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My family’s experience with a funeral director during one of the most difficult times of our lives. Please read. I didn’t want to post this, but after everything that has happened, I feel people should be aware of our experience. I would not recommend Preston Ireland Bowker Funeral Directors, part of Dignity plc, based on my family’s experience following the funeral arrangements for my late father, During the viewing we observed damage to my father’s clothing, including staining and make-up transfer onto his shirt, which immediately raised serious concerns for our family. We repeatedly asked the company for clear explanations regarding the care and preparation carried out while my father was in their custody, but we did not receive the transparency we expected. During discussions we were informed by the manager that no other procedures had been carried out. However, documentation later provided through a DSAR request appeared to reference additional preparation notes, which raised further questions for our family. We also observed sutures on my father’s leg, which we asked the company to clarify. Another concern was that our father had been in their care for approximately one week before the family were informed, which caused significant distress. We also experienced damage to my parents’ home during this process, which we raised with the company, however responsibility for this has not been accepted, which has added further concern and frustration for our family. I had also specifically requested that a fully qualified and trained embalmer carry out the preparation, and the lack of clarity regarding who carried out the preparation and what procedures were performed has remained a concern. In our view, the presentation of our father during the viewing was extremely upsetting for our family, which made an already painful time even harder. The company has now confirmed their complaint process is closed and that no further information will be provided. Families place enormous trust in funeral directors at one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend this company and do not feel able to place trust in their services. This post reflects my family’s personal experience and concerns during this process. If anyone else has had a similar experience, I would welcome hearing from you. Please consider sharing this so other families are aware and can make an informed decision during such a difficult time.