Poppy's Funerals

"Exactly right"

Reviewed by kevin on Monday 08 August 2016

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One never really expects to have to organise a funeral at short notice after the sudden death of a loved one and close friend - but earlier this year my dear friend Pieter died suddenly and unexpectedly. Another friend suggested that I contact Poppy's and I am so pleased I did. From the very first phone call I could tell that they just wanted to help and had your interests at heart. I arranged a meeting, with the partner of the deceased to discuss the arrangements and the staff from Poppy's were brilliant. There was no hurry or fuss, they were pleased to meet at our convenience and there was no 'hard' sell of anything associated with the funeral arrangements. They calmly and quietly set out the options and let you decide what was best. Although one does not like to think of the cost at these moments, the prices quoted were very reasonable and when the service did take place, it was professionally and stylishly handled - I could not recommend them highly enough but as I said, I hope not to have to use their services again for quite some time. Kevin

kevin would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's Funerals "

Reviewed by Claudine on Friday 29 July 2016

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From the time that I rang Poppy’s funerals, on the recommendation of a friend, until the end of the ceremony, the support of the team was one of the most important memories that we have at a time that we were operating in a daze. The suddenness of Martin’s death, the complications around it and wanting to do it right, often became overwhelming. Yet I will always remember the warmth of the sunny April morning, with the doors of the kitchen open letting in the early rays of sunshine, matched by Charlie’s good humour and sensitivity. He responded to our queries and comments, allowed the inappropriate jokes that would have been to Martin’s taste – ‘you didn’t know my dad – he will get out of a willow coffin- its too insubstantial’- says Anya.  When Charlie tried to reassure Anya that he wouldn’t, she responded with ‘does it creak?’ Well it might a little’ ‘I’m not having a coffin with sound effects!’ Martin may well have enjoyed that but as it was left to us, we chose a recycled larch coffin that Poppy’s had made specially for him that weekend in time for the funeral. It was always solutions for all the requests we had. It was a truly personal service that included coordinating our amazing celebrant River Jones, who we know from Brighton, and Simon Metzner, who Martin knew from his teenage years, to make the celebration of his life inclusive of so many people from his life. The flowers, the Poppy van and the choice of funeral director clothing all supplemented the advice on how to get it perfect when we couldn’t eat, sleep or do any of the everyday things we take for granted, at the time of sudden grief. We felt empowered to make it all happen and create the funeral we know he would have loved – hopefully he was watching – he certainly felt there in spirit. I hope Poppy’s can help make that happen for you as well.

Claudine would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's Funerals puts the others in the shade"

Reviewed by karinesupreme on Wednesday 06 July 2016

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I stumbled across Poppy's Funerals services quite by chance whilst doing some post graduate research on the events industry last year in 2015.

Knowing that my mother's demise would be a certainty, and very soon at that point due to the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease, I took note of Poppy's details.

Finding this organisation was like a breath of fresh air when compared to those that you see on the high street that make you feel like knocking on death's door  yourself - even on a sunny day...

The carehome where my mother resided to the end is in Hastings - so is out of Poppy's catchment area. Furthermore, I wanted my mother to be cremated at Mortlake Crematorium in London, nearer to her house and friends.

This was not a problem in any way for Poppy's to work around. And their 24 hour contactable service meant that they were speaking with the care home team in the middle of the night - in this case.

Mum's end of life care process of preparing her for her final journey back to Mortlake, the support of Towners in St Leonards, where she was taken and placed in their morgue before being collected by the Poppy's Funerals team was simply amazing and seamlessly executed by every party involved.

Communication was top notch, efficient and practical on all aspects and by everyone involved. This was not a time for me to seek nostalgia and bowed heads.

The 'pick and mix' model of Poppy's Funerals is without doubt the USP here. You can spend as much or as little as you want, and get excellent value for money no matter what you choose.

I wanted a Humanist ceremony too and Isabel kindly provided me with the names of humanist celebrants with experience, and ours, Anne Delaney stepped in at the 11th hour.

Isabel, Kate and Anne couldn't have been more supportive, discreet and professional in thier direction of the ceremony, and in its delivery.

I wouldn't recommend anyone else. Thank you all.

karinesupreme would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Martin's Funeral"

Reviewed by ChrisShaw on Monday 04 July 2016

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Sensitive but not sentimental, practical. They related to all family members and guided us through the process respectfully. They were very available at the end of the telephone for queries. Theur language was appropriate.  

ChrisShaw would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Who I will choose to represent me when I die"

Reviewed by Emmajanedaly on Thursday 30 June 2016

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After being significantly disappointed- and badly treated - by traditional funeral directors I decided to google and found this fabulous website. This in turn introduced so many options, and the concept of a cremation only service which we went for - which was clearly what my father would have wanted. 

Daddy was not a conventional man, so being able to decline what was expected, letting Poppy's sort out officialdom and just give us the ashes, was perfect. Knowing there was the choice of an unmarked van - no sign of the establishment, or being screwed over and having to pay for stuff we didn't want - was a relief, and actually meant I knew I was doing what he wanted.

Poppy's staff - perfect, accommodating, supportive, just spot on. Found ways for family members to view his body as that as important to some, Poppy's always doing whatever we wanted. 

The cost...I'm still convinced it should have cost more! Especially for London! 

Actually, daddy had tried to give his body to medical research so we wouldn't have to pay anything but sadly they couldn't accept him. But the alternative of Poppy's was one we knew he would have approved of.

I recommend Poppy's whole heartedly - An inspirational company, and one that has influenced the send off I have let my loved ones know that I want. 

Emmajanedaly would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Seamless & Easy"

Reviewed by daviesm001 on Saturday 25 June 2016

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I had to arrange the funeral/cremation of a close friend but I was going abroad on holiday during the week before.  I had 2 days at home to arrange things from scratch before 10 days away and then only a day home before the event. I didn't even meet Isabel of Poppy's, nor the minister who she kindly recommended for me, so the entire funeral was arranged by phone and email. The funeral we arranged was perfect for my friend, from the pictorial coffin to the ex-RAF chaplain (my friend was an aero enthusiast).  All attendees were extremely complimentary and the day was just how I wanted it to be.  To say Poppy's made it stress-free would be an understatement. I was able to still enjoy my holiday without worry.  I have never had to arrange a funeral before but felt, from the outset, safe and guided by Poppy's.  Our celebrant, Father Nicholas Pnematicatos, was also an absolute joy.  I unreservedly recommend both.

daviesm001 would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Review for Poppy's Funerals"

