10/06/2025
⭐ Why We Do What We Do ⭐
By Jem, Karen & Jody – Mead Family Funerals
People often ask me how I found myself in the funeral profession. The truth is, I didn’t set out with this in mind – but life has a way of leading you where you’re meant to be. Now that I’m here, I honestly couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Being a funeral director isn’t just a job to me. It’s a calling. It comes with a huge responsibility – and it’s one I take very seriously. I’ve always been someone who rolls up their sleeves and gets stuck in. I stay calm under pressure and handle the practical stuff without fuss. But this work is so much more than logistics. It’s about real care. Human care. It’s about being there for people when their world feels like it’s falling apart.
Together with my wife Karen, and our assistant Jody we run Mead Family Funerals as a truly independent, family-run business. That means when the phone rings, it’s one of us answering. You won’t get a call centre or be passed around. You get us – directly, and we believe that matters. Because when someone’s grieving, they need more than just a service. They need someone who listens, who understands, and who genuinely cares. We’re not here to sell packages. We’re here to walk beside people during one of the hardest times in their lives.
Behind the scenes, there’s a lot that most people never see. From the moment someone comes into our care, we treat them with dignity and respect – as if they were part of our own family. Every detail matters: the timings, the route, the music, the flowers, the readings. No two funerals are ever the same, and they shouldn’t be. Our job is to make sure everything runs smoothly, so families don’t have to worry about the small stuff. They’ve got enough on their minds.
Some days are tougher than others – especially when it’s a child, or someone we knew personally. Those moments stay with you, but they also remind us why we do what we do. Every person we look after is someone’s mum, dad, child, partner, or friend, and they deserve to be treated with love and care.
We don’t stop once the service is over, either. Grief doesn’t follow a timetable or a pattern. That’s why we stay in touch, check in, and make sure families know they haven’t been forgotten. Sometimes just knowing someone’s thinking of you can make a world of difference.
Being a husband and a dad has shaped the way I work, too. Family means everything to me—and I know how fragile life can be. That’s why every person we care for is treated as if they were our own.
We’re proud to serve Wroughton, Swindon and the surrounding communities. The trust families place in us – at one of the hardest times in their lives – is something we never take for granted.
So, why do I do what I do? Because I believe every life deserves to be honoured with dignity and respect. Because people need to be supported, not sold to, and because if we can make things even a little easier for someone who’s grieving, then we know we’ve done something truly worthwhile.
That’s why we do what we do, it’s the best job in the world.
With care,
Jem, Karen & Jody
Funeral Directors, Husband, Wife, Mum, Dad – and part of your Community
