Funerals
Funerals at St. Giles The Abbot, Cheadle & St. Chad's Parish Church, Freehay
A church funeral:
A traditional church funeral is held in church with family and mourners able to attend a special service tailored to your wishes, conducted by a Minister. Here the family can choose hymns and readings, in a church community which has helped and supported the bereaved for generations.
Here you will receive the Christian love and support from those who have years of training and experience. You will get to meet the Minister before the funeral to address any concerns or worries that you may have. In addition to this, the local Minister has many key contacts such as local funeral directors, support groups and is even able to offer dedicated services such as All Souls which are there to support the families and friends of the deceased.
A traditional church funeral often provides a space in which people may experience a sense of closure and finality, which may not be always possible when using services such as a direct cremation.
Following a church funeral service, your loved one will either go on to burial within the local cemetery, churchyard, or on to the crematorium of your choice.
Direct Cremation:
An unattended cremation with is one in which there is no traditional church service, ceremony, or mourners present. This type of funeral is not for everyone, because it removes traditional public farewells and may conflict with emotional or cultural needs.
For some, a direct cremation may offer a lack of collective grief and closure: Critics and bereavement researchers note that skipping a formal ceremony can deny family and friends a shared space to process loss, potentially leading to unresolved grief or later regret. [1, 2]
There is no attendance at the committal, meaning that family members cannot be present at the crematorium to watch the coffin arrive or say a final goodbye in person. Large online or national providers may transport the deceased person to a central crematorium located far away from their home or community.
Families are still left to organise a separate memorial, wake, or ash-scattering ceremony on their own—which some find just as stressful.
Whatever you decide to do, you are always welcome to join the church community of St. Giles or St. Chad's in which you will find people who can offer fellowship and support in addition to the Minister.
Local funeral providers
It may come as a surprise to hear, but some local funeral providers are able to provide the service that a direct cremation company can, but at a lower cost. However, this doesn't mean impersonal service; as local funeral directors often have years of experience and care in the funeral industry and are able to offer a far more personal service, than one of the big providers can.
Whilst the church is unable to personally endorse local companies, we do have trusted partnerships with companies such as:
Cheadle and surrounding areas:
J.P. Keates is a traditional independent family owned business based in Cheadle, Staffordshire. Their service is offered with care, support and guidance with all aspects of arranging a funeral.
Bank House, 37 Bank Street Cheadle, Staffordshire ST10 1NR T: 01538 752 164 E: office@jpkeates.co.uk
Tean and surrounding areas:
Field Funeral Services is a family-run business providing thoughtful, tailored funeral services to Tean and the surrounding areas
Visit them at https://www.fieldfunerals.uk/
More information is available at: https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/funerals
[1, 2] https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/jul/23/the-delivery-man-arrived-with-the-ashes-in-a-gift-bag-why-are-so-many-people-opting-out-of-traditional-funerals