Tester & Jones latest blogs

Glenys Jones was proud to be invited to the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Rotherfield Women's Institute (Evening Group) on Friday 8 May. Tester & Jones was very happy to donate the plaque on the bench on Millennium Green to the group. Here's to another '60 years of inspiring women'.

We enjoyed welcoming people to our event that marked Dying Matters Awareness Week. If you want to discover more about our Simply Direct and Local Attended Cremations, then do get in touch. They provide an alternative to booking a direct cremation with a national firm and your loved one will be handled with care by us, your local independent funeral director.

We were very proud to sponsor the first ever opera at the Mayfield Festival on the evening of Thursday 30 April. The Old Maid and The Thief, conducted by Tom Hawkey, was great fun, with some amazing performances! The Mayfield Festival is on for another ten days and there's lots more music to enjoy.

- 20% said the experience left them or others with unresolved grief, emotional gaps & a sense that something was missing. - 25% said attending a funeral plays a critical psychological role in beginning the grieving process. Almost a fifth (18%) of people who organised an online direct cremation of a loved one now say they regret doing so, according to new findings that highlight the important role funerals can play in helping people process loss, find closure and

These are our neighbours. This is our community. Saying goodbye doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. It's about having a choice. With 41% of people naming compassion as the number one thing they look for in a funeral director, we invite you to speak with your local SAIF funeral director, Tester & Jones Funeral Services, first. We've been part of the Crowborough community for 20 years and you'll benefit from the local guidance and honest reassurance you deserve. We are

What is a Direct Cremation? An unattended cremation, also known as a direct cremation, is a service where a cremation takes place without a traditional funeral ceremony or mourners present. Instead, family and friends can choose to have a private memorial service or celebration of life, at a later date, or simply remember the deceased in their own way. Simply Direct Cremation Our Simply Direct Cremation is an option in which your loved one is cremated without a funeral serv

We are delighted that Del Soan has recently joined our team as Branch Manager, having worked for both corporate and independent funeral directors across Kent and Sussex for more than ten years. He started his career as a carpet fitter but ended up lending a hand for a family member who was managing a corporate funeral director. Del discovered he enjoyed the work and an initial two days a week grew to eventually become full-time. “I’d grown up feeling scared about death, a

At the end of the 2025/2026 season, we are delighted with how Jarvis Brook FC performed in its first year in SCFL Division One, ending up in a very respectable mid-table position (in the top half of the table!). And, we are extremely proud that the team played its home games at the Tester & Jones Sportsground, as it will do again next season. But, Jarvis Brook FC isn’t just about the first team, the Club supports grassroots football locally, with squads from under-5s though t

Our team had a really positive day at the Crowborough Business Expo 2026 on Tuesday 21 April, hosted by Crowborough Chamber of Commerce and Industry and held at Crowborough Community Centre. We enjoyed meeting lots of visitors and other exhibitors, and telling them about our 20 years supporting families in Crowborough, our association with Jarvis Brook Football Club and the benefits of Golden Charter Funeral Plans.

Glenys had an enjoyable time at the Crowborough Rugby Football Club Sponsors' Lunch on Saturday 11 April. We are really proud to be long-time supporter of the Club.

It has been an honour to watch Jarvis Brook Football Club play at the Tester & Jones Sportsground this 2025/2026 season. If you haven't had a chance to see the first team in action, why not pop down on Saturday 11 April at 3.00pm to watch Jarvis Brook play Selsey in the team's penultimate home game of the season. The final home game is on Saturday 25 April against Arundel. Currently, Jarvis Brook FC is mid-table in the Southern Combination Football League Division One - a hug

Here at Tester & Jones, while many families will pick up their loved one’s ashes from us fairly quickly, once we’ve had them returned from the crematorium, we often agree to hold a deceased person’s ashes for a while on behalf of their loved ones. This can be for several reasons. Very often a family wants some time to think about what they’d like to do with the ashes and, nowadays, there are many options from getting them interred or scattered to having them incorporated in

Our Bereavement Group (the BGs) had a fascinating day out recently to Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes. In addition to finding out about the incredible achievements of our World War Two codebreakers, they also enjoyed some spring weather. Members of Crowborough Rotary also joined our BGs on the trip. Being part of the BGs gives our members the opportunity for not only friendship and support but getting out and about - on day trips like this or perhaps to the theatre. It's one

If one of our families opts for a funeral service away from a religious building – typically in a local cemetery, crematorium or other space – then they will often decide to use a celebrant to lead the proceedings. Here at Tester & Jones, we are proud to offer families a wide selection of local celebrants. Sometimes we might suggest one we think might be appropriate – perhaps they have a similar cultural background, speak another language or might share a similar outlook or

We are thrilled to be taking a stand at the Crowborough Business Expo 2026 on Tuesday 21 April (10.00am to 2.00pm) at Crowborough Community Centre. Organised by Crowborough and District Chamber of Commerce, the event promises to bring together the best businesses in our town. We will be ready to tell you more about the support we've been providing families for the past 20 years, as well as sharing about what makes us special, including our bereavement group (the BGs). We'll a

At Tester & Jones Funeral Directors, we understand how difficult it can be when a loved one dies away from home. Whether the death occurs abroad or in the UK, the practicalities of bringing someone home can feel overwhelming. Over the years, we have supported families to bring their loved one ‘home’. This can include bringing a loved one back to Crowborough, if they have perhaps died unexpectedly while away on holiday or perhaps supporting a family to take their family mem

Here at Tester & Jones, we pride ourselves on supporting our families to create a funeral service that truly reflects their loved one. This isn’t just in the type of service itself but also in the way they are transported there. While many of our families opt to use our own traditional hearse, we can offer a variety of options or help people to create their own. Over the years, we’ve had local farming families use their own vehicles – such as a steamroller or tractor to tra

The children’s bereavement charity, Jigsaw South East, received a donation of £10,000 from Wealden Crematorium at the end of last year, that came via the Metals Recycling Scheme, which is operated across the country by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM). Here at Tester & Jones, this is something we talk to our families about and seek their approval for. Freddie St. George MBE, Grants & Business Partnerships Manager at Jigsaw South East visited Weald

Louise has expanded her role of funeral arranger into also conducting funerals at Tester & Jones Funeral Services. Someone who is conducting a funeral has a similar role, in many ways, to the conductor of an orchestra; it is that person on the day who watches over the whole event and from whom everyone else takes their lead. “It’s a privilege to get to know families as I help them to plan a funeral service and, in my new role, it’s good to then be by their side throughout t

National Funeral Planning Week is coming up, from 23 February to 2 March 2026. This week is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of discussing funeral wishes and ensuring that families are prepared for the future. Join us as we share stories to make funeral planning easier and more thoughtful. Mark your calendars and let's start the conversation about planning ahead for peace of mind.