The work of a funeral director is always busy and varied. 2025 has been no exception. We’ve had awards success, taken on new staff and run charity appeals – as well as having to find strategic solutions to the increased costs that have faced all businesses this year. All this alongside continuing to provide empathetic, honest and professional support to families across Kent and South London who have sadly lost a loved one.
We were delighted to make the finals of two local business awards, taking the title of Sustainable and Community Business of the Year in the Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine Awards, a testament to our commitment to reducing our own carbon footprint, promoting green funeral options and proactively supporting charities and businesses across our communities. It was an honour to be presented with our award by Liz Carter, Purpose & Impact Senior Manager of Cripps, who are one of the leadinf firms in sustainability in Tunbridge Wells.
We were also finalists in the Best Employer category.
We were also shortlisted for Large Business of the Year in the Tunbridge Wells Business Awards 2025, having made the finals of the Employer of the Year category in the 2024 awards.
Making the finals of these local business awards in an area with so many successful independent businesses has been testimony to the hard work of all our staff, as well as our continued investment in our people and our planet.
We increased the number of our staff to 20 this year, including taking on a second funeral arranger in our Tunbridge Wells branch. Ricci Webster’s experience as a hairdresser and working in a private baby scanning clinic is testimony to the fact that you don’t need experience in the industry to make a valuable contribution to families in their hour of need – the most important quality to be a funeral director is attitude: empathy, genuine interest in people and a commitment to exceptional customer service.
As a family run funeral directors serving communities across West Kent and South London for more than 30 years, playing an active role in those communities is one of our central values.
We held charity appeals across all seven of our branches to help those in need in our local communities in Borough Green, Orpington & Chelsfield, Chislehurst & Bromley, Sevenoaks, Swanley, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.
We collected chocolates at Christmas and Easter eggs in the spring that were distributed to children in hospitals and hospices and through local food banks.
Actor Lauren Bacall famously said: “Standing still is the fastest way of moving backwards in a rapidly changing world”. And this holds true even amongst one of the oldest professions of funeral directors. We have therefore continued to invest in our business and our customer experiences to make sure Welham Jones Funeral Directors remains relevant to the communities that we serve across West Kent and South London.
We launched our new website, which as any business owner will tell you, is a major undertaking! Not only do we now have a website that is fit for purpose, looks modern and communicates the values and ethos of our business, but also means we can offer families an easy-to-navigate and easy-to-understand one-stop guide through the legally complex and emotionally challenging process that follows the death of a loved one. We are receiving increasing online submissions through the website – which additionally benefits our customers by making communication easier for them, especially out of hours.
We have supplemented our investment in our new website by providing free guides through every step of the process, breaking it down so that the bereaved can access the information they need at any given stage, as well as answering common questions about funerals, such as:
These are free resources available to all, not just our clients.
If you read any news sources, you can’t fail to know that 2025 has been a challenging year for businesses of all shapes and sizes. The increases in employers’ National Insurance contributions, the National Living Wage and business rates added significantly to our costs. We accommodated this by managing with the staff we currently have and ensuring we use all their skill sets and assets, giving the current staff more responsibility and development to help them grow.
The increased costs that we have faced as a business have been reflected in the ongoing cost-of-living crisis for the families that we support, with purses being stretched ever further by stubborn inflation. We have worked closely with families to help them manage funeral costs while still creating dignified send offs for their loved ones, for example unattended cremations or more intimate, direct funerals.
We have also worked with families to help them identify cheaper options where necessary, such as booking less-popular early morning or late afternoon times at the crematorium. We additionally provide advice on our website on how to create cost-effective yet fitting funerals, for families that would rather research their options privately than discuss their budget restrictions in person.
2025 has been a challenging year for businesses and families, but we have been pleased to have had our role in supporting those who have lost loved ones at this difficult time recognised with award success, as well as the many thanks that we receive from our families. We look forward to continuing to serve with dignity, compassion and respect in 2026.
As the festive season approaches, you may be wondering how your local funeral director will be available should you need support. At what can already be an emotional time of year, knowing when you can reach a trusted team offers invaluable reassurance.
Earlier today, we were told that we are the winners of the Community and Sustainability Award in the Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine Awards. Not only this, but we were also shortlisted for the Employer of the Year award. We are absolutely over the moon with the news and couldn’t wait to share it with you, alongside a bit of background as to how we got to this point.
Registering a death is one of the first legal steps that must be taken after someone passes away — but it can be difficult to know when, how, and where to do it. As experienced funeral directors serving West Kent and Southeast London, Welham Jones Funeral Directors are here to help guide you through what can feel like an overwhelming process at a very emotional time.
We're here to help
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