Reviewed by judithevanswatson on Monday 04 April 2016

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We asked Poppy’s Funerals to arrange both my father’s and my mother’s funerals, a year apart. Poppy came to the house and explained that they like to help the bereaved family to find their own personal way to mark the passing of a loved one, not to direct proceedings but to facilitate. This was just what we wanted. From then on she answered all our queries, made all the arrangements and on the day was there to support us and be the firm ground on which the whole event rested. We were very grateful.
The following year when my mother died Kate came and was equally calm and reassuring. Our arrangements were completely different for a different loved one and we were again very happy with the outcome. The team came and carried out their work with polite, unobtrusive consideration, including us when we wished to be included. Later I met some friends who were training to be celebrants and told them about Poppy’s Funerals. They checked the website and agreed that they were working in a refreshingly new way. They posted on Facebook, ‘We love Poppy’s Funerals’. So did we.

judithevanswatson would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Mum's funeral"

Reviewed by fionacr on Thursday 25 February 2016

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it was a wonderful service - just the best.  Everyone loved it and laughed and cried and just felt great.  You were wonderful and looked great - mum's casket was gorgeous and it was EASY you were great and no panic - so thank you.

fionacr would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"The Perfect Celebration"

Reviewed by Ajhindle on Saturday 20 February 2016

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The wonderful Poppy’s Funerals did everything to help us to create the perfect send-off for [F].  We ended up with a funeral which was everything we wanted for her, and about which so many of our friends and family have said such complimentary things.  Throughout the whole process everyone at Poppy’s was helpful, supportive, courteous and discreet; when we were short of ideas Isabel made helpful suggestions, but at no time did anyone put us under any pressure to go in any particular direction, or to make a quick decision on any aspect of the funeral.  They took away the pressure of dealing with any of the arrangements with third parties but left us to make the important decisions ourselves in our own time.  We could not have wished for any better way to say farewell to our beloved wife, mother and friend.  What could have been an intensely sad occasion on the death of someone so young became a joyous celebration of a remarkable life, and I do not think we could have achieved that so easily without the support we received from Poppy’s.

Ajhindle would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Highl Recommended!`"

Reviewed by lwheel on Wednesday 20 January 2016

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I found Poppy's Funerals to be so friendly, sensitive and incredibly helpful.  They made a difficult time so much easier to deal with.  They covered all the issues with great sensitivity and made me feel as though they were the only people I wanted to use to deal with the cremation of my father.  All the staff were lovely and made sure that we were happy with every single arrangement.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.  Thank you to all the staff at Poppy's!

lwheel would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Perfect"

Reviewed by OBrien on Wednesday 18 November 2015

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My sister and I feel very happy that we found Poppys and are grateful for all that they did to make our mother's funeral the very lovely event that it was. We were able to give her the simple and meaningful ceremony that we wanted for her and that we feel sure she would have liked.  And we really appreciated Poppy's calmness, kindness and efficiency throughout the planning days. Having had no previous experience of organising a funeral we felt very held, safe and reassured about the whole process.   Many many thanks.

OBrien would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Safe choice and very professional"

Reviewed by Petra on Wednesday 20 May 2015

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Poppy Funeral was recommended and decided to follow up. I never had been in this situation before and did not know what to do or what to expect.

Poppy funeral staff were very good, professional and I felt I could talk to them and they understood my situation very well. They were supportive and caring and reassuring. They made the experience a good one in rather difficult and scary time. There was also the problem of looking for a low cost funeral and I definitely think I got the best value for money.

The funeral was faultless. the Chaptel was peacfull and a good place to say goodbye.

Highly recommend to use their services.

Petra would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Thank you Poppy's"

Reviewed by Debbie on Saturday 16 May 2015

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My husband Bill was ill for 3 years. From the very beginning, when we still had some hope, I promised myself I would share every second of his illness with him and adapt our lives to make Bill's as easy as I could. We shared every ache, pain, symptom, smile and giggle for every second we could. Bill had to move on
to where I couldn't go but for his last journey on this earth I still wanted to
fulfil my promise. I wanted his funeral to be as unique as he was to me. I wanted it filled with love and smiles and I wanted to be as involved with  his death as much as I was with his life. Poppy's helped me to do just that. From the very first phone call to Charlie I felt looked after and cared for. I felt that they would take care of Bill the way I wanted him cared for. When they
collected Bill they spoke to him as if they had known him, they were respectful but also warm, which helped with my pain and fear. Charlie was at the end of the phone for me whenever I needed him and came to visit me at home to discuss
arrangements. He listened to what I wanted, advised me how to achieve everything, even allowing me to accompany Bill 'behind the scenes' and helped me create a personal funeral for Bill. At no time did I feel pressured into paying for anything I didn't want or need, nothing was too much trouble. Bill's funeral was
flawless. It was personal, there were tears, laughter and the room was filled with love. We achieved this with the care and guidance we received from Poppy's and when it was over I felt like I was saying goodbye to a friend.
The staff from Poppy's came into my life at my lowest point and as cheesy as it sounds it felt like they wrapped me in their arms and carried me through it to the end, whilst still allowing me to be in control. I cannot recommend them highly enough and will be forever grateful.

Debbie would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Just what we wanted"

Reviewed by Mary on Friday 17 April 2015

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A kindly and unobtrusive service. 

Mary would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Fantastic Funeral Director"

Reviewed by Michael on Wednesday 15 April 2015

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We recently used Poppy's Funerals, and I cannot speak highly enough of their service! They were absolutely magnificent in every aspect of our arrangements , and made a very stressful time far better than we could ever have  imagined. They were so kind and efficient yet displayed compassion and care. I just wanted to tell everyone how great Poppy's are!

Michael would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"A more modern and relaxed approach"

Reviewed by Robiolina on Friday 10 April 2015

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After trawling through the websites of local funeral directors without any spark of recognition of one to suit my late husband, was saved from a black ethos by my humanist celebrant suggesting  I look at Poppy's - and immediately that felt right. (And being led by a woman was a persuasive factor.)

The informal white van and the green fleeced bearers of the willow coffin would have amused my husband and the liaison with Kate was an easy and friendly experience.  All went well and to plan for a joyful celebration.

I am very grateful for their sympathetic support and quiet efficiency at that difficult time.

Poppy will arrange a traditional funeral but I would recommend to anyone looking for a more modern and relaxed approach.

Robiolina would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Beautifully organised"

Reviewed by suesmall on Tuesday 31 March 2015

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When my husband specified he wanted to be buried under a fruit tree, I didn't know where to start.  But I found Poppy's Funerals through the Humanist website and knew I was onto a good start.

The care and consideration which I was shown as I made my arrangements was first class.  Everything I wanted, they provided.

My husband would have loved the poppy-covered van he was carried in and the young people who were informally dressed.

Thank you so much for easing the pain of organising this funeral.

suesmall would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"The lost art of customer care.."

Reviewed by Gyro on Friday 27 March 2015

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After a horrendous experience with our Fathers funeral, we knew we wanted something other than the traditional hang wringing companies. Also as all three siblings are atheists it was important that this was also taken into account.

