https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/funeral-directors/locations/england/northamptonshire/daventry/17-high-street

John Ward & Son Funeral Directors, 17 High Street, Daventry (2025)

19/08/2025

TEAM TUESDAY

Week six of team Tuesday and this week we introduce you to Abbi.

1. How long have you been with Dignity?!

I have been with Dignity for four years, 3 and a half years as a funeral arranger and around 6 months as FSO Team Leader.

2. What is your role within Dignity?!

I am a Funeral Service Operative Team Leader. This involves assigning daily roles and tasks to the FSO’s, booking funerals, looking after our fleet and bringing people’s loved ones into our care. I also help with bearing on funerals and occasionally conducting funerals.

3. What do you enjoy most about your role?!

I enjoy bearing on funerals and being involved with someone’s final farewell. I also enjoy working with and managing our team of FSO’s. We face lots of challenging situations within this emotional and sensitive industry, but we all pull together as a team to support each other and provide our families with the best care and respect possible.

4. What do you find most challenging?!

It can be challenging to help look after and oversee all funerals for all 6 branches, but with help from my managers and team of FSO’s, i’m able to ensure each funeral goes out exactly to our families wishes. There can be a lot of pressure within the role, as no two funerals are the same.

5. What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?!

I enjoy shopping, going out with my friends and going to the gym.

6. Who (what) is your favourite band or song?!

Anything & everything by Taylor Swift

7. What is your favourite film?!

Confessions Of A Shopaholic or any of the Harry Potter films.

8. What is your favourite food?!

Spaghetti Bolognese

9. An interesting fact about you?!

I am just about to start renovating my own home.

Team Tuesday is our chance to introduce you to a different member of our team each week. The colleague you are introduced to may be somebody you see in branch, on the day of the funeral or it could be somebody who does their work behind the scenes.
We have six branches across the county and, when needed we sometimes have staff from branches other than our own help to support us and our families.
The aim is to introduce you to each and every member of the team across the area so, when you speak to us on the phone, meet us in a branch or see us on the day of the funeral you at least have an idea of who we are and who is looking after you and your loved one.

12/08/2025

TEAM TUESDAY

Week six of team Tuesday and, having introduced you to Craig last week we this week introduce you to Scott.

1. How long have you been with Dignity?!

In total I have spent not far off 3 years with Dignity, 2 and a half years as Funeral Director for Kettering and Corby and the last 4 months or so as the Funeral Director for Wellingborough.

2. What is your role within Dignity?!

I am a Funeral Director responsible for our two funeral homes in Wellingborough, Bruce Carter & Son and John Drage Funeral Directors

3. What do you enjoy most about your role?!

At Bruce Carter & Son we pride ourselves on offering continuity to the families we serve and this is one of my favourite things. I like the fact that I might speak to a family today (their very first interaction with us) and then I can guide them through the entire funeral arrangement process before then conducting the funeral itself.

I also really enjoy the varied nature of my role, no two families are the same, no two funerals are the same and that means every day is different.

On top of the above I am also heavily responsible for driving our community engagement within the local area, I really enjoy this side of the role. Community engagement affords me the opportunity to get out into the very communities we serve and help to support local initiatives, groups, charities and organisations.

Perhaps most importantly though I enjoy knowing that families come to us, often at their very worse not knowing where to turn or what to do. Then, me and my team help them to navigate their grief.

In the 2 or 3 weeks leading up to the funeral, we help families process the loss they have experienced, we listen, advise, guide, comfort and befriend them. Then, quite often by the time the funeral day arrives they are in a much better place and ready to say goodbye.

4. What do you find most challenging?!

For me I can sometimes find it challenging to switch off, I am so passionate about this industry that I have often found myself doing little bits and pieces in the evening or on days off, I have definitely got better with this in recent weeks though.

5. What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?!

I really enjoy running, I find it really quite cathartic. Outside of running I enjoy spending time with my Wife and our two little girls (2, 3) as well as my two older children (14, 16).

