As Funeral service professionals, we very rarely ever speak about ourselves or our achievements.
The important role that we undertake everyday requires us to put all our focus and efforts on the grieving families that have come to us for assistance, and their loved ones in our care. In our industry, it is never about us but always about those that we assist.
A good Funeral Director should always be aware of everything that is happening with their service, be there to assist when required, provide guidance and advice to the family, but on the day of any service, should be keeping a close eye on all the proceedings….. in the background. It is not about us.
It is all about the deceased and their grieving family. It is their important day to honour their loved one who has passed. That very notion makes this blog very difficult for me to write, however, on an occasion such as this, please forgive me for being a little self-indulgent. On the 29th August 2024, our little company, Nepean Valley Funerals, celebrated 10 years in business.
Starting any business from the ground up is daunting, let alone a Funeral business that needs to be available, 24 hours, 7 days a week. It is not just a job. It is a vocation which becomes a “way of life.” There are many excellent Funeral Directors in existence, so starting a new business, with a new and unknown name was tough. Would people trust us enough to come to us?
It was all unknown but something that we were determined to work hard at to achieve for the people in our community and across the Sydney basin. We knew that we could do a great job and care for our people well, but we needed to gain their trust before that could happen.
So here we are, 10 years later. We didn’t know if we would last 10 minutes, let alone 10 years but we are still here and as we look back, we are certainly very proud, but mostly grateful to the wonderful families in our Penrith community and all suburbs of Sydney that have entrusted us over the years, sometimes, on several occasions.
The pride comes from what we have achieved as a company in that time. We have built a solid reputation within our community, which we treat with the utmost of importance, but it is never taken for granted. During our 10 years, we initially established and fitted out our Penrith office, built a brand-new modern Hearse , went through a rigorous DA process to get approval for, and build our own mortuary facility, which we proudly own and operate. All these tasks were undertaken so that our families could receive the best possible care from our local, family owned and operated “full service ” Funeral home. When a family chooses a Funeral director, they expect that their chosen company will take care of their loved one, be compassionate towards their needs and wishes, provide the guidance and advice that they need from a professional during this difficult time, and doing so with the dignity and respect that they deserve. For us, this was the number one priority in establishing Nepean Valley Funerals and we are extremely proud to have achieved our goals.
The Funeral service industry is not an easy life. We are on call around the clock, every day of the year. We don’t get holidays, as we can’t just put a sign on the door, “closed for holidays until the 24th” like many businesses can. Often our own family plans get changed or cancelled because a grieving family needs us. This is not a complaint at all, but it is reality, and as I always say…..”if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!”
Finally, we would like to thank our dedicated team that assist us each and every day in providing our families with the deeply personal care with the utmost compassion, dignity and respect that we provide to all. It is truly an honour and a privilege for us all to care for our families and their loved ones, through some of the hardest times of their lives. If we can help make that time a little easier, then we have succeeded in our role.
