Upward Membership Trend at the National Association of Funeral Directors
The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) reports a positive, upward trend in the number of new Members seeking to join the funeral service’s leading trade association.
“We have been most encouraged by the recent rise in applications for membership from firms located the length and breadth of the country,” says the NAFD’s Chief Executive Officer, Alan Slater. “Following appraisals by our Compliance Monitoring Officer, Roger Turberville, we are delighted to welcome a mix of established and new businesses.”
Among the NAFD’s new recruits are Tomlinson and Windley and Stannington Funeral Services - two additional branches of the John Heath and Sons business - located in west Sheffield and furnished to the highest standards.
Independent funeral director Jonathan Whiting of Queen Street, Lincoln, has also joined the ranks of the NAFD. Mr Whiting, who gained his Diploma in Funeral Directing in 1991 and was formerly employed by Grantham-based David Holland and Son, commenced trading on 2 January 2002.
“I was very impressed with Jonathan Whiting’s new premises, which are well-located and include living accommodation for his family. They also offer tremendous potential for future expansion,” says Roger Turberville.
Upward membership trend at the National Association of Funeral Directors/2 “We wish Jonathan and his wife Julie every success with their new venture.”
The National Association of Funeral Directors has also accepted two Scottish funeral directors and a Welsh company into its ranks. Strathmore Funeral Directors in Roberts Street, Forfar in Angus, celebrated its first anniversary on 15 January 2002, while John Roach Funeral Services of Houstoun Square, Johnstone in Renfrewshire, is a newly established business which commenced trading at the beginning of January.
John Roach and Les Boyce of John Roach Funeral Services and Kenneth Ross of Strathmore Funeral Directors were all formerly employed in the Co-operative Funeral Service.
“As an independent, I was keen to secure the support of a respected trade association, while the added credibility which membership of the NAFD brings is also important to my business,” says John Roach.
David Evans, proprietor of Michael Evans Funeral Directors, is the NAFD’s newest recruit from Wales. Michael Evans Funeral Directors is based in Gorseinon, Swansea, and has been trading for 10 years.
Ends Issued on behalf of the National Association of Funeral Directors by J M Bailey Communications Limited. For further information, please contact Martine Layland at J M Bailey Communications Tel: 0121 711 4499 Fax: 0121 711 4535 Email: martine@jmbailey.co.uk NAFD 0251/02