Circle Funerals

Circle Funerals Independent, family-run funeral directors in Altrincham, providing compassionate funeral care across South Manchester.

Owned and run day-to-day by husband and wife team, Jeremy and Sara Fixter.

Many families supporting someone living with dementia are trying to navigate a lot of different information, services an...
16/03/2026

Many families supporting someone living with dementia are trying to navigate a lot of different information, services and decisions; often at the same time.

Events like this can make a real difference.

We’re really looking forward to being part of the Living Well with Dementia – Sale Open Day again this year.

This welcoming community event is being organised by Home Instead Altrincham, Sale and Wythenshawe - Home Care & Live-in Care, alongside a number of local organisations supporting people living with dementia and their families.

Tuesday 31 March
10am–2pm
The Salvation Army, Ashton Lane, Sale

We attended last year and more than 500 people came along, which gives a real sense of how helpful and valued this event is in the community.

We’ll be there with a stall where we’ll be:
• sharing information about funeral wishes and planning ahead
• talking about how thinking ahead can sometimes make things easier for families
• offering twiddle muffs, which can be comforting for people living with dementia

There will also be talks, support organisations, entertainment including the Dementia Disco, and refreshments.

The event is free and open to everyone, so please do come along if it would be helpful for you or someone you care about.

Sian Steeples

Thank you so much to everyone who has submitted a remembrance candle so far. Our candle initiative will come to an end t...
15/03/2026

Thank you so much to everyone who has submitted a remembrance candle so far. Our candle initiative will come to an end today (Sunday 15 March).

Candles submitted before 5pm today will be shared on our page on Monday 16 March.

https://gbnf.online/340125

Mother’s Day can be a joyful day for many, but we know that for some people it can feel difficult.Today we’re thinking o...
14/03/2026

Mother’s Day can be a joyful day for many, but we know that for some people it can feel difficult.

Today we’re thinking of the families we’ve supported over the years, and others in our community for whom this day may bring a mixture of memories and emotions.

Grief doesn’t follow a calendar, but days like this can sometimes bring things a little closer to the surface.

If the lead-up to this weekend has felt difficult, you’re not alone.

We’re thinking of you and you may find the advice from Cruse Bereavement Support helpful.

One line from a recent message a family sent us has stayed with me:“Nothing felt rushed.”It might sound like a small thi...
13/03/2026

One line from a recent message a family sent us has stayed with me:

“Nothing felt rushed.”

It might sound like a small thing, but it really matters.

When someone dies, families often find themselves having to make decisions they’ve never had to make before, at a time when everything can feel unfamiliar and overwhelming.

Knowing there is time to talk things through, ask questions, and go at a pace that feels manageable can make a real difference.

A big part of our role is making sure the practical things are organised and steady in the background, so families don’t feel hurried through moments that matter.

Sometimes it’s those quieter aspects of the experience that people remember most.

We’d like to thank everyone who’s created a virtual candle for their loved one so far. Here are some more memorial candl...
11/03/2026

We’d like to thank everyone who’s created a virtual candle for their loved one so far.
Here are some more memorial candles. If you’d like to submit a candle for a loved one, you can do so by clicking the link below.

https://gbnf.online/340125

Thank you to everyone who’s submitted a memorial candle so far. We’ve now started to create your personalised virtual ca...
05/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who’s submitted a memorial candle so far. We’ve now started to create your personalised virtual candle posts, and they’ll begin to appear on our page shortly.

If you don't see your candle yet, please don't worry, we’ll share it soon. If you’d like to submit a candle for a loved one, you can do so by clicking the link below.

https://gbnf.online/340125

You may have seen in the news that Scotland has become the first UK nation to legalise water cremation.Also known as alk...
02/03/2026

You may have seen in the news that Scotland has become the first UK nation to legalise water cremation.

Also known as alkaline hydrolysis, it’s an alternative to burial or traditional cremation and is considered to have a lower environmental impact. It isn’t currently available in England, but the legislation marks an interesting moment in the ongoing conversation about sustainability and choice at the end of life.

For us, the headline isn’t really about technology. It’s about choice.

The decisions people make about their funeral are deeply personal. For some, environmental impact will be important. For others, tradition and familiarity will matter most. What’s right is what feels fitting for the person who has died and those closest to them.

As funeral directors, our role is to explain options clearly and gently, and to help people make decisions they feel comfortable with, whatever those decisions may be.

It will be interesting to see how this develops across the rest of the UK.

Remember your loved ones this Mother’s Day. From 02 March - 16 March we’ll be posting remembrance candles as a special t...
02/03/2026

Remember your loved ones this Mother’s Day.