Also a BIG sports fan and love watching football (Manchester United), NFL (Houston Texans), F1 (Red Bull) and pretty much any other sport, Golf, Cricket etc

6. Who (what) is your favourite band or song?!

My favourite band is Linkin Park, closely followed by Blink 182 and my favourite song at the moment is 'SOMETHING IN THE ORANGE - ZACH BRYAN"

7. What is your favourite film?!

I can't possibly pick one, I am a HUGE film man and some of my favourites include;

* Top Gun
* The Last Samurai
* Top Gun Maverick
* Master & Commander
* Gladiator
* Saving Private Ryan
* Black Hawk Down

8. What is your favourite food?!

Pizza........Pizza.......Pizza!

9. An interesting fact about you?!

I am just shy of 6ft 10" and was born with Bi-lateral dislocated hips.

Team Tuesday is our chance to introduce you to a different member of our team each week. The colleague you are introduced to may be somebody you see in branch, on the day of the funeral or it could be somebody who does their work behind the scenes.
We have six branches across the county and, when needed we sometimes have staff from branches other than our own help to support us and our families.
The aim is to introduce you to each and every member of the team across the area so, when you speak to us on the phone, meet us in a branch or see us on the day of the funeral you at least have an idea of who we are and who is looking after you and your loved one.

02/08/2025

Yesterday our Funeral Director Jordan and Scott, Funeral Director for John Drage Funeral Directors and Bruce Carter & Son Funeral Directors in Wellingborough ran 20 miles (30km) in support of Kellys Heroes.

The run saw them start at John Drage Funeral Directors in Wellingborough before visiting Bruce Carter & Son Funeral Directors, also in Wellingborough. They then made their way over to H J Phillips & Son Funeral Directors in Kettering before finishing at Phillips Funeral Service in Corby.

They have so far raised over £1700 (including GiftAid) and every penny will go to help support families and individuals who are either suffering with their mental health and/or suicidal thoughts or have lost somebody to su***de.

The guys were joined by Luke one of our FSO's for the first KM and Dan our Service Delivery Lead for the first 2.5km.

Scott and Jordan had to contend with hills....lots of them, wind, the sun and a couple of pretty intense downpours too. The guys done great though and completed the 20 miles in 3hrs 31mins.

We would like to extend a big thank you to Print N Go Shop for providing the tops, they looked and felt great.

Galactic FC for finding the guys out on the route and for providing them with some water.

Lisa Mills Childcare (Scott's childminder) for getting a cheer squad, including his two children out to support the guys.

And a MASSIVE thank you to everybody who has donated so far, we have been blown away by the support.

If you would still like to donate then please follow the below link.

Thank you 😊

https://www.justgiving.com/page/scott-dinsmore-4?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

29/07/2025

TEAM TUESDAY

Week five of team Tuesday and, having introduced you to Vicki last week we this week introduce you to Craig

1. How long have you been with Dignity?!

I am very new to Dignity and the funeral industry, I have now been with Dignity for 1 month.

2. What is your role within Dignity?!

I am a Casual Funeral Service Operative

3. What do you enjoy most about your role?!

I enjoy helping families in a time of need and the feeling of respect and pride I get from working in the role I do.

4. What do you find most challenging?!

Some situations you come across can land a little too close to home and at times these can present a challenge for me.

5. What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?!

I enjoy painting, gaming and listening to music.

6. Who (what) is your favourite band or song?!

My favourite band is currently Sleep Token.

7. What is your favourite film?!

Shawshank Redemption

8. What is your favourite food?!

My favourite food is Cottage Pie.

9. An interesting fact about you?!

An interesting fact about me is that I can complete a Rubik's cube in under 2 minutes.

Team Tuesday is our chance to introduce you to a different member of our team each week. The colleague you are introduced to may be somebody you see in branch, on the day of the funeral or it could be somebody who does their work behind the scenes.

