Sue Dearman Celebrant

16/07/2026

Death anniversaries may be particularly difficult in the first few years following the death; but there is no ‘time limit’ on grief, or on remembering the person who has died.

Death anniversaries are deeply personal, and there is no right or wrong way to mark an anniversary – including not marking them at all.

If you're approaching an anniversary of a death, here are some varied ideas of ways to mark it. To read the full blog article, visit our blog via the link in our bio.

Here are some ideas of ways to mark a death anniversary - read the blog article by clicking the link in the comments below. If you're happy to share, please add your suggestions and experiences in the comments. 🧡

16/07/2026

Why should you choose a small independent funeral service? Read Susan’s answer below…

At a difficult time during the loss of someone close, an understanding, quiet approach is much needed. Families and friends of loved one need time to make decisions whilst grieving at the same time.

The staff in the funeral home need to have time to listen and advise calmly. In a small business setting this is what you will find and particularly at Susan Whymark Funeral Service.

When a funeral business gets too big the ability of the owner to be able to be in the forefront of the business overseeing the operations and day to day running cannot be continued. It’s at this point time is at a premium and the personal touch is lost.

Often it is perceived that a small company will charge more for the personal nature of their approach, however, this is not the case as the there are no shareholders taking a cut of the profits. We are able to keep it in the company keeping the costs reasonable for our clients.
In our case the calls are answered 24 hours a day personally and during out of hours by myself or my mother. So often a family only had to speak to a couple of people all the way through their contact with us.

Our flexibility is much greater to provide those small details which can help make a funeral very personal because again, we have the time. In most cases I conduct the funeral and often will have arranged them too, giving continuity for the duration of the contact with families.

24/06/2026

“What if grief is not a problem that you need to fix or get over? What if the pain that you are feeling could become a kind of medicine for your heart? What if grief provides a pathway to restoring community and bringing more love into the world?” 🤔

We’d like to share with you two very special events run by Norfolk Grief Tending.

In July, Heron Meadow will be hosting the Norfolk Grief Tending group with a camp entitled ‘From Wasteland to Wellspring’ see their website for more information as it is still possible to book on this special weekend retreat:
www.norfolkgrief.com

Heron Meadow is a beautiful venue on Roydon Fen and holds a very special place in our hearts. 💚

And then, in October, Norfolk Grief Tending are also running a weekend retreat for tending personal and planetary grief. Grief and loss, sorrow and suffering of all kinds will be welcomed, witnessed and held within a strong community container.
All the information can be found here: www.norfolkgrief.com/events

“Through working creatively with grief in the sacred space we create together, we have found that it is possible, not only to grieve well, but also to access the joy, connection and peace that lie on the other side of our pain.”

18/06/2026

My advice, please speak to your local funeral celebrant if you are unsure about a funeral plan. They will direct you to a trusted Funeral Director. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4g5xn2qjdo?fbclid=IwdGRjcASgw9dleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEezIcQEchWko6oNc8awnwIvt0N3fFlgtfC0ZrnJtBEYkCkZgpk5tgtQqmcVkw_aem_9juP7Rb4rPrHLtDgIpCy-w

The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled against online direct cremation firm Pure Cremation.

17/06/2026

This FRIDAY not Thursday as a one off - Bereavement, Friendship & Support Group - For this month we will be at our Harleston office NOT Harleston Information Plus

If you’ve experienced loss and would value a little company and a listening ear, you’re warmly invited to join our monthly support group.

7.15pm – 8.45pm

Open to all in need

Free refreshments

Safe • Confidential • Non-Denominational • Free of Charge

A friendly co-ordinator will be there to greet you.

09/06/2026

This Thursday - our Bereavement, Friendship & Support Group - Free entry

If you’ve experienced loss and would value a little company and a listening ear, you’re warmly invited to join our monthly support group.

Second Thursday of each month, 7:15 pm – 8:45 pm, Morrisons Community Room, Victoria Road, Diss
Open to all in need
Free refreshments

Safe • Confidential • Non-Denominational •

A friendly co-ordinator will be there to greet you!

12/05/2026

For one family, saying goodbye meant reflecting a life shaped by passion, personality and love of football. This story explores how local funeral directors h...

24/04/2026

SAVE MONEY ON FUNERALS

Last week I posted information about how to get help with Funeral costs. This week I would like to share with you some ideas for keeping costs as low as possible when arranging a funeral.

There are lots of ways that costs can be saved, but these are my top eight tips.

1. FLOWERS - funeral flowers are a significant costs adding to a funeral and are generally discarded soon afterwards. A simple spray or a wreath usually costs around £95, a cushion £145, personalised flowers in the shape of a requested item £200 and words around £60 per letter. WHY NOT consider buying supermarket flowers and placing them on the coffin, they are less expensive and an extravagant bunch for around £18 can look beautiful and understated. OR place something else on the coffin such as a pair of walking boots, football shirt, a pile of favourite books or something very personal to the deceased.

2. THE COFFIN - Coffins are a matter of personal taste and one can spend a lot of money if you feel the need - think £2000. However, I don’t personally see the point, especially if someone is to be cremated. Don’t be afraid to choose the cheapest coffin available! Who cares? The person inside certainly doesn’t and there are ways to personal coffins if you move away from the traditional wood. WHY NOT consider a cardboard coffin that costs approximately £390 from the funeral director. This can then be decorated by you and your friends. Why not have a party where everyone draws/paints on the coffin? Personalise as you wish.

