Neville Funerals found itself in the national and international public spotlight, when it was approached by the family of Captain Sir Tom Moore to arrange the last journey and funeral of this beloved national hero.
At that stage, the date for the funeral and plans for the day was being kept from the media and public arenas. This was in part to allow the family to come to terms with their loss in a private space but also to keep general attention to minimum in order for Covid guidelines to be adhered to. A small select team from the business was chosen to be part of the group tasked with organising the service – a group that included representatives from the family, from the Captain Sir Tom Moore Foundation, the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Defence, local police and crematorium.
Director, Vicky Trumper, was involved from the very start: “This was a unique situation. The outpouring of grief from the public was extraordinary and testament to just how this amazing man had really touched the hearts of the nation. As a result, the family wanted to share his last journey but to strictly manage the occasion to avoid large gatherings at his house and at the crematorium, that would inevitably breach Covid-19 guidelines and potentially put some at risk.”
“Our role initially, was to keep Captain Sir Tom Moore safe and secure and then to work alongside all other agencies involved to arrange the timings for what outwardly would appear a very straightforward and simple service but behind the scenes was in fact quite a complex operation. First and foremost, our priority was to serve a family who had lost a loved family member, after that we were part of a much wider team that had to coordinate multiple elements to ensure a seamless event for the day – whilst of course keeping all plans confidential until the family was ready to release details.
“The day itself, although sombre and reflective of course, still presented an opportunity to celebrate the life and achievements of this remarkable man and we were very proud to step forward to support the family. We were honoured to play our part and pay our respects to this very special man.”
“Now, one year from the initial countrywide lockdown last year, we can also take time to reflect on all those that have lost loved ones during this pandemic and come together to grieve for and celebrate their lives.”