Circle Funerals

18/06/2026

A few weeks ago, some of you may have seen that I (Sara) was heading off to Japan.

One of the reasons for the trip was to learn a little more about my great-grandfather, Seizo Ohno, who was born in Tokyo in the 1890s.

Although I'm only 1/8 Japanese, Japan has always been part of our family story. We knew some things about Seizo already. We knew he was born in Nihonbashi, that his father was a furniture dealer, that he came to England as a young man, married my great-grandmother and eventually became a British citizen. Beyond that, there were quite a few gaps.

Over the course of the trip we visited museums, libraries and places connected to the area where he was born. We spent time learning about Nihonbashi, looking into his father's furniture business and trying to piece together a little more of the world he would have experienced before he left Japan for England.

One of the things we wanted to do was stand on Nihonbashi Bridge, just in case it was a journey that he himself walked. We may never know for sure but it felt really special. The bridge that's there today opened in 1911 and we're not entirely sure when he left Japan.

I also knew before we went that spending that time with my mum, dad, sister and brother would be special. Life gets busy, people live in different places, children grow up, work takes over, and opportunities to spend that kind of time together don't come along very often. I know not everyone has the opportunity to do something like that with their family, which probably made me appreciate it even more.

The trip started with questions about a great-grandfather and I've come home feeling more connected to where part of our family story began, and very grateful to have shared the experience with my family.

12/06/2026

I think I (Sara) may have found my coffin.

Yesterday we visited the National Funeral Exhibition in Coventry and I spent quite a while chatting to Izzy from Pea Green, the designer behind The Last Dance Coffins, which has been created in collaboration with Parley Green.

As well as being beautiful, the coffins are environmentally conscious, offering a more sustainable alternative for people who are looking to reduce the environmental impact of their funeral choices.

Izzy told me that the idea for her first coffin design came from a conversation with a friend who was approaching the end of her life and thinking about what she wanted. I think knowing that story helped me understand why these designs feel so thoughtful and personal.

The Day Gardener or The Night Gardener would absolutely be my choice. Not because I think everyone should choose one, quite the opposite. I think what I love most about them is the reminder that there are far more options available than many people realise.

For some people, a traditional coffin will feel exactly right. For others, something colourful, artistic and a little unexpected might feel much more like them. That's the beauty of choice. There doesn't have to be one right answer, just the option to create something that feels personal and meaningful.

I can imagine people arriving at a funeral and immediately noticing one of these designs. It becomes a talking point and sparks conversations and memories. It says something about the person before a single word of the service has been spoken.

What I love most is not that these would be my choice, but that they might be somebody else's and for the right person, I think they could be absolutely wonderful.

https://thelastdancecoffins.com

11/06/2026

Content note: this post discusses su***de bereavement.

This can be a difficult subject to talk about and for many people a difficult subject to read about.

It’s also important that people know what support is available, particularly after a su***de bereavement as this can bring a unique and often very complex form of grief.

The Sing Their Name Choir is hosting an awareness evening for anyone who would like to learn more about the peer support they offer to adults bereaved by su***de who live or work in Greater Manchester.

Whether you have lost someone to su***de yourself, or you support people who have, this evening will provide an opportunity to learn more about the choir and the role that peer support, connection and singing can play after a bereavement.

Support matters, and sometimes simply knowing that support is available can be the first step towards accessing it.

Sing Their Name Choir Awareness Evening

Wednesday 17 June
7.00pm
53Two, Arch 19, Watson Street, Manchester, M3 4LP

More information and free registration:
https://www.singtheirnamechoir.com/

***de

09/06/2026

We were incredibly touched to receive this recent review from Maria.

When someone dies, families are often trying to navigate unfamiliar decisions, practical arrangements and strong emotions. One of the things we hope to do is make things a little easier and provide reassurance through our support.

Maria shared that the family had spoken with several funeral directors before choosing us to support them and that from the very first phone call she felt listened to, informed and supported.

She also mentioned something that meant a great deal to us and we will always try to do wherever possible…once the necessary paperwork had been completed, we were able to bring her father into our care that day. Whilst that may seem like a practical detail, we know how important it can feel for families to know their person is with us, in Altrincham and being cared for.

Thank you, Maria, for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review and for trusting us to support your family.

Sara & Jeremy

01/06/2026

We regularly support families from many different faiths, cultures and backgrounds including Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Catholic and Jewish communities, as well as families wanting a Humanist or non-religious funeral.

For some families, faith and religion are a very important part of the funeral. For others, there may simply be certain traditions, rituals, music or cultural elements that still feel significant, even if they wouldn’t describe themselves as particularly religious or practising.