We have six branches across the county and, when needed we sometimes have staff from branches other than our own help to support us and our families.

The aim is to introduce you to each and every member of the team across the area so, when you speak to us on the phone, meet us in a branch or see us on the day of the funeral you at least have an idea of who we are and who is looking after you and your loved one.

24/07/2025

A week tomorrow our Funeral Director Jordan will be joined by Scott, Funeral Director for Bruce Carter & Son and John Drage Funeral Directors, Wellingborough as as they run 20 miles in support of Kellys Heroes.

The run will see them visit all four Dignity Funerals branches on the other side of the county.

John Drage Funeral Directors , Wellingborough
Bruce Carter & Son Funeral Directors, Wellingborough
H J Phillips & Son Funeral Directorss, Kettering
Phillips Funeral Servicee, Corby

This run is to support the wonderful Wellingborough based charity Kelly's Heroes, a fantastic group who specialise in mental health and su***de prevention.

Any donations are gratefully received via the below link,

Thank you 🙃

https://www.justgiving.com/page/scott-dinsmore-4

22/07/2025

TEAM TUESDAY

Week four of team Tuesday and, having introduced to our inspirational leader Jamie last week we this week introduce you to Vicki.

1. How long have you been with Dignity?!

I have been working at dignity since the beginning of January 2025, so not far off 8 months now.

2. What is your role within Dignity?!

I am a Funeral Service Operative

3. What do you enjoy most about your role?!

I really enjoy meeting the families and helping to look after their loved ones throughout the time that they are at one of our 6 branches, I also really enjoy bearing at funerals.

4. What do you find most challenging?!

Being on-call can be a challenge as every into care we do is so different and no two are the same, but equally I love being on-call and helping each family we meet during what can often be one of if not the hardest time for them.

5. What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?!

I am really into motorbikes and go to bike meets most nights, also a big book worm so you will find me most days curled up with a good horror book

6. Who (what) is your favourite band or song?!

Favourite band at the moment is either slipknot or blink182

7. What is your favourite film?!

My go to film is Shaun of the Dead

8. What is your favourite food?!

At the moment definitely a burger

9. An interesting fact about you?!

I have 3 horses that keep me very busy on the weekends, I also have a cat Binx who is very mischievous and can be a little monster at times

Team Tuesday is our chance to introduce you to a different member of our team each week. The colleague you are introduced to may be somebody you see in branch, on the day of the funeral or it could be somebody who does their work behind the scenes.

We have six branches across the county and, when needed we sometimes have staff from branches other than our own help to support us and our families.

The aim is to introduce you to each and every member of the team across the area so, when you speak to us on the phone, meet us in a branch or see us on the day of the funeral you at least have an idea of who we are and who is looking after you and your loved one.

15/07/2025

TEAM TUESDAY

Week three of 'Team Tuesday and, having introduced you to our Service Delivery Lead Dan last week we now you introduce you to Jamie.

1. How long have you been with Dignity?

I have been with Dignity Funerals for 8 years now.

2. What is your role within Dignity?

I am the Business Leader for Bruce Carter & Son Funeral Directors John Drage Funeral Directors H J Phillips & Son Funeral Directors Phillips Funeral Service Ann Bonham & Son Funeral Directors and John Ward & Son Funeral Directors .

3. What do you enjoy most about your role as a Business Leader?

What I enjoy most about my role as a Business Leader is that I am in the privileged position to support families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. It's incredibly meaningful to me that I am able to provide and offer comfort, dignity and guidance when people need it the most.

I also genuinely love leading my team. Building a strong, compassionate and professional group that shares in mine and the organisations values is something I am truly proud of.

Watching my team grow, support one another and serve our families with care and respect is one of the most rewarding parts of my role.

