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If you are planning a funeral, you may consider having a celebrant to conduct it for you. But what exactly can you expect from a celebrant? What can and can’t they do? And how do you go about finding the right one to create the perfect commemoration for your loved one? 

As a local, family-run funeral director, Welham Jones is known for taking care of families across West Kent and Southeast London. However, we take equal pride in how we look after our employees. So, what is it really like to work for Welham Jones? Read on to find out.

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. 

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.   

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. 

In 2025, we are – arguably – the most fluid we have ever been as a society; with hybrid working, self-employment, and digital nomads all seemingly inescapable buzzwords, it feels as though no-one is stuck to any single place. The world really is our oyster, but it is one that can easily become a bit slippery when faced with the task of planning a funeral. Here are our top tips on how to involve friends and family in your loved one’s funeral – no matter where they are.  

When registering a death, you may be asked who your funeral director is by the registrar. This is a question that often leaves many grieving families a bit stumped, particularly if the death has come as a shock. So, what should you reply? And what does your answer change about the funeral planning process? 

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been shortlisted for two titles in the Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine Awards 2025. We’re finalists in both the Employer of the Year and Sustainability & Community categories, with the winners due to be announced in December. 

At Welham Jones Funeral Directors, supporting our local communities in West Kent and Southeast London is at the heart of everything we do. This Christmas, we’re once again spreading festive cheer through our annual chocolate appeal: collecting sweet treats for local children who might otherwise go without. If you’d like to get involved, here’s how you can support our branches across West Kent and Southeast London. 

Back in February, we welcomed Ricci Webster, our newest Tunbridge Wells funeral arranger, to Welham Jones. And, we have to say, if there is anyone who has a natural knack for building rapport and always knowing the right words to say – or not say – it’s Ricci, who brings experience as both a hairdresser and working in a private baby scanning clinic. Thus, it is our pleasure to introduce you formally to Ricci.

We’re delighted to announce that we are finalists in the Tunbridge Wells Business Awards 2025. We’ve made it to the shortlist of the Best Large Business Category – and we’ll find out if we’ve won at the black-tie event next month. 

Over our 30 years supporting families throughout West Kent and Southeast London, we have seen more and more families wanting to personalise their send-off in ways that are as unique as their loved ones – and we have seen them getting more and more creative with it, too. But within that, one ancient form of customisation has been lost – the flowers. Here, we delve into the tradition of flowers at funerals, what each one symbolises, and how you can combine them to convey a quiet message to your loved one.

Losing a loved one is hard. But when a loved one loses a loved one, the hard part is knowing how to act. Do they want to talk? Or fondly reminisce in silence? Do you say, “I’m so sorry,” when you both know all the apologies in the world cannot bring them back? Should you bring them a casserole? And is it even possible to bake a heartful of love and support into a freezer meal?
Everyone grieves differently, but recent data from Theos Think Tank (2023) gives us helpful insights into the most common ways people seek support during bereavement. If you are supporting someone in West Kent or Southeast London, this research – and our guidance – may help you feel more confident in your compassion.

You save into their university fund, put money aside for their wedding, their first house, their first car. But the idea of having to fund your own child’s funeral? It is a thought that no parent ever thinks will cross their mind, and one that no one should ever have to. However, in our 30 years of helping families throughout West Kent and Southeast London, it would be duplicitous to say that this is a situation we have never come across, however much we would like to.
In July 2019, the government launched the Children’s Funeral Fund, aiming to help cover the costs for grieving families. We know that no sum can account for the loss of a child, but we would like to give you information about the fund to ensure families are aware of all resources available to them.

Hollywood and prime-time TV love to show the drama of death: the paramedic calls the time, the eyelids are gently shut, and the melancholy band strikes up before we fade to the funeral scene. However, in reality, there is a lot more that goes on between a passing and a funeral, most crucially, registering a death in the UK – without which no further action can occur. So, how do you register a death, and who is qualified to do it?

It’s a very good question! With the number of unattended cremations and burials on the rise, you might be tempted to ask whether you need a traditional funeral – or whether you would have to organise one in the event that a loved one dies. But research suggests that they still play a very important role, both for the bereaved and wider society.  

When a loved one has passed, the last thing on most people’s minds is bureaucracy, and yet, that is what they get. So many forms, so many certificates; it’s an unwanted minefield when all you want to do is plan the perfect, heartfelt send-off. So, what do they all mean, and why do you need them? Allow us to break down all the jargon, so you can get back to what really matters. 

The location is easy. Deciding the flower arrangements, slightly trickier. But, when planning a funeral, we hear many family members say that writing the eulogy is the hardest part. Where do I start? What are people expecting me to say? How can I possibly epitomise an entire life in just one speech? With over thirty years of experience helping families across West Kent and South East London arrange funerals, we know how daunting this task can be. That’s why we’ve put together a practical guide, with tips to help you write and deliver a eulogy that truly honours your loved one. 

Dating back to ancient Egypt, funeral cortege; the journey that carries the deceased and mourners to the site of the funeral ceremony, has deep roots. However, since what was once a grand procession, overtured by musicians and wailing subjects, is now often seen as a purely functional aspect of the funeral; it is safe to say that funeral corteges have had a bit of a fall from grace in the past five millennia. At Welham jones, your local, family-run funeral directors, we are committed to making every aspect of a funeral as personal and meaningful as possible, which is why this blog will explain how you can create a bespoke route and the most popular landmarks that families like to see in Tunbridge Wells.

The beauty of human beings is that we are all utterly unique: our likes and dislikes, our quirks and oddities, our passions, and persuasions; each of these help to make up a life loved. A life is not some abstract concept, it is 3D, it is palpable, it has a tangible effect on those around it, and at Welham Jones, we believe in creating funerals which truly honour this.
In our thirty years as family-run local funeral directors, serving families across West Kent and Southeast London, we have mastered the art of creating bespoke funerals that are as unique as the person they are celebrating. However, we’ve also noticed that many families are not aware of all the ways they can tailor their funeral, so we have created this guide to help break down what can be customised, what can’t, and the variety of requests we’ve seen throughout the years to prove that nothing is too great or too grand when it comes to celebrating the life of someone special.

For some families, the moment the curtains close at a funeral can be unexpectedly unsettling. Such a simple act can leave you feeling off balance—suddenly unsure where your loved one has gone, what is happening to them, and when they will be returned to you. The world behind the curtain can feel strangely distant, elusive, separate from your own. It may sound surprising, but in our 30+ years supporting families across the Southeast, we know these thoughts are more common than you might think. That is why we want to help—by dispelling the myths, sharing the facts, and offering some gentle reassurance about what really happens beyond the curtain.

Through 30+ years of working local funeral directors across West Kent and Southeast London, we’ve seen society get progressively better at speaking to loved ones about funerals, meaning that a lot of the mystery and myth surrounding our trade has – thankfully – started to clear. However, one question that we are still often asked is ‘what does a funeral arranger do?’ We sat down with Tunbridge Wells’ funeral arranger Sam O’flynn to find out the responsibilities, trials and triumphs that come with being a funeral arranger.

The funeral cortege – the journey that carries the deceased and mourners to the site of the funeral ceremony – has long been seen as a purely functional aspect of the service; a way from get from A to B. However, at Welham Jones, we believe that there are a whole host of opportunities that hide between these two little letters, and that the cortege it is an often-overlooked opportunity for loved ones to reminisce one last time. So, what are the popular sights that bring back memories for Tonbridge locals? and how can you customise your cortege?