‘The tiny things can make all the difference’
LAURA Anderson never thought that she’d finally land her dream career as a funeral arranger at the age of 38.
But the mum-of-one recently celebrated her one-year anniversary after starting work at Falkirk Co-op Funeralcare.
“Prior to this I’d worked for a TV company for two decades,” Laura says. “But I’d always been interested in a career in the funeral industry, and when the opportunity came up when my son, now 16, was a bit older, I knew the time was right to take a chance.
“What I enjoy most about my role is that I’m helping people every day, supporting them through a difficult time.
“We see things through from start to finish, and for me the job satisfaction comes from project managing the whole funeral.”
“This year has been a real eye-opener. The pandemic happened just as I finished all my training, but I’m proud of what we’ve achieved at Co-op Funeralcare. As funeral arrangers we’re always there for people, but despite the rules changing, and other challenges, we’re still delivering the personalised funerals that clients want.”
Even at the peak of the pandemic, Laura was determined to give her clients the care and attention they needed.
“Prior to Covid I was organising one or two funerals a week, but at the height of lockdown I was managing 15 at a time. That’s a lot of juggling.
“We see things through from start to finish, and for me the job satisfaction comes from project managing the whole funeral. When you get a thank-you from the family for the bespoke service you have respectfully organised for them, it’s lovely.
“In Scotland it’s popular to have a piper playing at funerals. We’re also doing more eco-friendly coffins now and often get requests for the funeral team to wear a certain colour tie. Recently one lady wanted a special Mickey Mouse teddy to be placed on the coffin of her loved one.
“It’s those tiny details that can make all the difference.”
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