From the first phone call to Poppy's I felt extremely at ease and knew I had made the right choice. My way of dealing with adversity is to use somewhat dark humour. Kate handled this with incredible ease and allowed me the freedom to express myself the way I needed.

The reason for the review heading? Poppy's simply know how to give their customers the highest care during what for many is a very difficult time. Sadly this is very rare these days.

Not that I want to do this again but I know who my only call will be to if I ever need another funeral arranged.

Gyro would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Most highly recommended"

Reviewed by sharonusher on Thursday 26 March 2015

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From my first conact over the phone with Poppy, and in all my subsequent dealings with Kate and her colleagues I felt sensitively and securely guided thruogh what could otherwise have been a confusuing and overwhelming procees.  And I felt a deep respect was held for my dear dad throughout.  We were able to arrange the funeral he would have wanted, recognising his life long faith as a Roman Catholic.  It was a profound experience for us his children to carry his coffin and to lower him into the grave, and I really appreciated all the behind the scenes work that Kate did to make that possible with the fairly traditionally minded burial ground staff.  This respectful and unobtrusive 'wheel oiling' left us all free, as a family, to deeply experience dad's last journey with him. I would recommend Poppy's to anyone.

sharonusher would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's"

Reviewed by emilyhaywardyoga@hotmail.co.uk on Wednesday 25 February 2015

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Losing our dad was, of course, devastating. It all happened very quickly and my sister and I had to deal with all the arrangements. This overwhelming task was made much easier by the down-to-earth and warm experience we had with Poppy's. We felt they were always on our side, trying to make everything as easy and cost effective for us as possible. Having said that, there was still an appropriate sense of the importance of our dad's life and sensitivity to how difficult the process was for my sister and me. 

Poppies also recommended a wonderful Humanist celebrant  who took a great deal of time to listen to us talk about our dad's life and delivered the service with great attention to detail, humour and honesty. It was pitch perfect. 

We were able to create a celebration of our dad's life that felt as unique and personal as he was to us. 

emilyhaywardyoga@hotmail.co.uk would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"A perfect ending"

Reviewed by cbh3012 on Monday 16 February 2015

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Having come across Poppy's as a result of Google search late the night my mother died, I was reassured by the tone of the message on the answerphone I reached when I made my initial enquiry.

cbh3012 would not recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Farewell to our dear auntie "

Reviewed by Lindamozo on Monday 16 February 2015

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from our very first enquiry to Poppy and her team we were made to feel at ease and very special! We were kept advised of all the legal and medical requirements, and being as this was near to the Christmas holidays this was not an easy time!  Then, after meeting Poppy when she came to see us regarding what we wanted for our dear auntie, we couldn't have been more impressed! All our questions were answered, nothing was too much trouble.

We chose a simple cremation. My sister in law and I went along to witness this and I have to say it was probably the most sincere personal funereal experience I've ever had! Poppy and here team were so gentle and respectful. The coffin was beautiful. Everything was just right! 

We are waiting now for better weather to scatter her ashes along with our mum's, her inseparable sister! How I wish Poppys Funerals had been around when our mum died!  

Thank you Poppy for a seamless service and an uplifting experience!

Lindamozo would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's Funerals"

Reviewed by JonGibson on Monday 09 February 2015

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JonGibson would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Pauline's Funeral"

Reviewed by danny on Friday 06 February 2015

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They were brilliant . All the details and procedures were outlined to me and my son in a sympathetic  and caring way. I had just lost my wife and I felt that they were looking after me. 

All the arrangements were expertly handled with no fuss.

danny would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Mum's farewell"

Reviewed by alicja on Friday 30 January 2015

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I dealt with Kate from Poppy's for my mother's funeral and found her incredibly helpful and she made the day go so smoothly.  Lovely lady.

I actually live in Milton Keynes and the funeral was in London so everything was done via email and over the phone and in spite of this all went well.

Nothing was too much to ask and I now have beautiful memories of mum's send-off.

alicja would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Helpful and compassionate"

Reviewed by belindakembery on Friday 21 November 2014

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My father found Poppy's for my sister's funeral - I would probably have chosen a more conventional funeral director but am so glad we didn't! Both Poppy and Isabel were warm and caring, and had endless patience in helping us work out what we wanted to do, and solving the family arguments which arose from the different viewpoints.

They had lots of lovely suggestions and helped us to put together a very unique service and a memorable procession from the chapel to the burial place, with friends and relatives assisting in carrying the coffin (staff discreetly on hand to guide). All in all it felt very special, for everyone involved, and Poppy's gave us the confidence and encouragement to do what felt right for all of us. Very grateful to them and cannot commend them highly enough!

belindakembery would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's helped me planned the perfect funeral for my cousin"

Reviewed by Sparky123 on Sunday 16 November 2014

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When my cousin passed away I was faced with the task of arranging his funeral and I had no experience of funeral arrangements whatsoever.  One thing I was certain of was that I did not want to get sucked into using one of those 'bureaucratic like' and expensive funeral agencies. 

I search the internet looking for a Funeral director that was cost effective, straight to the point (no gimmicks) and professional.  Their website was awesome and I was able to work out what I wanted in 20 minutes.

I emailed them and spoke to the director and other staff members who were very warm, sympathetic, understanding, helpful, answered all my questions and returned all my calls and emails.

Poppy's arranged our first meeting in an environment where I felt comfortable. They gave me what I wanted, a simple funeral which captured the essence of who my cousin was.  I was able to customise things if they did not fit into my vision. They offered value for money. There were no attempts to twist my arm into doing something I didn't want to do, they respected my wishes which made the whole process quite refreshing.

Poppy's recommended a wonderful celebrant who was very helpful and knowledgeable and this helped in making the funeral service a success.  They are well connected and know all the right people.

The coordination and planning of the whole process from first contact to cremation was beautifully and flawlessly done.  My cousin would be proud of his send off.

They even helped me deal with other matters after the funeral. Now that is dedication!

The Poppy's staff are very knowlegeable and Professional.

I think Poppy's is a very forward thinking Funeral Director.  They are not afraid to step outside of the box of the 'Funeral Directors persona' which makes them so unique.

