover the latest innovations in the funeral industry, I hopped in my car and drove down to Warwickshire – my old university stomping ground – where the National Funeral Exhibition was being held at Stoneleigh Park.

The National Funeral Exhibition, held biannually, is organised by the National Association of Funeral Directors and serves as an important hub for industry professionals to network, learn about the latest ‘trends’ through seminars, and peruse displays from hundreds of companies.

In this post, I’d like to talk about some of the products and services I discovered, which may be helpful to those affected by grief, and to those who have found themselves faced with the task of organising a loved one’s funeral.

It may feel jarring to discuss such practical matters so matter-of-factly but understanding one’s options when preparing to honour a loved one’s life is incredibly important, allowing families to organise a personalised and memorable tribute.

Coffins and Caskets

Similar companies include Lifelia, whose coffins are made from coffins are made with sustainably sourced, biodegradable, recyclable board. They also offer personalisation, including an ‘Eternal Sports’ option, which would be a fitting tribute to any sports enthusiast.

Funeral vehicles

Many of the most eye-catching stands belonged to companies providing funeral vehicles, and what struck me – again – was the level of personalisation within this space. Increasingly, families are choosing not to have the traditional black hearse and, instead, choosing something more in keeping with their loved one’s personality or passions. In the news just recently was the funeral of a Wiltshire man who was taken to his funeral in an Only Fools and Horses style three-wheeler hearse with Batman and Robin running alongside his coffin!

The first stand I came across belonged to Mortons Funeral Hire. Their vehicles start at the more traditional Jaguar and Rolls Royce hearses and progress into the more unusual cars, including Morris Minors, Minis, London Taxis, VWs and Land Rovers. I also stopped at the stand of Final Journey Funeral Cars (also known as Motorsport Funeral Cars) who have the UK’s first ever Subaru Impreza funeral car!

Memorial products

One of the emotional tripwires a family often has to think about following a cremation is what to do with the ashes that are returned to them. There are plenty of options available.

I really liked Ashes to Blooms, which combines ashes with UK native wildflower seeds to create seed balls, which can be shared with friends and family members and scattered in special places to create a gorgeous wildflower memorial.

I was also interested to see Ashes into Art, which was started by Lanson Moore after losing her father. She came up with the idea of adding some of his remaining ashes into a painting that he had always wanted her to do for him and then began offering this service to others.

Also in attendance at the National Funeral Exhibition were a number of memorial jewellery brands, including Alba Rose, which incorporates ashes into Murano Glass, and Lovelox, which offers a large range of products including urn jewellery, resin jewellery, and fingerprint jewellery. Notably, they have also created a range of men’s memorial jewellery.

Also worth mentioning is Love Keep Create – and I say this because I know several people who have used this type of service following the loss of a loved one. Love Keep Create is a keepsake company that transforms clothing into keepsakes such as memory bears and blankets. For children in particular, this can be a real source of comfort and support.

Memorial services

For families looking to organise an ashes scattering with a difference, there are also plenty of options available, including ashes scattering at sea. I say this because it was impossible to miss the gigantic vessel outside the building, belonging to Wesley Offshore. Based in Dartmouth, they use ex-RNLI Lifeboats to scatter ashes either at sea or on the river, and they offer both attended and unattended services.

I also met Matt Young, the Managing Director of Aerial Ashes, the world’s leading provider of scattering ashes by drone. Founded by a former RAF helicopter pilot, Aerial Ashes allow ashes to be released over cherished locations. It also takes some of the fear and uncertainty over DIY ashes scattering ceremonies, which can be difficult, especially with unpredictable weather.  

For a truly spectacular ceremony, there are companies offering ashes firework displays (yes, really!). One example is Heavenly Stars Fireworks, where you can choose from self-fire fireworks or a professionally fired tribute display.

Also falling under the scope of memorial services is For Their Encore, which could perhaps be described as a digital legacy platform. Essentially it is a page that is created to celebrate an individual’s life. The team simply asks you some discovery questions and then creates an ‘Encore’ for your loved one.

While not strictly a memorial service, I also want to mention Legacy Trail, which is a service that deals with all of the difficult administrative tasks associated with someone’s death. For example, they find and manage linked accounts and services such as banks and building societies, insurers, online dating services, subscriptions, utility companies and social media.

In a similar vein, The Farewell Guide is a useful resource for anyone facing the daunting task of arranging a funeral. Covering everything from registering a death to choosing a funeral director, it provides clear, straightforward guidance to help families navigate the process.

Bereavement support

Finally, it’s important to talk about the services available for those struggling to process the loss of a loved one. I would strongly discourage people from trying to cope with grief alone. Even the support of one’s family or friends might not be enough, especially if they too are processing grief. At a Loss is the UK’s bereavement signposting and information website, aiming to provide all the information bereaved people might need for holistic support and wellbeing. Run by At a Loss is The Bereavement Journey, a series of films and discussion designed to guide people through the ways grief and bereavement can affect them. This is run by churches for their communities.

Another highly recommended organisation is Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, which offers peer-led support to adults impacted by suicide loss. This encompasses local and virtual groups, phone support, email support and an online forum. As someone who has personally been affected by the loss of two friends to suicide, I am deeply appreciative that organisations like this exist.

Walking around the National Funeral Exhibition, what struck me most wasn’t necessarily any single product or service, but the collective spirit behind them: a whole industry united by a desire to help families navigate one of life’s most difficult moments. Modern funerals have evolved, and the variety of options now available means that every farewell can be as unique as the person being honoured.

If you are in the process of planning a funeral and would like to talk about how to create a truly personal and memorable celebration of life, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.