Countryside Funerals

23/12/2025

As the year draws to a close, we'd like to take a moment to thank our colleagues, suppliers and associates for the care, commitment and support you have shown throughout the year - it is always genuinely appreciated.

To the families we have worked with, we know that Christmas may feel different this year. We hope it brings moments of peace, comfort and gentle moments of reflection.

12/12/2025

We recently published a blog by Dr Bill Webster on our website, focusing on how to support someone who is grieving during the Christmas season. For many, this time of year can be particularly overwhelming, and knowing how to help isn’t always straightforward.

In the article, Dr Bill reminds us that often the most valuable thing you can offer is simply your presence. As he writes, “Often, we are primarily concerned about what we can do to assist another, but what is needed is for someone to ‘be there’.” Quiet company, patience, and a willingness to listen can bring more comfort than grand gestures.

He also encourages us to make specific, practical offers of help, rather than relying on general invitations. Everyday tasks can feel much harder when someone is grieving, and thoughtful support can ease some of that pressure.

Importantly, Dr Bill points out that grief is a natural human response, and that “normal is different for everyone.” Understanding this can help us respond with compassion and avoid assumptions about what someone “should” be feeling or doing.

If you are supporting a friend or family member who is grieving this Christmas, you may find his guidance helpful. You can read the full blog on our website here: https://countrysidefunerals.co.uk/a-different-christmas-this-year

05/12/2025

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

These familiar words, capture the contrasting emotions many people feel as Christmas approaches when someone they love is no longer here.

We have just published a blog by Dr Bill Webster on the Countryside Funerals website, focusing on navigating the Christmas season when you are grieving. It offers gentle guidance for those who may be finding this time of year especially difficult.

As Dr Bill reflects, “When someone you care about dies, words cannot express the depths of the grief we often experience. It feels like the worst of times.” The festive period can intensify emotions - memories feel sharper, traditions can feel heavier, and the absence of a loved one is often felt more deeply.

His guidance offers both compassion and practical suggestions for managing the weeks ahead; discussing the importance of allowing yourself to feel what you feel, remembering the person in meaningful ways, and recognising that it is completely natural if your experience of Christmas has changed. He also shares gentle ideas that may help - from creating new traditions to giving yourself permission to step back when needed.

If you or someone close to you is finding this time of year especially difficult, we hope his words bring comfort and reassurance.

You can read the full blog over on our website: https://countrysidefunerals.co.uk/a-different-christmas-this-year/

25/11/2025

We’ve created a new blog page on our website - a gentle, helpful space for families who may be planning a funeral, supporting a loved one, or looking for guidance after a bereavement.

You’ll find:

• Updates on our services and products
• Practical advice for arranging a funeral
• Helpful resources for the days and weeks that follow
• Links to bereavement support and local organisations
• Community news and ways we help bring people together

Our hope is that this blog becomes a source of clear guidance and quiet support whenever it’s needed.

You can read the first post here: https://countrysidefunerals.co.uk/countryside-funerals-tiverton-support-guidance/

If there’s a topic you’d like us to cover, we’d be glad to hear from you.

11/11/2025

To mark we felt we must share this photo of the stunning poppy wall and gate at St Peter's Church here in Tiverton
🌹

18/10/2025

A really helpful initiative which I am sure will be an enormous help.

This is a new idea we're very happy to be part of. Loss is part of life and we need places for natural conversations to help us adjust......

10/10/2025

Bright autumn morning commute

17/09/2025

Something of a busman's holiday for me today; finding out about ancient Greek burial rites

12/08/2025

Reflections

24/07/2025

08/07/2025

We are very pleased to share details of this support group in Tiverton facilitated by Colin Barnard of Clear View Counselling. Do feel free to contact us or Colin to find out more.

18/06/2025

We are very lucky here in Devon to have a wide selection of excellent natural burial grounds. People's reasons for choosing natural Burial are not always sustainability-driven but often because it offers a more natural and less formal alternative to crematoria or traditional cemeteries.

Natural burial.

While vast sums of money are poured into promoting direct cremation, there’s another choice that you might not have thought of.

Around the UK there are hundreds of natural burial grounds. While locally they will be well known, there hasn’t been a strong collective movement to encourage people to think about choosing natural burial for themselves or for someone they love, so this is an option that is often overlooked.

This gorgeous photo is from one of the natural burial grounds recommended by the Good Funeral Guide, in Oxton.

Have a look and see whether there’s a natural burial ground near you, and go and visit it. Once you’ve walked in one of these beautiful places we think the idea of cremation may take second place in your plans.

Prices vary throughout the country, but are usually significantly lower than traditional burial in cemeteries.