Sparky123 would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Excellent funeral directors"

Reviewed by lucysadler100@hotmail.com on Saturday 15 November 2014

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When I phoned Poppy she was caring, kind, and helpful. The experience with Poppy’s from start to finish was faultless. Ruth, our organiser, came to my house to meet Dan and I, and talk through options for the day. We spent a long time organising everything, as we wanted to make Dad proud and give him the send off he deserved. I could not recommend Poppy’s enough, their service was fantastic. They allowed us to give Dad the funeral we wanted. To personalise it, to make it fun, to make it colourful. Thank you so much Ruth, Poppy and the team, I’m so glad we found you at the most terrible time in our lives

lucysadler100@hotmail.com would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Excellent alternative funeral directors"

Reviewed by adrian_coyle on Thursday 13 November 2014

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We decided to go with Poppy's as we didn't want the rigid formality and inflexibility often encountered with conventional funeral directors. From the beginning, we found Poppy and her team incredibly helpful. They answered all of our queries, and gave sensible advice and practical options. Poppy's colleague Chris was allocated to make all the arrangements, and he did a superb job in liasing with the local priest, the cemetery, etc. Poppy's provided a fine casket and a lovely funeral wreath, both at a reasonable price. Although it wasn't the main reason we chose to have Poppy's deal with the funeral, the costs when everything was included was substantially less than a tradional FD would have quoted us (and it was important, as it turned out, as my father had no saving or life insurance, so we had to cover all of the costs). We would like to thank Poppy and her colleagues for an incredible service at a time we needed all the help we could get, and would heartily recommend them to anyone, especially those looking for a reasonably priced bespoke funeral.

adrian_coyle would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Excellent service"

Reviewed by PHerring on Wednesday 12 November 2014

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As a somewhat informal family we were very pleased to discover Poppy's Funerals. Isobel and Poppy were always very helpful and made the whole process  much easier than we had feared it might be. My wife's only request regarding her cremation had been that she wanted our grandchildren to draw pictures on her coffin, and Poppy's enabled this to happen. The cremation itself was very simple, exactly how we wanted it. Overall, a first-class service.

PHerring would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Mum would have loved it..."

Reviewed by gmccabe on Wednesday 12 November 2014

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From the first point of contact, I was confident that Poppy's Funerals would be the right company for both myself and for my mum, if she could have had a say.

Isabel was extremely professional, yet friendly, when I could barely speak on the phone due to crying and she and Luke were calm and reassuring when they visited me at home to start arrangements.

They talked me through the timings of the funeral and facilitated what turned out to be a simple, yet beautiful ceremony, with myself reading a tribute to my mum and one of my sons reading a poem. 

Luke was exceptionally calm and was a reassuring presence, as we panicked over some of the family not arriving in time-and was equally supportive when he demonstrated to the young men in the family how to carry my mum's simple coffin into the chapel.

The simple green fleeces worn by Luke and his associate added to the feeling that this was a natural, yet respectful ceremony-without any of the Victorian pomp and circumstance associated with more formal funerals and which I was terrified of!

I can't recommend Poppy's Funerals highly enough-my mum had the send-off she would have been proud of-personal, intimate and beautiful!!

Thank you, Luke and Poppy's.

gmccabe would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Gentle, Caring, supportive and great organiser"

Reviewed by gorham@doctor.com on Tuesday 04 November 2014

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We obtained the number from a funeral director in Devon who we knew and trusted. Poppy's funerals was exactly what we needed. They answered the phone immediately and were helpful and reassuring from the start. They put as at our ease and we felt listened to. They visited the house to meet the whole family and listened to everyone. They outlined the possibilities and managed the family meeting sympathetically. The arrangements and funeral was then carried out seamlessly and exactly as we wished. On the day they were there and helpful but never got in the way. They acted as normal people rather than putting on that rather stilted stiff stance taken by many funeral companies. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and in addition excellent value for money. A very human kind firm to work with

gorham@doctor.com would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Very helpful kind and flexible Funeral Directors"

Reviewed by lisa.wray on Tuesday 28 October 2014

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The team were briliiant. They gave us great advice prior to death, were very easily contactable and the ability to organise things from home was a great advantage. We were able to make a wonderful, cheerful celebration of my Dad's life and they helped with everything we asked and at all times were patient, sensitive and very caring.

This company is excellent I would not hesitate in using or recommending again, for a traditional Funeral, or a more unusual service or cremation.

lisa.wray would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"All that my wife wanted..."

Reviewed by daleytre on Wednesday 24 September 2014

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Difficult to put my thoughts into writing and to do justice to the support, care and attention to detail that was provided by Poppy and her team.

My wife's last wishes were pre-defined. Whilst this simplified the organization significantly, Poppy and her team were able to flex. their service to delicately balance the wishes of my wife and the family she left behind to a defined timeline.

Perfectly organized and managed throughout. THe family had very high expectations that were exceeded.

It is a sad reflection on society that other providers in the services sector do not hold themselves to similar standards of excellence.

I have no absolutely no hesitation in recommending Poppy's.

daleytre would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"A simple but very personal funeral for my father."

Reviewed by AndrewM on Thursday 18 September 2014

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I would like to share my experience of using Poppy's as funeral directors for my father's funeral. My father was not a person that liked great ostentation and in the weeks leading up to his death we spoke about what sort of funeral he would like. On his passing, I spoke with a friend who recommended Poppy's as a company that were both respectful and offered a service that could be personalised as we wished.

As soon as we had our first meeting with Poppy and her staff, both my sister and I knew we had made the right decision. She guided us through the whole process, asking questions that offered different ways of organising the service and doing her best to mould her service to the person my father was - not the reverse.

On the day of the funeral, both Poppy and members of her staff attended the crematorium in good time to make sure a smooth running to the process. We had a choice of hearse and pallbearers uniform and for both chose something neutral rather than the typical black - we felt this was less gloomy and allowed the congregation more room for personal emotion.

Overall, the choice to engage Poppy's was the best decision we could have made. We were treated caringly and professionaly, in a way that allowed our wishes to be expressed. I would have no reservation in recommending their service and seeing their working practices has highlighted the variation in quality and flexibility within the funeral industry.

AndrewM would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Heartfelt thanks"

Reviewed by Kenmarley on Tuesday 19 August 2014

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My lovely wife passed away in April this year. She was aware of Poppy's via an interview last year on LBC radio.  Knowing that there was a distinct possibility that she may not survive her treatment, she expressed her desire to use their services. We did not want an artificial religious ceremony by some unknown.  We knew what we would like.  I phoned Poppy's and within minutes I knew that they understood our parameters and feelings completely,..no problems at all.[ and we did ask a lot ].   Isabel organised everything, quietly, respectfully to perfection. We were so pleased that we paid a little extra. they declined to accept, with thanks, but agreed to send it on to St Christophers, who acknowledged receipt to us.  Please use these lovely people, you will not regret it.

Kenmarley would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Wonderful"

Reviewed by felixpole on Sunday 03 August 2014

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From the moment Poppy's was required they were faultless. Calm, dignified, helpful, understanding, and no black jackets. Nothing was too much trouble and Isabel was simply wonderful at a time when what you need is someone like her.

felixpole would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Very highly recommended"

Reviewed by lazyweeder@hotmail.com on Friday 11 July 2014

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What a find! A visit to a traditional Funeral Director showed us what we did not want & research online found Poppy's.

.After a dreadful "normal" funeral for my mother, this amazing team of people were like a breath of fresh air. My beloved husband was always referred to by name & with respect. I particularly appreciated the friendly but professional approach & the rapid response to emails & phone calls.

