Funeral directors and their teams, across the UK, have played a vital role at the centre of the national response to COVID-19, caring for all those who have died and their bereaved families – often under extremely difficult circumstances.
The NAFD is delighted that Past President Jeremy Field, of CPJ Field & Co, the UK’s oldest family funeral business, has been recognised with an OBE in Her Majesty the Queen’s 2022 New Year’s Honours, for his service to the funeral profession during the pandemic.
The NAFD has been extremely fortunate to have been supported throughout COVID-19 by a fantastic group of volunteer funeral directors, from across the profession, who have provided vital information and shared the experiences of their own businesses – helping the NAFD to advise, reassure and lead the profession through a complex and uncertain time. We simply could not have done it without them.
Jeremy has been at the very centre of this work – willingly giving up hours of his time, frequently on a 24/7 basis and even during much-needed holiday time, to support the profession – despite facing considerable pressures as a working funeral director in his own family business.
He has represented the profession at regular Government briefings – as well as participating in (often daily) NAFD COVID-related calls, regularly stepping away from other commitments to ensure questions were answered, meetings attended, interviews given, drafts reviewed or data analysed.
NAFD Chief Executive, Jon Levett, said: “Jeremy’s detailed input to draft government COVID-19 guidance, analysis of the implications of sector capacity data/modelling inputs and pertinent questioning has helped the NAFD to provide trusted counsel to a number of government departments in Westminster as well as the devolved administrations. The deceased management sector has also benefited from his constant watch over key issues; highlighting implications and raising issues with government for early resolution.
“Through his dedicated work, over the course of the pandemic, Jeremy has helped thousands of his fellow funeral directors to provide the best possible care for all those who die and their bereaved families, across the UK, at an unimaginably distressing time.
“It is wonderful to hear that Jeremy’s unstinting willingness to share his time, knowledge and expertise, for the benefit of others, has been acknowledged by HM Queen with this prestigious honour.”