Heart & Soul Funerals

18/08/2025

A glimpse into Ghanaian funeral culture and some of the coffins people choose to honour a person whose died: "In southern Ghana, particular attention is paid to burials, especially among the Ga. For this ethnic group, funerals are among the most significant social and spiritual rites of passage. The ceremonies, often spanning several days, are grand public events designed not only to honour the dead but also to uphold a family’s reputation and secure the goodwill of future ancestors."

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2025/aug/12/fish-teapots-and-a-pineapple-ghanas-most-stylish-coffins-in-pictures

Under the mantra ‘celebrate death as we celebrate life’, funerals in Ghana can be colourful affairs filled with dancers and personalised coffins – as Regula Tschumi’s stunning photos attest

15/08/2025

Funeral Music - what would you choose? Music plays a significant part in almost every funeral. It can be incredibly powerful and deeply personal. Perhaps you're swayed by Black Sabbath, or a bit of Scott Joplin, played live on our lovely piano here. We've been thinking about our own funeral playlists and challenged ourselves to share one piece of music that we'd each like for our own funerals. Willie Nelson, June Tabor, The Waterboys, Underworld - quite a selection! See and listen to our team's choices, as well as our top tips for choosing funeral music via our blog: https://www.heartandsoulfunerals.co.uk/funeral-music/

And, please tell us what music you'd choose, for yourself or for someone else 🎶

What music would you choose for your funeral, and why? The heart and soul team share their tip and own musical choices

11/08/2025

We love the simplicity of this bamboo coffin, adorned with a favourite old trug, a well loved trowel and dried flowers.
From bamboo to cardboard, wool, wood or mycelium, the options for coffins are vast. At Heart and Soul we don't mark up the price of a coffin - the cost to our clients is the same as our own. You're also welcome to find and source your own coffin, or make it, if you wish.

07/08/2025

We love our work and all that it involves. And, we're especially lucky to have this beautiful building in which we welcome and support our clients, as well as look after people who've died. If you're planning ahead or thinking about funeral needs, we welcome you to come and visit us here, at Dart Mills and take a look around. Give us a call and we'll get the kettle on: 01364 643 522

04/08/2025

Simon's blog points out the importance of having a Living Will or Advance Decision in place. It's a short read and well worth 3 minutes of your time. Ensure your wishes are met:
https://www.heartandsoulfunerals.co.uk/livingwill/

Find out more about a Living Will or Advance Decision and why having one really matters. Ensure your wishes and decisions are met.

31/07/2025

Our fab neighbours CoWorking Devon here at Dart Mills have some stunning spaces to rent out - check out their beautiful studio below. And you’d be joining a great community - with the river running right beside us, a gathering of local businesses, a superb cafe (and excellent climbing!) at Dyno Climbing Centre, this is a great place to be. Come say hello to us too, if you're coming for a look round.

30/07/2025

Bringing some Lioness spirit to the very end of their game, big congrats are in order for Buckfastleigh Bowls Club who won 62-60 to beat Bovey at their away game on Friday! 🏆🙌 We're proud to support the Buckfastleigh bowls club team and we're looking forward to their next game.

They're a very friendly club - you can find out more and get involved here: http://buckfastleighbowlsclub.co.uk/community/buckfastleigh-bowling-club-15217/home/

30/07/2025

Summer blooms adding beauty and brightness to a person's cardboard coffin. As mentioned in Simon's last post, you don't need to spend lots in order to create a beautiful or meaningful farewell. Flower stems, petals or even a favourite potted plant can bring a deeply personal touch.

25/07/2025

I write a fortnightly article for The Moorlander, great local paper if you haven't tried it. Here is what appears in this week's edition.

Become a ‘Funeral Friend’.

Arranging a funeral at the time of need is usually a daunting task. Most people know little about it, what the possibilities are.
There are few rules around funerals. What would make a beautiful funeral for your special person or for yourself? It’s easy to throw money at it and end up with things you don’t want. Knowledge will save you from doing this.
You can make things much easier with a few hours of preparation. You will feel much more in control and able to cope. You can make sure you give the person who has died a funeral to look back on with pride, something to cherish.
If you read our book ‘We Need To Talk About The Funeral – 101 Ways To Celebrate And Commemorate A Life’ and learn more about funerals, you could become a ‘funeral friend’ for your local community, giving some initial guidance to help the newly bereaved. With one idea a page and many beautiful photos it’s a kind of ‘every home should have one’ book. “It has all the information you need. It is also rather inspiring.” Lesley Garner. Daily Telegraph
When you talk about your own funeral before it’s needed you save stress for your family. We do “need to talk about the funeral”. Then you get a funeral that lovingly represents the person who died. It gives inspiration, comfort and good memories to those left behind.
We Need To Talk About The Funeral is available as a pdf book free of charge, or as a paperback for £10. To order your copy please email book@heartandsoulfunerals.co.uk and we will send you a free ‘Funeral & Farewell Wishes’ document to accompany it.

17/07/2025

Great to hear Rosie Grant from Natural Endings talking about the options for greener or more environmentally considered funerals on Radio 4's You and Yours yesterday. From coffins to embalming, living flower arrangements to woodland burials, it's full of great tips and ideas. Jump to 26 minutes for a very good listen:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002fvgv

07/07/2025

Next time you're passing our window on High Street, stop and have a read - we're celebrating the amazing history and work of Hospice . From the initial philanthropy of Ella Rowcroft in 1941, the opening of the actual hospice in 1982, to their current support of over 2,000 people each year, their story of supporting the local community continues to grow. And they continue to need support - their charity shops are treasure troves and donations can be made through their website.