We were able to have a simple,unstructured family only cremation which gave us time to say our goodbyes in private and the Poppymobile was so much nicer than a traditional hearse.

With sincere thanks to Isobel & Charlie for their support & encouragement.

lazyweeder@hotmail.com would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's Funerals"

Reviewed by CharlotteMerritt on Friday 11 July 2014

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I was so pleased and relieved that I found Poppy from Poppy's Funerals. Poppy was incredibly sympathetic and down to earth, and made the new and traumatic experience of organising a funeral seem manageable. I am incredibly grateful to Poppy and her team for their help and support.

CharlotteMerritt would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Making it Easier"

Reviewed by rkoruna on Wednesday 09 July 2014

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A close friend asked me to arrange her funeral and act as her executor when she passed away from cancer. As I do not live in the U.K., I was not aware of the process involved in organizing a funeral. Fortunately, one of the firm's that I was referred to was Poppy's Funerals. They gently led me through all the steps needed to complete the funeral. More importantly, my friend had very definite views on how her funeral should be handled. I think that she would have been pleased. 

Thank you to all the staff at Poppy's for your care and understanding.

I am pleased to be able to recommend their services.

rkoruna would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Wonderfully personal service"

Reviewed by Pavitt on Saturday 28 June 2014

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Poppy's Funerals provided a wonderfully personal service that made the whole experience of organising a funeral much less daunting and traumatic than I had imagined, and Poppy herself was such a lovely, understanding person to deal with at what was a very difficult time.

I did not feel under any pressure and as a result we were able to have the quiet, simple funeral that we wanted.

I would highly recommend Poppy's Funerals and thank them for the excellent service they provided for me and my family.

Pavitt would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's Funeral's safe caring hands"

Reviewed by AineMcDonagh on Thursday 19 June 2014

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From the moment we rang Poppy’s funerals we knew were were in safe, caring and wholly professional hands.  Poppy’s team, and Isabel in particular, guided us through the bureaucratic process painlessly and were always so considerate of our views as well as dealing sensitively with Bernice’s Jewish heritage.  They not only speed up the process in accordance with Jewish tradition but also found a brilliant Rabbi sensitive to Bernice’s wishes to be cremated so that her ashes could be returned to her native South Africa.  What was always evident through out the process was Isabel’s respect for Bernice, always mentioning her by name which also made it more personal. 

We are very thankful for our friend’s recommendation and would have no hesitation in recommending Poppy’s Funerals to others.  We think their sympathetic nature and injection of humour at the appropriate moments made the whole process so much easier than we could have imagined.

AineMcDonagh would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Our Mothers choice and praise well deserved "

Reviewed by alainsixqd on Tuesday 17 June 2014

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Do Not  hesitate to use Poppy's funeral services.

Poppy, Ruth and Charlie. Many many thanks for a wonderful calm respectful simple service, Mother choose you herself, and her wishes were followed exactly, From before mother passed you were all very helpful and made a very difficult time for us go much easier,

Again Thank you, my best regards Alain

alainsixqd would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Highly recommended funeral director"

Reviewed by germol on Monday 19 May 2014

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On hearing of the death of my husband’s brother, we travelled from Dublin to London last month. My husband was named as next of kin.  As such he took on the task of dealing with his brother’s affairs and arranging his funeral.   We had walked into a funeral undertaker’s office on the high street to get an estimate of costs.  We were shocked at the prices quoted and the rigidness and formality of services proposed.

We, by chance, got a promotion leaflet for “Poppy’s funerals”.     On reading the brochure we knew it was exactly what we wanted.   It lived up to all its promises. We arranged a family led funeral with guidance from Poppy. We were able to meet Poppy in our hotel and discuss our needs in the privacy of our room. This reduced our stress levels. We found that Poppy was very approachable, most accommodating and eager to fulfil our wishes.  We were able to arrange the funeral simply and quickly which was a major relief.     We had family members and friends give tributes, read poetry and a reading from the bible.  It gave everyone an opportunity to be involved.  This was particularly important for family members who travelled from Ireland for the funeral service.  The personal touch made all the difference.  In fact we felt it was a life saver for us. We had total freedom to organise the funeral the way we wanted. I highly recommend “Poppy’s funerals. I hope that a similar service will be available in Ireland in the future.

germol would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"The support and guidance to do it "our way""

Reviewed by dina on Saturday 17 May 2014

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Poppy's Funerals were simply amazing! From the moment Poppy answered my phone call, with her upbeat "Hello, this is Poppy, how can I help?" I felt the genuineness of this woman. As I told Poppy about our situation it was immediately apparent that her primary aim was to help us give my brother the funeral we wanted. A funeral that reflected who he was, who we are… not a stuffy, straight-laced event that adhered to some archaic, inherited 'oughts', 'shoulds' and 'musts'.

Poppy gave me time...time to help explore what we wanted…but also time for me just to tell her the silly things...like… I just had to choose this particular crematorium because when I looked on Google maps...the name of the road bordering the crematorium was the nickname my children had given to my brother when they were small...those silly things that meant the world to me because my brother had just died. 

Finding my way, I tentatively explored, “Could we have a procession on foot from the gates of the crematorium to the Chapel?” “Could you play this CD, track 6, on the hearse stereo (oh what a hearse)…as we follow on foot?” “Could we scatter daffodils on his cardboard coffin?” and so on and so on.  Everything we asked of Poppy...was met with a "CAN DO" attitude; it was so validating and liberating. And…on the day Poppy's and her amazing team came through on everything we asked of them.

I believe it is one of life's great ironies...that we are totally unprepared for both the death of our loved ones...and for what is entailed when someone dies. There we are, distraught, confused, riding an emotional rollercoaster...and we have to learn to do all these new things...we are emotional wrecks (well I was) in completely unchartered waters. I feel that we were immensely fortunate as a family, that we found Poppy's Funerals and The Natural Death Centre...with their help we were able to make my brother's funeral a wonderful experience and memory. With the support and help of these two amazing services…we created a tribute to the brother, uncle, brother-in-law and friend that we had lost. We created a day that reflected who he was. A day that...as one of his friends said "That was the sort of event Brian would have thrived in."

dina would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Help at a difficult time"

Reviewed by Iannelli on Thursday 15 May 2014

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Poppy's Funerals gave us consistent assistance, advice and support when our father died in February 2014. The funeral itself was fairly complex, with a live jazz quartert, a solo jazz singer, a jazz keyboard player and a choir. Nonetheless, everything ran beautifully smoothly and Poppy's helped to make a painful and difficult day into a memorable and almost joyous celebration of our father's life.

I would recommend them to anyone in need of an understanding attention to detail, a sympathetic ear and great organisational capacities.

