Scotmid Funerals – Forrester Park

If it’s a traditional, ceremonial funeral you want, Scotmid will conduct it as well and as splendidly as anyone. They are impeccably smart and have the experience and quiet competence to ensure that everything is done perfectly. If you favour a less formal funeral, speak to your arranger and find out what the options are. No problem at all.

The focus will always be on working with you to create the funeral that matches your wishes and values, together with those of your family and the person who has died.

Scotmid’s staff believe that every funeral is unique. You can expect them to listen to you first and foremost, to inform and guide you if you need them to, and then to be governed by your decisions. The firm has recently enhanced its training programme for staff to ensure that you are given the best personal service possible, and new staff spend 13 weeks learning every aspect of the business before they are considered ready to look after families themselves.

The company goes to great lengths to recruit only the best personnel, and Chris and Darren, the funeral managers, spend a huge amount of time ensuring that only the best applicants are considered. This doesn’t mean that they have a specific template in mind though – many of the staff at Scotmid have come from vastly different backgrounds – banking, retail, catering, local authority, social care, the DWP, the British army, CID – they all bring different skills and abilities that enhance the whole.

As James Blackburn, Head of Funerals says “You can train anybody how to arrange or carry out a funeral, but you can’t train someone in having that special spark, that empathy and ability to understand what each family needs.” The rigorous selection and interview process is designed to find these extra special individuals among the many hundreds of applicants for vacancies when they arise.

The outstanding asset of Scotmid is, as we have already said, its people. They’ll go the extra mile for you. And then further.

Scotmid takes its responsibility to deal fairly and openly with the people of its community very seriously indeed, and never forgets that it is owned by its members. All good funeral directors take their social responsibility to their community seriously, but Scotmid, as a community co-operative, is in an especially good position to do that. Your wellbeing matters to them. Just one feature of this is the way they publish their prices on their website. Most funeral homes don’t.

The arranger in your local branch will almost certainly be someone who lives in the community nearby. While we were visiting we noticed children waving to the staff as they went by, and it’s normal for friends and family members to stop in during the day if they’re passing. It’s clear that the Scotmid branches are very much part of each town and village where they are located.

And there are other, deeply important, small things that matter to the Scotmid people which makes them stand out to us from other companies. There is always a light left on every night in every branch, but if there is someone in the chapel of rest overnight then they will have a lamp lit for them. Passers by won’t notice, but the family will know that their relative hasn’t been left in the dark. That’s important. And thoughtful.

•  Your first call will be answered, during office hours, by the person in the branch you have chosen. If you ring at night, your call will be answered by the duty funeral director at his or her home.

  • Simple Funeral – £1695 without third-party costs.
  • Direct Cremation – £1195 including third-party costs
  • All prices – details and downloadable price lists here 

  • Home Visits – Very happy to make arrangements with you either at the funeral home or at your own home.

  • Embalming – If you wish to visit the person who has died at the funeral parlour, you may be advised to have them embalmed. This will only be with your permission, and they will discuss it with you sensitively.

  • Family Participation – If you want to carry the coffin, they’ll show you how. If you’d like to come in and wash and dress the person who has died, they’ll be there for you. If you’d just like to come in do their hair, that’s absolutely no problem. They believe in empowering you to do what you want and they help you in any way they can.

  • Same sex person to wash and dress? – Yes, if you want. No problem. Just ask.

  • Ethnic Specialism – The staff are all trained and experienced in arranging funerals for people of  different faiths and funeral traditions.

  • Local Celebrants – Excellent local celebrants to choose from if you do not want a religious minister.

  • Home arranged funerals – If you would like the person who has died to stay at home until the say of the funeral, they will willingly work with you to achieve this.

  • Website – Lots of useful information well set out. All prices shown.

  • Client Support – After the funeral, call in anytime for a cuppa – they’ll always be pleased to see you. If you need a bit of extra support, they’ll put you in touch with people who can help.

  • Money matters – Very fairly priced for what we reckon to be a high-value service. All their prices are published on the website, so you’ll know exactly where you stand before you go to see them. One indicator of value is the prices of their coffins, which are very low. They will work to your budget and absolutely not try to upsell you. If money is any sort of a problem, be completely upfront about it and they will help you find a way.

• Parking – Off-road parking available at Dundas Fyfe and Thomas Brown. For other branches, have a look at the website or ring and find out.

Scotmid has come a long way in the last few years under the gentle but very effective leadership of its excellent Head of Funerals, James Blackburn. We have every confidence that it’s going to go on getting better still as additional branches are opened in new areas. The foundations on which it is built are very solid indeed.

The staff are looked after, and in turn they will look after you. We admire Scotmid. Above all, we have a very strong affection for it because everyone who works for it is just so likeable.

Here is a community co-op doing exactly what co-ops were founded to do: improve the wellbeing of people from all walks of life.

Any decisions you take on engaging the services of a funeral director should be based on your views and research. You should not rely solely upon the views and opinions offered by us.