4. What do you find most challenging about your role?

What I find the most challenging is seeing the pain families go through, particularly in the early stages of grief and the loss of a loved one. I will always strive to ease that burden as much as possible.

At the same time I am always mindful of my team's emotional wellbeing as the work they do and services they provide can be challenging for them too.

Supporting both our families and my staff with care and compassion is something very close to my heart and I push to do my best for them both every single day.

5. What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?

I love socialising with family and friends. I also love a little weekend away somewhere, a nice lodge cabin in Wales watching the stars whilst sat in a hot tub sounds perfect to me.

6. Who (what) is your favourite band or song?

The Arctic Monkeys

7. What is your favourite film?

Die Hard (and yes it's most definitely a Christmas film)

8. What's your favourite food?

Oooo, this is a hard one as I love my food. I really enjoy a Chinese but just ahead of that I would say pork scratchings.

9. An interesting fact about you?

I love theme parks but I am actually a terrible person to visit one with. I spend the entire time in the queue line wondering how safe the ride is and talking myself out of going on. Once I have been on once though you struggle to get me off.

As we said last week, we, moving forward are going to take some time each Tuesday to introduce you to a different member of our team. The colleague you are introduced to may be somebody you see in branch, on the day of the funeral or it could be somebody who does their work behind the scenes.

We have six branches across the county and, when needed we sometimes have staff from branches outside of Daventry help to support us and our families.

The aim is to introduce you to each and every member of the team across the area so, when you speak to us on the phone, meet us in a branch or see us on the day of the funeral you at least have an idea of who we are and who is looking after you and your loved one.

14/07/2025

On Friday 1st August one of our colleagues Scott will be undertaking a pretty impressive challenge.

Scott will be running 19 miles in support of Kellys Heroes, 19 miles being the distance covering the four Dignity Funerals branches located on his side of the county.

Starting at John Drage Funeral Directors Scott will then make his way to Bruce Carter & Son Funeral Directors before leaving Wellingborough and making his way to H J Phillips & Son Funeral Directors in Kettering. Once he's had a handful of Jelly Babies and a well deserved Lucozade he will then make his way to Phillips Funeral Service in Corby.

Kelly's Heroes is a wonderful charity local to Wellingborough that was set up in memory of Kelly Francesca Hewitt who sadly took her own life in December 2018 aged just 24.

The charity aims to break down the stigma surrounding mental health and take down the barriers that prevent people from talking about their struggles. Through the work they do, the conversations they have and the support they give Kelly's Heroes help to prevent members of the very communities we live and work in from taking their own lives.

If you are able to help us by sponsoring Scott that would be great, the link is below and any and all donations will go to helping Kelly's Heroes continue the wonderful work they do.

Thank you

https://www.justgiving.com/page/scott-dinsmore-4...

14/07/2025

Over the past couple of months we have looked after a number of wonderful families and, as is their perogative they have each had their own individual set of requests, wants and wishes.

Working collaboratively with Clayton Motorcycle Funerals we have helped a family say goodbye with a 1949 Ferguson Tractor whilst another family had their loved one take his final journey in a Land Rover Defender.

Two weeks ago now our Funeral Director Jordan assisted a family with another very personal goodbye. Dave, who had spent 30 years in Surrey Police before retiring and then volunteering for Northampton Transport Heritage (NTH) was a much loved and highly respected man.

The funeral was well attended and as a nod to how he had spent the latter years of his life the team at NTH fleeted the funeral with these stunning classic buses.

08/07/2025

TEAM TUESDAY

Week three of 'Team Tuesdays', last week we introduced you to Dan Rouse our Service Delivery Lead and this week we introduce you to Andy Murrell, Funeral Director at H J Phillips & Son Funeral Directors and Phillips Funeral Service

1. How long have you been with Dignity? In April of this year I celebrated 10 years with Dignity Funerals

2. What is your role within Dignity? I am the Funeral Director and one of a team of Funeral Plan Consultants for our Funeral homes in Kettering and Corby.