Iannelli would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Simple, Responsive, Helpful"

Reviewed by alibatliner on Wednesday 14 May 2014

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Poppy from Poppy's Funerals was very resposive to my needs and sensitive to my time restraints. 

I had the daunting and emotional task of caring for my father in his last weeks of life. I was alone and had flown in from abroad. Poppy was able to explain my options and arrange a simple cremation ceremony sensitive that I needed to travel back to the states shortly after my father passed. 

I am grateful that amongst all the things I needed to take care of and navigating the grief after my father passed away that his cremation arrangements proved to be smooth and suitable to my needs.

alibatliner would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"The Funeral You Want For Your Loved One."

Reviewed by VickyG on Saturday 10 May 2014

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From beginning to end, Poppy was attentive, helpful, proactive, reassuring, organised, open and honest. Nothing was too much trouble and we were able to have the funeral that we wanted for our Uncle. This was no mean feat, as he himself was not Jewish. But family members attending were. He also was not religious and so wouldn't have appreciated a traditional funeral. Poppy was paramount, creative and excellent at coming up with ideas and following them through on the day. All the time providing the most cost effective way to implement her suggestions.. We are very grateful to Poppy's Funerals for their service to us and for making, what could have been very stressful and complicated, seem seamless. We would highly recommend them to anyone..

VickyG would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"An Angel By My Side"

Reviewed by milenk on Monday 28 April 2014

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Before I didn't know that a company like Poppy's Funerals even existed. Their refreshing philosophy, warm and very natural approach was new to me but exactly what my Mam would have wished and I hoped for.

Having to cope on my own I was very anxious and insecure, but from the first meeting with Poppy I felt a feeling of gratefulness and relief, I could tell myself: it's going to be alright, with Poppy I will be able to say my farewell in a personal way.

I could not have done so without her, her team and her loving, caring presence and support before, during but also afterwards.

Within two months my Mam's husband and my BestDad had died, it goes without saying, Poppy was there for me ... again.

Dank je wel, Poppy, for everything

milenk would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Amazing Poppy"

Reviewed by Claire on Monday 14 April 2014

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Tim and I want to thank Poppy so much for all her help over the past couple of weeks, and for making the service the perfect send off for Dorothy.

Her balance of gentle authority, common sense, patience and friendliness were just what was needed to make it all go smoothly.

Also our thanks to Bob and Charlie.

Claire would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Excellent service & support in every way"

Reviewed by Alicalli on Sunday 23 March 2014

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Poppy's was recommended by a friend, who had had a very good experience with them. Equally, I cannot praise Poppy's [Poppy and Isabel] highly enough. They went beyond the call of duty to pull out all the stops when I needed support, negotating with the coroner, to allow my wishes to be fulfilled. Extremely helpful, organised, and human - that's the most important aspect. Choice. Not an impersonal funeral machine which takes over. Thank you, Poppy and Isabel for making my experience life-affirming, very connected to my loved one, and much better than it could have been. 

Alicalli would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"-"

Reviewed by zbrophy on Wednesday 19 March 2014

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Poppy's funerals provided a superb service at every step of the way for the funeral of a very dear friend of mine. My friend died of cancer and she organised her own funeral when she knew she was approaching the end of her life. This was an incredibly difficult process for my friend and I know the professional and compassionate way in which Poppy's funerals treated her made it as easy as it could be.

On the day I was leading the service and organised logistics with Poppy. She, along with her team, were supportive, professional and attentive to our requests and desires. 

I highly recommend Poppy's funerals. 

zbrophy would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Highly recommended"

Reviewed by Lucy on Thursday 20 February 2014

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We are very grateful for the calm, straightforward, professional, friendly and warm manner in which Poppy's helped us say goodbye to our our mother. Honest, personal and cheering.  

Lucy would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Wonderful"

Reviewed by Nilly on Friday 07 February 2014

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My experience with Poppy's funerals from beginning to end was absolutely faultless. 

From the very fist email contact Poppy herself made me and my huisband (for whom I was arranging the funeral), feel special and her care and attention was wonderful.

Nothing was too much trouble and Poppy would call me as soon as I emailed to ask a question, no matter how trivial. She made sure that everything was taken care of and made me feel so comfortable. No query was too much trouble, including bizarre music requests from friends which Poppy called the crematorium to check they had for us!

On the day of the cremation she and her staff were so attentive and considerate and it felt totally natural to have Poppy herself in the crematorium (this was my choice). 

If you want to do things your own way but need the reassurance and support of a professional then I would urge you to use Poppy's funerals. 

With eternal gratitude to Poppy.

Nilly

Nilly would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Efficient, helpful and honest service"

Reviewed by jtedder on Tuesday 04 February 2014

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I was in contact with Poppy quite a long time before my mother’s death as family circumstances made a traditional funeral inappropriate.  We know we will need a lot of time and organisation to arrange something a long distance from where she died.  Poppy was always happy to give advice and guidance and explained everything simply and clearly with no attempt to influence my decision or ‘sell’ me extras I neither needed nor wanted.

After the death Poppy arranged everything smoothly and efficiently -she was always warm and friendly and made the whole process straightforward and hassle free.  She kept in touch at all times and so I always knew exactly what was going on

I would not hesitate to recommend Poppy’s service.  It is quite excellent and, as a bonus, reasonably priced.

jtedder would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Appropriate level of empathy"

Reviewed by Charles_OM on Wednesday 15 January 2014

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I found Poppy efficient and unhurried with the appropriate level of empathy. Poppy managed the difficulties that presented themselves in an adult-to-adult way while being supportive and compassionate, thank you Poppy.

Charles_OM would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"BettyEnfield"

Reviewed by Betty on Monday 13 January 2014

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I wholeheartedly recommend Poppy's to anyone. Poppy and Isabel were friendly, caring and helpful from first contact.  I never had to worry about anything going wrong as they were in constant contact and extremely easy to speak to.  Nothing was too much trouble.  It is very traumatic to have to arrange a funeral for a son but they spoke about John as a person which was a great comfort.  John had no religious beliefs and told me the sort of funeral he wanted and Poppy's ticked all the boxes.  They arranged a brilliant celebrant, Ruth Valentine, and she ran the celebration of John's life faultlessly.  I cannot recommend Poppy's highly enough, and many of the friends and relatives at the funeral said that that was exactly the funeral they would like but didn't know was available.

Betty would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"I can't recommend Poppy's Funeral's enough"

Reviewed by joannamross@hotmail.com on Friday 22 November 2013

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This recommendation is also by way of a thank you to Poppy, Ruth and the rest of her team. Everything for Peggy was handled with  empathy, sensitivity and honesty.  It is never going to be an easy time but Poppy's funerals certainly took great care to make sure that it was a positive experience. Thank you Ruth for sharing a cup of tea and listening. And thank you Poppy for anticipating all eventualities. You were all very caring towards Peggy and her family. Your kindness will be remembered.

joannamross@hotmail.com would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Positive Experience "

Reviewed by robert on Wednesday 13 November 2013

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A very personal appraoch with great care taken to ensure that our wishes were met. Poppy's Funerals provided clear guidance on the Funderal process and nothing was to much bother for them.

robert would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's"

Reviewed by lorainewimbledon on Wednesday 13 November 2013

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From my first contact with Poppy I felt reassured and confident I had made the best choice.

