Why choose a local direct cremation with an independent funeral director?

At Fond Farewell cremations, we care for your loved one in a climate controlled mortuary in our funeral home right here in Swindon. The deceased is treated no differently to how they would be if they were having a formal attended funeral. They are cared for with the utmost respect and dignity by our experienced team of funeral professionals.

If you choose a national provider, the deceased will be transported miles away and kept in a  large centralised mortuary facility.

Fond Farewell cremations is a local family-run business based in Swindon. Our teams have been helping local people for generations to say goodbye to their loved ones. Family members can visit our funeral homes to discuss the funeral arrangements, and we’ll guide and support them through every detail, with kindness and compassion.

If you choose a national provider for a direct cremation, you will be dealt with by a national call centre.

At Fond Farewell cremations you have the option to spend time with your loved one before the cremation in our Chapel of Rest. Our team will be on hand throughout to support you through your visit and answer any questions you may have.

With a national direct cremation provider, some don’t allow family members to visit loved ones before the cremation. For those that do offer this service, it means travelling to and from a centralised mortuary facility for this visit, which could be many miles away from where you live

With Fond Farewell cremations, you can choose for your loved one to be dressed in their own clothes. You can drop the clothes into our funeral home at Swindon at any time. You can also add personal items into the coffin with the deceased if you wish. Although some items will need to be removed before the cremation, we will advise you about this if necessary.

If you choose a national direct cremation company it’s often not possible for the deceased to be dressed in their own clothes or for personal items to be added into the coffin. Where it is possible, this means arranging and paying for a courier service to deliver these precious items.

On the day of the cremation, we handle the transportation of the deceased with utmost respect. We use our own hearse to transport the deceased to the crematorium, and our local team of funeral professionals carry the coffin into the main service room. We carefully place the coffin on the catafalque and bow our heads as a final mark of respect.

This level of dignified care and respect is not always guaranteed by the big national direct cremation providers.

At Fond Farewell cremations we use Kingsdown Crematorium in Swindon, or other local crematoria ensuring your loved one remains close-by.

With the big national direct cremation providers, the deceased will be cremated at a centrally located mortuary somewhere in the UK.

At Fond Farewell cremations, our direct cremation costs £1,945

These prices are displayed on our “Unattended Direct Cremation” page, where we list exactly what’s included for this fee.

To find the price of a direct cremation from some of the national providers takes a bit of searching as they often hide the prices in smaller print to get you on the phone where you may feel pressured to go ahead than you might have been if the price had been more transparent on the website.

Choosing Fond Farewell cremations also means you get greater flexibility and support if you decide that you would like to attend the cremation

We can simply and seamlessly transition to a cremation with a small gathering such as our Intimate CremationIntimate Cremation, or even a traditional funeral service.

Choosing Fond Farewell cremations over a national direct cremation provider means that you are supporting a local Swindon based family-business.

Fond Farewell cremations is owned and run by Hilliers Funeral Service which has been serving families in Swindon and the surrounding areas since 1923. Today the business is run by the father and daughter team Mark and Rebecca Hillier, and our ethos is to always put people and the local community at the heart of everything we do.