3. What do you enjoy most about your role as a Funeral Director? Each and every day can be different but, I would have to say meeting the families and taking care of their needs. Their is no greater honour than helping a loved one on their final journey.

4. What do you find most challenging about your role? No two funerals are the same and each one faces it's own set of challenges. By working together and exhibiting good teamwork though we overcome the challenges.

5. What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? Spending time with family, watching films and box sets.

6. Who (what) is your favourite band or song? The Smashing Pumpkins

7. What is your favourite film? Salem's Lot

8. What's your favourite food? A Sunday Roast

9. An interesting fact about you? I used to play bass guitar in a band

As we said last week, we, moving forward are going to take some time each Tuesday to introduce you to a different member of our team. The colleague you are introduced to may be somebody you see in branch, on the day of the funeral or it could be somebody who does their work behind the scenes.

We have six branches across the county and, when needed we sometimes have staff from branches outside of Daventry help to support us and our families.

The aim is to introduce you to each and every member of the team across the area so, when you speak to us on the phone, meet us in a branch or see us on the day of the funeral you at least have an idea of who we are and who is looking after you and your loved one.

07/07/2025

The building in the middle is now John Ward and Son , the main difference is we only have one window on the ground floor .(Borrowed from another group)

04/07/2025

Whilst making funeral arrangements we will always strive to personalise the service if and where we can, one way of personalising a service is through the use of family bearers.

Being a family bearer comes with a good degree of responsibility but, that aside is often a lovely way to thank, honour, repay, respect or show love for an individual.

Prior to the funeral itself our client, the person responsible for making the arrangements will be asked to sign a 'family bearers disclaimer'. The disclaimer isn't anything to worry about and our funeral arranger Kate or funeral director Jordan will talk you through it and answer any questions you might have.

On the day of the funeral either the hearse driver or funeral director will ask the client who is bearing and then assemble those individuals at the back of the hearse. From here the following process happens.

* Family bearers will be paired off so they are next to somebody of equal or similar height. They will be asked if they have any current or historical injuries which results in them having a preferred shoulder/leg/side to carry on and will then be positioned at the rear of the hearse.

* Following the pairing off and positioning of bearers they will then receive a hearse speech. This speech is a short minute long brief outlining what they as bearers are expected to do, when they are expected to do it and what prompts they should be listening out for.

*Once the celebrant/minister, chapel attendant and family are ready the funeral director will then position himself a few paces back from the rear of the hearse and the bearers bring his or herself to a position of attention and say 'thank you', 'thank you gentleman', 'thank you ladies' or words to that effect.

*'Thank you' is the first prompt the bearers will receive and this gives them the instruction to slowly bring the coffin, their loved one out of the hearse. The hearse has rollers and the coffin glides out elegantly with minimal effort. As the coffin starts to exit the hearse the bearers dress forward taking the coffin underhand at roughly waist height.

*With the coffin being held underhand at approximately waist height the bearers will then be instructed to turn and face the entrance to the service venue.

*Once the bearers are facing the direction of travel and are comfortable the funeral director will once again say 'thank you' or similar. This second audible prompt then gives the bearers instruction to lift the coffin to shoulder height, our own bearers will assist with lifting and positioning the coffin as required.

*With the coffin now at shoulder height the funeral director will once again say 'thank you' and the bearers will step off, preferably all on the left foot and start to slowly make their way into the church/chapel or other service venue.

*As they arrive at the front of the church/chapel they will then be instructed to lower back down to waist height and to place the coffin on either a catafalque or trestles.

*Once the coffin has been situated on the catafalque or trestles the family bearers will then be instructed to take their seats.

John Ward & Son Funeral Directors

19/08/2025

12/08/2025

02/08/2025

29/07/2025

24/07/2025

22/07/2025

15/07/2025

14/07/2025

14/07/2025

08/07/2025

07/07/2025

04/07/2025

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