Poppy listened to my individual request, and responded quickly, confidently and with a sincere desire to fulfill our wishes.

I dreaded the hour that my husband would be collected from our home by Poppy's team but the process was very gentle and caring.

Adeline, Bob and Charlie arrived with lovely smiles and thankfully no black suits! They assured us we could take all the time we needed and when we were ready they explained how they would proceed.

They treated my darling husband so sweetly and gently we were all genuinely touched.

I am so glad I used Poppy's Funerals and have no hesitation in recommending her and her amazing team!

lorainewimbledon would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Thank you Poppy"

Reviewed by freyabee on Monday 28 October 2013

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I would recommend Poppy to anyone who finds themselves in the difficult position of needing to organise a funeral.  Poppy helped us to have a funeral for my Dad which was just right for us - we initially only had a vague idea of what this would look like. I remembered hearing Poppy speak on Radio 4 and looked her up online. My Dad didn't want black at the funeral and Poppy's van was therefore perfect. We decided to be involved in carrying the coffin ourselves which is something I never would have thought of doing. I'm very pleased we did. Poppy also recommended an excellent celebrant. 

Navigating systems and services that you are unfamiliar with at a time when you have been bereaved can be very difficult and leave you feeling at sea. My family and I valued Poppy's approach: practical, kind, respectful and transparent. Many friends echoed these comments at the funeral. 

Thank you again to Poppy and your team. 

freyabee would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"A credit to the industry "

Reviewed by matthewbell on Thursday 24 October 2013

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When my mother passed away unexpectedly it was a very very shocking period of my life and something from which I am not sure I will never really recover.

Poppy made a difficult period of my life a lot easier to deal with. Recommended by a Lambeth cemetery, an employee was inspired by Poppy's ethos and sensitive approach when dealing with what is a incredibly terrible period in a family's life.

From our first meeting Poppy was professional and friendly. Poppy's Funerals made the paperwork easy to deal with and their flexible methods made the whole event both sensitive and stress free.

Poppy is a credit to the industry. The traditional methods are outdated and Poppy's Funerals offer outstanding service for those who wish to celebrate a loved ones life.  

I couldn't recommend them highly enough.

matthewbell would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Saying goodbye to the Love of my Life"

Reviewed by deborahhorne on Tuesday 22 October 2013

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Simply the most comfortable feeling to have Poppy's involvment with Sarah's last family trip. No one could have done a better job. Professional and perfectly charming. There was not a moment that I felt confident this was going to be a really special occassion - it was all just what we needed and Sarah would have liked it very much. Sarah was just 52 years old.

deborahhorne would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"As good as it gets"

Reviewed by sandra on Monday 21 October 2013

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Poppy came to our house and responded with gentle tact to my questions and confusion over what kind of funeral to have. My brother had left no instructions.  We learnt that we could use the crematorium chapel for our own small and simple ceremony. She stressed the amount of choice involved. We chose music for our half hour, had the space to ourselves, carried the bamboo coffin in - with help from two charming young employees of Poppy. Afterwards a sense of having said goodbye "properly", relief that there had been no false note. Excellent!

sandra would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's Funerals"

Reviewed by katja.osgood@virgin.net on Monday 21 October 2013

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We found Poppy to be sensitive and friendly. She was helpful and respectful but natural and friendly.

It was such a relief to not be dark and somber. My sister would have loved the colour and friendliness.

Poppy couldn't have been better and we would recommend her to everyone.

katja.osgood@virgin.net would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Exceptional funeral directors"

Reviewed by IrisA on Monday 21 October 2013

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Ruth Valentine, who supported me in the process throughout could not have been more caring or more quietly efficient. She was always there when needed for advice and support and genuine caring – an exceptionally gifted person for what must be a very difficult job. The rest of the team were equally pitch-perfect on the day itself.

The way that Poppy's help the bereaved td to organise a genuinely personal and meaningful funeral should be what every funeral director aspires to. I cannot recommend Poppy's enough.

IrisA would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Really personal service"

Reviewed by Tinaboschen on Sunday 20 October 2013

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Poppy's funeral was my first experience at arranging a funeral. I was really happy with everything about the service received. It was s'more personal way of arranging a funeral then a traditional al way. Constant contact through e-mail and telephone. We also had a few mishaps along the way (not caused by Poppy's) but all were handled simply and effectively. There was compassion all the way through and the whole experience was something that I would highly recommend if you are looking for something more personal. 

Thanks again Poppy for everything. 

Tinaboschen would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's Funerals"

Reviewed by Suzi on Sunday 20 October 2013

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I would highly recommend Poppy to anyone. At such a difficult time and having no knowledge of the processes involved in arranging a funeral, I found Poppy to be warm, sympathetic and caring. She guided me through the process with compassion and understanding and offered extremely useful advice. I could not have asked for more and am very glad that I found her.

Suzi would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Mum's funeral"

Reviewed by barryb on Saturday 19 October 2013

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Poppy's Funerals made the whole experience of organising the funeral effortless, it was well-structured, and we felt we had a lot of control over it.

I highly recommend Poppy's and her associates.

barryb would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Fantastic from start to finish"

Reviewed by Katherine on Saturday 19 October 2013

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I met Poppy very briefly this summer at a sad occasion and knew straightaway who to call when my father died in a Nursing Home a few weeks later.

My mother was very keen to break away from the traditional black theme of funerals and wanted to celebtrate my father's 95 years.  With Poppy''s help, guidance and support throughout we had the confidence to give my father a very personal send off and to have a service, which we felt was a wonderful tribute to him.

At a time when emotions run high I cannot recommend Poppy highly emough, she is very professional but equally feels like a friend and she won't let you down, her attention to detail is second to none.

I hope my mother lives for another few years but when her time comes I will be contacting Poppy as I know my mother will be in safe hands - she loved Poppy straightaway.

Katherine would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Caring and inspired confidence"

Reviewed by Carolinec on Saturday 14 September 2013

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I contacted Poppy after my brother's sudden death this year.  Having never had to arrange a funeral before I had no idea what was possible. Because of family circumstances we wanted a direct cremation and so I found Poppy through a google search. She was so helpful and supportive of how we wished to handle the funeral - even talking me through all of the forms over the phone when I caught a virus which made it impossible to meet up. I would have no hesitation in using her again - whether for a direct cremation or for a more traditional funeral.