Sometimes people already know exactly what they want. Other times, families are trying to balance different beliefs, generations, cultures or expectations within the same funeral, and part of our role is helping gently talk those things through and find an approach that feels respectful and personal.

We are a husband and wife team, Jeremy and Sara, and we’ll be the people supporting you throughout. We have our own private mortuary and peaceful visiting room in Altrincham, and we can also support families who would like to be involved in washing, dressing or caring for the person who has died.

Although we’re based in Altrincham, we support families across Greater Manchester, Cheshire and surrounding areas.

If it would help to talk anything through, we’re always happy to have an informal conversation.

30/05/2026

This is our funeral service on Ashley Road in Altrincham.

One of the things that was really important to us when creating the space was that it didn’t feel too formal, clinical or overwhelming. Stepping into a funeral director’s can feel incredibly difficult, particularly in the early days after someone has died, so we wanted the environment to feel calm, gentle and welcoming.

We’ve used lots of natural materials, soft lighting and nature-inspired interiors throughout the building, because spaces can have a real impact on how people feel when they walk into them.

Families often tell us they feel surprised by how different the space feels to what they expected, and that matters to us.

We support families in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and surrounding areas.

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28/05/2026

Having open conversations around death and dying, before you need to, can help you and those around you explore wishes, worries and choices in a much less pressured way.

We believe that talking now can make a real difference later. It gives people the chance to feel more prepared, more supported, and to better understand what matters most to them.

That might include conversations about:
– the kind of funeral you would or wouldn’t want
– burial or cremation
– music, atmosphere or particular traditions
– organ donation or medical wishes
– whether practical things like wills and finances are organised

Some people know quite clearly how they feel. Others are just starting to think about it for the first time and would like to explore a small number of choices.

At Circle Funerals, we offer a free Funeral Wishes service, where people can talk things through in an informal and gentle way, without any obligation or pressure to make lots of decisions.

We also help people with pre-paid funeral plans for those who would like the reassurance of having plans and costs arranged in advance.

And often, part of our role is simply helping people understand what’s possible. Many people are surprised by the amount of choice there actually is once conversations begin.

There’s no right way to approach these discussions, and no need to decide everything at once. They can happen gradually, in your own time and in your own words.

If it would help to talk anything through, we’re always happy to have a conversation. If you'd like to read in more detail, or access or free Funeral Wishes document, please see our website: https://circlefunerals.co.uk/support/planning-ahead/

Circle Funerals Altrincham offers clear guidance on pre-paid funeral plans and planning ahead helping you record your wishes with confidence.

26/05/2026

Funeral dress codes have changed quite a lot over the years.

For some people, wearing black still feels right, and families will often describe it as feeling respectful, familiar and comforting at a time when everything else feels unfamiliar.

For other families, adding colour or wearing less formal clothing has become another way of reflecting the personality of the person who has died and the atmosphere they want to create for the funeral.

We’ve supported funerals where people have worn bright colours, patterned shirts, trainers, football scarves, floral dresses and favourite colours connected to the person. We’ve also supported many where there was no guidance at all, and people simply came dressed in whatever felt appropriate to them.

There also tends to be much more flexibility now around what funerals can look and feel like, and different families will naturally have very different feelings about what feels most appropriate for them.

If someone arranging a funeral would like to include guidance around clothing, we’re always very happy to help talk through wording and what might feel right for the tone of the day.

23/05/2026

Did you know it’s possible to hold a funeral in your own garden?

Many people are surprised by this, because there can sometimes be an assumption that funerals have to take place in a crematorium, cemetery or place of worship.

These are of course still very important and meaningful places for many families, but they’re not the only options.

We’ve helped families hold funeral gatherings and ceremonies in all sorts of different settings across Altrincham, Cheshire and Greater Manchester - including gardens, community halls and homes.

The place where a funeral is held can shape the atmosphere of the whole day, so it’s something we encourage people to think about carefully.

Often families already have ideas of their own, and part of our role is helping talk through what’s possible, practical and appropriate, while also expanding the options people may not have realised were available.

Every funeral is different, and what feels right for one family may feel completely different for another. We’re always happy to talk things through and help people explore the choices available to them.

19/05/2026

We had a conversation with a family recently where one of the people arranging the funeral asked whether they could produce the order of service themselves.

He was a graphic designer, and it was something that felt important to him. We talked through a few different ways of approaching it.

Some families choose to design the booklet themselves and ask us to print it, others prefer to take care of the whole process from start to finish. For this family, it felt right to take ownership of that part and do it themselves, and we were very happy to support that.

We think it's a lovely example of how there isn’t one way of doing these things, it’s just about finding what feels right for you.