H J Phillips & Son Funeral Directors

02/10/2025

Sometimes, words can bring comfort when we need it most.

This National Poetry Day we think it's fitting that we share a poem that hopefully resonates with many of the families we support.

We invite you to share your own favourite poem or quote in the comments - something that brings peace, hope, or reflection.

02/10/2025

The First Call

When a loved one passes away the families we look after will, among other things need to make what is known as a 'first call'.

This call represents the first occasion on which the family will have spoken to us as their chosen or appointed funeral director.

For many families this phone call can seem a little overwhelming and, in some way makes the loss of their loved one seem very real.

During the call one of our team will extend their sympathy and best wishes to the family before then talking them through what happens next.

In order to best advise and support the family our team will ask a number of questions, a number of which can be found below.

* CALLERS DETAILS: We will ask the caller to provide a name, address and contact number aswell as their relationship to the person who has sadly passed.

*DETAILS FOR THE DECEASED: This will include the name, address, age, date of birth and date of death aswell as the location of their passing (home, care home, hospital etc) and religion.

*NEXT OF KIN DETAILS: If different from the person making the first call we will ask for the name, address, contact number and relationship to the deceased for a nominated next of kin.

*FUNERAL PLAN INFORMATION: Our team will also ask if the person who has passed had a funeral plan in place. If so we will ask for the funeral plan number and the address the person would have been resident at when the plan was first taken out.

*FUNERAL SPECIFICS: Although the finer details for the funeral will not be discussed at this stage we will ask whether we will (at a later date) be arranging a burial or a cremation.

*CLEARANCE: Should a family lose their loved one at home or in a community care setting such as a nursing home we will ask if their loved one has been cleared to come into our care. In asking this we are just trying to establish whether a medical professional has certified the person's death before we make our way out to the property.

Whilst we of course appreciate the difficulty having these conversations presents we do encourage families to be as forthcoming with information as possible. The more information we have the better prepared we can be as we help families navigate the next steps.

23/09/2025

Team Tuesday time again and this week we introduce you to Destiny.

1.How long have you been with Dignity?!

Almost six months

2. What is your role within Dignity?!

Casual funeral service operative

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

The variety of the role, and taking pride in seeing all our work come together at the end, to create a special farewell.

4. What do you find most challenging?!

Every day is different, and plans can go awry, but with teamwork and communication, we make it through!

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

I like to explore woodlands and nature with my children, I have animals to keep me busy, too! and collect taxidermy.

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

Creep, by PostModern Jukebox

7. What is your favourite film?!

Silence of the lambs, the book, too.

8. What is your favourite food?!

Mexican!

9. An interesting fact about you?!

I have a pawprint birthmark

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.

17/09/2025

Looking out for family and friends is priceless. But now it comes with a little extra. Refer someone to Dignity Funeral Plans and you’ll get a £50 gift card*

✨ Peace of mind for them, a treat for you.

*Terms & Conditions apply

H J Phillips & Son Funeral Directors is a trading style of Dignity Funerals Limited. Dignity Funerals Limited is a company registered in England No. 00041598. VAT registered No. 486 6081 14. Registered office: 4 King Edwards Court, King Edwards Square, Sutton Coldfield B73 6AP. Dignity Funerals Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number 967130

09/09/2025

After a 2 week hiatus Team Tuesday is back and this week we introduce you to Sam 🙃

1. How long have you been with Dignity?!

I’ve been with Dignity for 8.5 years.

2. What is your role within Dignity?!

I’m a funeral service arranger at John Drage Funeral Directors in Wellingborough.

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

I love meeting the families and talking about the person we are looking after. I like to through old photos and hear stories of their life. My job is to guide and help them arrange the perfect send off for their loved one. Every family and every funeral is different, so no 2 days are the same.

4. What do you find most challenging?!

Seeing the pain and heartbreak that some of our families go through. You realise that life really is unfair at times.

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

Cleaning 😂. Although it isn’t a hobby I do it everyday, I’m a little obsessed. I also spend a lot of time with my 3 sons and 2 granddaughters. We love family get-togethers and days out.

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

I have a few. I would say my top 3 are Adele, Ed Sheeran and Lewis Capaldi.

7. What is your favourite film?!

Can I change this to who is my favourite actor? There’s far too many great films to choose from. But I’d have to say Robin Williams is my favourite actor.

8. What is your favourite food?!

Sunday roast of course.

9. An interesting fact about you?!

I was born on Christmas Day 🌲

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.

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.

14/08/2025

Yesterday our Funeral Director Andy Murrell met with the wonderful volunteer team from Kettering Wombles 🚮 as we hosted a community litter pick.

This is the second such event we have hosted and both have been a resounding success.

We provided some light refreshments, much needed given the heat whilst Kettering Wombles provided the boots on the ground.

Numerous bags of rubbish were collected as were a number of bulky items all of which have been logged with the council ready to be collected.

Kettering Wombles are a great group made up entirely of volunteers from within our community, they run group litter picks but can also be seen out as individuals too.

2 years ago we provided the Wombles with Hi Vis Vests, Litter Pickers and Bag Rings, they are a great bunch of people and, moving forward we are keen to support them as much as we can.

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.

04/08/2025

Our Funeral Director Andy was out meeting the staff, residents and their families at Glenmoor House, Corby this past weekend 🎩

On Saturday our Funeral Director Andy was in attendance at Glenmoor House Care Home - Avery Healthcare as they hosted a summer fete for residents, their families, friends and members of our local community.

We provided Glenmoor House with a lovely hand made Hamper put together by Carol, Funeral Arranger for John Drage Funeral Directors. This hamper was used as a raffle prize and the lucky winner was very happy with it, we hope you enjoy all of the lovely goodies it contained.

Whilst in attendance Andy also met with a range of different people, staff, residents, families and beyond to discuss end of life planning and to make them aware of our funeral plans.

Andy really enjoyed venturing out into the community and meeting the very people we are here to serve, he is already looking forward to his next trip out.

Loved ones choose us, families rely on us. Lock in your price today.

Phillips Funeral Service is a trading style of Dignity Funerals Limited. Dignity Funerals Limited is a company registered in England No.00041598. VAT registered No. 486 6081 14. Registered office: 4 King Edwards Court, King Edward Square, Sutton Coldfield B73 6AP.
Dignity Funerals Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number 967130.

02/08/2025

Yesterday Scott and Jordan, Funeral Directors for our sister branches John Drage Funeral Directors and Bruce Carter & Son Funeral Directors in Wellingborough and John Ward & Son Funeral Directors in Daventry 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, also in Wellingborough and then making their way over to Kettering to see us here, they finished up 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.