Carolinec would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Wonderful help and support"

Reviewed by terrielizabethreid on Thursday 29 August 2013

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My father died suddenly and unexpectedly and my brother and I were devastated. My father was a very original, quirky and much-loved person with some wonderful experiences in his life, and we were sure that we wanted a non-traditional funeral that reflected the kind of person he was.

Poppy gave us the strength and confidence to have the service we wanted, rather than simply what is always done and expected.

She gave us an amazing level of support, keeping in touch with regular phone calls and emails, and she made everythins as easy as it possibly could have been in such a difficult time.

Because of Poppy we had the beautiful, individual, family send off that we really wanted, and it felt like a true tribute and a proper goodbye to a wonderful man.

We will always be so very grateful to Poppy for her help, her support, her gentle suggestions and ideas.

terrielizabethreid would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Personal & Perfect"

Reviewed by claregaskin on Thursday 15 August 2013

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My Dad passed away recently and we never got the chance to discuss with him in enough detail his wishes for after he died. At such a sad time I felt overwhelmed by a desire to not have his farewell as something sombre, bleak and so serious - visions of unknown men in black suits carrying my Dad's coffin did not seem right. And so Mum and I looked into a few different options including the service which Poppy offers. Poppy is genuinely passionate about what she does, and I felt that she listened to Mum & I and made everything seem simple and do-able. Anything really is possible with Poppy. Both on the phone and in person Poppy was always professional whilst also being warm and friendly, she talked to us in a way which avoided the use of some of the traditional language/jargon which I know exists and just made everything feel easy. I also want to thank Poppy so very much for encouraging us to carry Dad in his coffin to the chapel, a small group of friends and family took Daddy on his final journey and the shared experience was magical. It was a beautiful day, I never thought I would say that but with Poppy's help it truly was. Thank you again Poppy.

claregaskin would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Highly recommended"

Reviewed by Tammy on Friday 09 August 2013

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Poppy provides an excellent service for those who are planning a less convenventional event. My mother did not want a funeral, and so we held a memorial for her at our home. Poppy was extremely helpful and supportive with advice and assistance in making what was a difficult and sad time for us a little easier. I can also recommend Ruth Valentine, who is an excellent celebrant who works closely with Poppy. Her eulogy was perfect in tone and sentiment for our occasion.

Tammy would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Simple and dignified"

Reviewed by Rosier on Thursday 25 July 2013

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When my aunt passed away after a long illness I should have been a little more prepared... 'Shop around while you can' said my daughter, 'don't rush into anything when you're vulnerable'. However uncomfortable with shopping around it was only after her death I visited 3 local funreal directors... 2 of them locked me into a room and the other I could swear was the Charles Dickens character Uriah Heap! Needless to say all experiences were uncomfortable, not to mention expensive! 

My aunt had been careful with money so wouldn't want her funeral to be extravagant, aged 91 with no children or surviving friends to invite we knew it had to be small and simple. She was of no religion so her husband didn't see the need for prayers or hymns much of the above traditional funeral directors had pushed upon us.

My daughter made the first contact with Poppy and instantly trusted her matter of fact approach telling us all we needed to know and what our options were. She didn't pretend to be sorry for the loss of a person she didn't know but supportive and sympathetic of our wants and needs. Nothing was out of bounds.

It was my uncles decision that we should sit in the crematorium and listen to the music they enjoyed together. There were no words (he didn't want any speeches which mighe induce tears) and when the time was right we left the crematorium.

Even on the day my elderly parents joked how they were excited to 'try before they buy' this innovative approach to funerals.

As a family we couldn't have been more thankful for Poppy's service. When we next find ourselves in the unfortunate situation of planning another funeral we won't hesitate to contact Poppy.

Rosier would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Help with direct cremation"

Reviewed by kathz on Wednesday 24 July 2013

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I'm very pleased with the assistance Poppy provided at a difficult time.  Family circumstances when my father died meant that we decided on a direct cremation so that we could organise our own memorial event later.  Poppy made this easy for me.  She explained everything simply and clearly in a way that showed she accepted our decision and supported it.  It was also helpful to know at the outset exactly what everything would cost.  The price shown on her website was inclusive of everything.  Poppy is kind, helpful and efficient - important qualities in anyone dealing with the aftermath of a death.

kathz would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"outstanding funeral director"

Reviewed by dunnamy8 on Wednesday 24 July 2013

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Poppy is an inspirational funeral director.She not only provided us with very efficient organisational skills but genuine emotional support. The result was a service which many of our friends apologised for describing as wonderful and uplifting. Nothing is too much trouble for Poppy- whether in creating time for several visits to your loved one or investigating unusual ideas. I wanted to turn some of my husband's ashes into diamonds for my 2 daughters. Poppy's response was to do it for us because she felt it might be useful for  her to know about it for someone else. Her fees are far lower than many other directors and there are no hidden extras. I felt Poppy's genuine sense of empathy and warmth were invaluable in such a sad situation and she has a real sense of integrity. She will only do a limited number of services a week in order to maintain her high standards. I have already told my own children that they are to use Poppy for me.

dunnamy8 would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Poppy's Funerals"

Reviewed by Haynes on Tuesday 23 July 2013

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As a family, we just wanted to say a very big THANK YOU, for all Poppy's done, in taking care of my mums's funeral arrangements. 

She was kind, considerate and a great comfort to us, when we had no idea what to do.

From the moment we met Poppy, she became more of a friend, than a funeral director, she along with her team are genuinely passionate about what they do, and their professionalism was outstanding.

The service we received, went above and beyond the price we paid

Haynes would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Not all black & somber "

Reviewed by colin on Monday 22 July 2013

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I whole heartedly recommend Poppys funeral service, 

from the very first phone call through to delivering my fathers ashes to my house, poppy has been a star, a very friendly respectful cheerful company.

my father passed away recently in a nursing home, I was asked by the home some weeks before he passed, which company i wanted to use to deal with his funeral arrangements,

like most people i did not know, i had never had to deal with anything like this before, they gave me the phone number of a local funeral directors, i called it and did not like them telling me you have to have this & you have to have that, and all with an extra cost tagged on. this was just not the sort of thing my dad would have wanted, so i decided to do a bit of research into what else was out their and came across Poppys.

straight away i could see from her website, that her service was much more suited to the free spirit type of person my father was,

I called poppys and just knew it was right for us, everything is done much more low key without all the somber black suits and hearses, and, at a fixed reasonable all included fee.

colin would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.

"Inspirational Funeral Director"

Reviewed by maddiebc on Monday 22 July 2013

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At this very sad time we were totally uplifted by our first meeting with Poppy.  She truly is a remarkable young woman and I couldn't recommend her highly enough.

What could have been a very sad and sombre occasion became something else entirely - a most joyous and colourful celebration led by the celebrant recommended by Poppy.

We love her and I want a Poppy Funeral when my time comes

maddiebc would recommend Poppy's Funerals to friends.