3. SERVICE SHEETS - I personally think this is a little outdated. I know that older generations like a sheet that they can take away, but with modern crematoria that display photographs and words there really isn’t any need. If it is a small funeral you can save money by printing you own sheet with the order of service. The average order of service booklets cost approximately £25 for 40

4. LIMOUSINE - You may be offered the option of a car to take you to and from the funeral on average this costs £250. Why not take your own car, ask a friend to drive you, or even consider a private hire car.

5. TAKING NAMES AT THE FUNERAL SERVICE - Again this may well be a generational thing, but if you are asked whether you would like this service, please be aware it comes at a cost - the Funeral Director has to pay someone to provide this service. This will be approximately £90

6. COLLECTION OF ASHES - Once the cremation has taken place the ashes will be ready for collection so the family can scatter as they wish. If you ask the Funeral Director to collect these for you it will cost approximately £30. You are perfectly able to collect them yourself if you wish. You must designate someone to do this and tell the Funeral Director who will pass this information to the Crematorium. (Confirmation of identity will be required on collection).

7. CREMATORIUM FEES - The fee the Crematorium charges for a service in the chapel varies a lot. For example, locally to us - West Suffolk (Risby)charges £1400 and Seven Hills Ipswich £1065 with others charging somewhere in between. If location is not important to you then you can consider taking a cheaper location. You may also save money by choosing a time that is not popular, for example early mornings are always cheaper as indeed are later afternoons. It is important to check what each crematorium offers within this amount as some offer a longer time slot than others. You can save money by not using the chapel at all (please see below).

8. UNATTENDED/DIRECT CREMATION - If you choose this option, there are still charges associated with using a funeral professional, however you do not need to pay the charges at 7 above. When choosing an attended cremation I always recommend considering having a get together of some sort to celebrate the person’s life, or to commemorate them and allow people the chance to say goodbye. For example, you can consider the village hall which is always a very cheap option, or a pub, or your own home and then have a memorial after the ashes are collected. Or, you can have a get together beforehand with the coffin in situ and allow people to participate in that goodbye. Charges for this type of cremation vary but on average your local Funeral Director will charge £2000 (While direct cremation operatives may appear cheaper but they have a lot of add on pieces. For example, did you know that Direct Cremation charges to collect a person from their home?)

All reputable Funeral Service Providers publish their prices on their websites. Whatever your budget please do not be reluctant to discuss this with your Funeral Director. They will understand your situation and be more than happy to help you tailor the funeral to your budget.

If you need help or recommendations for a sympathetic Funeral Director I can point you to one that I feel will be ideal for you and your family, please do reach out to me, my details are in my biography section or comment below.

17/04/2026

HELP WITH FUNERAL COSTS.

Last week I posted information of Direct cremations and the need to look carefully at what is being offered by some of the companies that advertise on TV, social media and through your letterbox.

Many people who choose direct cremations do so because they want to save on funeral costs. I received a lot of engagement on the post and the subject clearly landed with a lot of people - both positively and negatively.

Today, I thought it might be helpful to highlight the financial help that is available for people who have no funds for a funeral.

FIRSTLY, WHO PAYS FOR THE FUNERAL OF A LOVED ONE?

Well, put simply, the person who has died. The Government expects funeral costs to be paid from the deceased’s estate. This will be any money in their bank/building society account, insurance payouts and any property they own - but not a house or personal things left to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner.

If the costs cannot be covered in this way, then it is expected that the family of the deceased with cover the costs. If the family do not have enough funds for this, then the Government will assist with the cost of a funeral, but only if the family are on certain benefits. HOWEVER, no one is legally obliged to pay for a funeral! If you cannot pay and you are not eligible for Government help, then the deceased will have a Public Health Funeral - more of which later.

At this point, I must underline that no one should ever arrange a funeral with a funeral director if they are unable to meet the costs. The person who engages the funeral director will be liable for the costs. So please, if you are unsure about the finances, speak to the Funeral Director straight away and let them point you in the right direction for help.

SO WHAT HELP IS AVAILABLE?

If the deceased’s estate will not cover the funeral and you are the partner, close friend or relative of the person who died and if you are on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing benefits (and some other benefits), you can apply to the Government for help with the costs of the funeral. You may also be able to get help with funeral expenses if the deceased did not have a partner.

In addition to this, you can also get up to £1,000 for any other funeral expenses, such as funeral director’s fees, flowers or the coffin by way of an additional payment called the Funeral Expenses Payment. Any payments will not usually cover all of the costs of the funeral.

WHAT IF I JUST CAN’T MEET THE PAYMENTS?

There are other funds available that people often don’t know about about. For example, the civil service (prison officers, job centre, border control) and military have Benevolent funds for their past members and workers. So if your family member has been in this type of role at some point in their life, it is worth reaching out to their benevolent funds.

Again, if you really can’t afford, or indeed don’t want to pay for someone’s funeral then you can apply for a Public Heath Funeral.

I will post links in the comments, to websites that give more information for those that would like to explore further.

Please don’t feel alone if you are worried, feel free to reach out or ask questions.