Our Services

Independence as funeral directors and monumental masons means that we can offer the families we serve a truly flexible and personal service - precisely reflecting their needs and wishes when arranging the funeral, or memorial, for someone dear to them.

Our Premises
Our premises in Chesham and Tring provide a warm, tasteful and welcoming atmosphere in which to discuss and arrange the services you'd like. We are pleased to visit you in your own home to discuss the arrangements should you wish. A great deal of care is taken in maintaining our high standards throughout our work.

Private Chapels of Rest
There are modern Chapels of Rest at our premises and visits may be made during normal working hours. Please give us some notice of an intended visit so that the necessary arrangements may be made and delay avoided.

Visits to a Chapel of Rest outside normal working hours may be made by appointment.

Our Vehicles
We operate a fleet of traditional Mercedes vehicles for our funerals which are maintained in impeccable order. Our Mercedes limousines will seat five people in comfort and will be driven by one of our experienced uniformed chauffeurs. We would particularly recommend our limousines if the funeral cortege is likely to travel some distance or be very large. This will enable other road users to identify the funeral cortege and give way where possible.

You may wish to choose another form of transport for the deceased. This could be a horse-drawn hearse and carriages, silver or white vehicles instead of black or something more unusual, such as a lorry or motorcycle hearse. We are happy to explain the many options that are available to you which help to make a funeral as unique and personal as possible.

Coffins and Caskets
A large selection of coffins and caskets are available, from traditional solid oak and oak veneers to whicker and cardboard. We are also able to source and provide speciality coffins. These may be in a favourite team colours or reflect a very personal interest of your loved one.

All coffins are ecologically friendly including fixtures and external furnishings.

For each solid oak or veneered coffin used, one tree is planted through a partnership between ourselves, our supplier and the Woodland trust.

Printed Service Sheets
We can print Orders of Service for any funeral service. Printed in a booklet format, these offer a wide choice of borders and print styles. We can also personalise them with a photograph on the front cover in black and white, sepia or colour. However, it is essential that we have instructions as early as possible in order to prepare a draft for approval, prior to the funeral. The finished copies will then be delivered to the church or crematorium by our staff.

Many families find that a copy of the Order of Service can often be helpful or comforting to friends or relatives who may be unable to attend the funeral.

Newspaper Notices
We would be pleased to help compile obituary notices for local and national newspapers, and to place these on your behalf.

Floral Tributes
Floral tributes may be sent to our office on the day of the funeral. These can then be placed in position before the hearse leaves for the funeral. If you wish, we will prepare a list of the floral tributes in the form of a Memorial Book.

Doves
Many people find comfort in the symbolism of dove release following a funeral and we will happily arrange this, whether you would like a single dove or several.

Funeral Catering
Church View Funeral Service can suggest local venues for refreshments after the funeral service or we can make arrangements at the venue of your choice on your behalf.

We can arrange any kind of reception you require from a simple buffet to a full sit down meal and all venues will provide a room solely for the funeral party. We can also arrange catering for at your home following the funeral.

Donations
Donations to a charity in lieu of flowers should be sent to the local representative of the charity. If this is not possible, donations may be made through the arranging office and will be accepted if made by cheque payable to the nominated charity, with the name of the deceased written on the back of the cheque. We will usually collect donations for six weeks from the date of the funeral, after which time we will write to the chosen charity enclosing all the cheques. At the same time, we will write to whoever arranged the funeral, telling them the overall total collected and the names of all the donors, enclosing any cards or letters we have received.

Green Funerals
We can arrange Woodland Burials and have information on all burial sites in the area. We can also provide a range of Eco-Friendly coffins and biodegradable urns.

Funeral Charges
Details of our charges are fully available and an enquiry may be made without obligation and in the strictest confidence. We offer a full range of coffins and caskets and have showroom facilities at some of our offices.

Fees & Disbursements
We make all payments to Clergy, Crematorium or Cemetery, Doctors, Newspapers etc. as required or instructed and account to you in our itemised account.

Assistance with funeral expenses
Subject to your personal circumstances, help may be available which could enable you to obtain a contribution from the Social Fund towards funeral costs. Please ask for further details.

Monumental Masonry
A comprehensive monumental masonry service is available for the erection of traditional and more contemporary memorials. In our brochures, there is a vast selection of full kerb sets, headstones and cremation memorials. The designs are varied, incorporating a variety of stones such as granite, slate or marble. Cemeteries and churchyards, in general, have strict policies governing the type and dimensions of any memorial to be erected. We undertake to attend to the formalities on your behalf and all of our work is carried out by members of the National Association of Monumental Masons. An additional service we offer is the cleaning or renovation of existing memorials. We are happy to send you our brochures at no charge. Alternatively, you may call in to our offices or we can visit you in your home.

Bereavement Services
The Bereavement Register This is a service which aims to reduce the amount of unsolicited mail sent to those who have died, and consequently to minimise the distress and upset that unwanted mail can cause at this difficult time. This is a free service and we will be happy to complete registration on your behalf.

Now What?
Losing someone you care about can be one of life’s most difficult experiences. There are no easy answers when trying to help a bereaved family come to terms with their loss. Every situation is unique and people react in very different ways.

At Church View Funeral Service, we believe we have an important responsibility to care for our families, not just by offering support during the funeral, but especially through the difficult days that may follow.

We offer this support to our clients through the “Now What?” booklet. Written by Dr Bill Webster, a renowned grief counsellor, this booklet highlights many different aspects involved in coping with bereavement. We hope it will help you realise that the difficult times you may experience and the emotions you face are natural, and that your grief is normal.

Local Support Groups
A full list of local support groups is available from each of our offices

Bereavement Counselling Services
Details of all local qualified bereavement counsellors can be obtained from any of our offices.

Pastoral Care
Anyone wishing to talk to a vicar, minister, priest or any other religious group, may call any of our offices for details of appropriate contacts.