From 02 March - 16 March we’ll be posting remembrance candles as a special token to those who can’t be with us this Mother’s Day.

If you would like to create a remembrance candle, please click the link below where you can choose a design and write a short message to a loved one.
Your candles will be posted to our page throughout the period.

https://gbnf.online/340125

We’re pleased to announce the return of Light a Candle for this year!You will soon be able to create online memorials to...
25/02/2026

We’re pleased to announce the return of Light a Candle for this year!

You will soon be able to create online memorials to remember your loved ones this Mother’s Day.

We'll be sharing virtual candles on our page between 02 March - 16 March. Remember, there is no cost for you or your family to get involved and create an online memorial. Look out for updates...

Recently, we supported a family with a funeral for their husband and Dad, and they shared with us a very particular disl...
23/02/2026

Recently, we supported a family with a funeral for their husband and Dad, and they shared with us a very particular dislike of his.

Potholes.

He would notice them, comment on them, steer around them. Point them out to anyone in the car. It became something of a family joke.

As we were planning the funeral, the family mentioned it with a smile and said, “Could the hearse driver try to avoid potholes on the way to the service? He would have hated going over them.”

“Absolutely,” was our response.

It wasn’t a dramatic request. It was affectionate. A small detail that mattered.

We spoke with the driver and explained the story behind it. On the day, as the hearse made its way to the service, he took particular care - slowing where needed, steering gently round the worst parts of the road.

Most people watching wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual. But the family did.

Funerals are often made up of these very specific, very human details...the things that might seem small to someone else, but carry significance for the people who knew their person best.

Today I (Sara) attended a training session at Oakfield Croft care home, led by Amber and Beth, on dementia-friendly conv...
19/02/2026

Today I (Sara) attended a training session at Oakfield Croft care home, led by Amber and Beth, on dementia-friendly conversations.

I’m already a Dementia Friend, but I thought it would be really useful to do a refresher; and I’m glad I did - it reminded me how much the small things can make a difference.

We explored what it means to meet someone living with dementia in their reality, rather than trying to correct or reorient them. We talked about starting conversations gently, creating failure-free conversations, and using sensory approaches to help someone feel more settled and understood.

Many of the families we support are living with dementia themselves, or caring for someone who is. That can shape how conversations happen — including conversations about funeral wishes and planning ahead. Taking time to deepen our understanding helps us to be more mindful, ask questions carefully, and create space where people feel safe and listened to.

Care UK also offer a number of free resources for anyone wanting to learn more.

Thank you to Amber and Beth for a thoughtful and practical session. Lovely to see Sian Steeples, de Berry and Turner there too ☺️


Questions to ask a funeral director – Part 4Where will the person who has died be cared for?This is the final post in ou...
18/02/2026

Questions to ask a funeral director – Part 4
Where will the person who has died be cared for?

This is the final post in our series of four – Questions to ask a funeral director. Many families tell us that knowing where their person will be cared for, and who will be caring for them, matters a great deal. It is a very natural question to ask, and we're happy to provide as much or as little information as you are comfortable with.

Question
Where will the person who has died be cared for, and can you explain what that looks like in practice?

Our answer
Different funeral directors work in different ways. Some larger providers use a central mortuary that serves multiple branches. Others care for people on the premises you visit. What matters most is that you understand what will happen, and that you feel comfortable with the care being offered.

At Circle Funerals, we care for the person at our premises in Altrincham – and it is Jeremy and me (Sara) who will be looking after them. We listen to the stories you tell us and the details that matter to you, and we apply that to the care you would like for your person – always respectfully, and never making assumptions.

We think of this as caring for them in a way that reflects how they would have been cared for in life. That may be very simple, or it may include more personal details, depending on what feels right for you. It can involve things like washing and moisturising, brushing or washing their hair, giving them a shave, dressing them in a favourite comfortable outfit, or something more formal such as a shirt, blouse, jacket or suit. If you would like us to apply make-up, you are very welcome to bring their own make-up and a recent photo – that can really help Sara to do it in a way that feels familiar and true to them. We can also include small finishing touches such as a preferred fragrance, and we will take care of practical things such as replacing dressings if needed.

You can be involved in any of this if you would like to be. And if you would rather not, we will look after your person as carefully as we can, to the standard we would want for our own family. We are always happy to talk you through this in as much or as little detail as feels comfortable for you.

Address

23 Ashley Road
Altrincham
WA142DP

Telephone

+441619286080

Website

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