Tester & Jones latest blogs

As a long-time member of industry association SAIF, we abide by its Quality Assurance Programme – which ensures members of the public receive the first-class service they expect from using an independent funeral director. In addition, all SAIF members undergo an inspection of their premises and operations on a periodic basis. We had our Quality Assurance Inspection recently and are delighted to have passed. This means families, and the loved ones we have the privilege of ca

Tester & Jones Funeral Services has been a member of Crowborough and District Chamber of Commerce since we were established more than 20 years ago and, yesterday evening, Glenys attended the organisation's Summer Meeting and Social Evening. It took place at The Bear Inn in Hartfield, where members were able to enjoy a drink in the sunny garden, before moving inside for the more formal part of the evening. Chamber President, Matthew Allen from James Rose Chartered Accountants

On the evening of Tuesday 30 June, Jo Walsh and Louise Stapple from Tester & Jones attended a regional meeting held by our membership organisation, The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) at the Mercure Tunbridge Wells Hotel in Pembury. It was an opportunity to find out how SAIF’s ongoing Handled With Care campaign is going and also to hear updates on industry news, as well as catching up with other local independent funeral directors. Jo a

We've been proud to support Crowborough News since its launch 12 months ago and excited to see this month's issue. Our advert in the July 2026 edition focuses Direct Cremation. It's easy to be tempted by adverts on TV for low cost direct cremations. However, if you do opt for a direct cremation, you don't have to use a national firm. Alongside our traditional funeral options, Tester & Jones offers a Direct Cremation package from £1,640. From your first phone call, a member of

Families deserve clear information when making funeral choices. Here at Tester & Jones Funeral Services, we understand that direct cremations are right for some families. However, since the growth of companies such as 'Pure Cremation', who are able to portray themselves through national media campaigns, it may be easy to forget that your local independent funeral director can offer the same option. Choosing Tester & Jones - your local independent funeral director - means fami

Water cremation is something we’ve heard talked about for a few years now, so we were interested to read in the latest edition of Insight, the magazine for our membership organisation, SAIF, that the process has recently been legalised in Scotland (the first part of the UK to legalise this type of cremation). Also known as alkaline hydrolysis, water cremation uses a combination of water, heat and an alkali solution to accelerate the natural breakdown of the body. The proces

On Friday 12 June, Glenys Jones and Jo Walsh made the trip to Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire to spend a day at the National Funeral Exhibition - the UK's largest funeral trade show. Organised by the National Association of Funeral Directors, it was an opportunity to meet up with suppliers and other funeral directors, while discovering some of the latest innovations in the funeral industry. We particularly enjoyed watching the skills on show from Somerset Willow.

Many of us have attended a funeral and said afterwards that the person it was recognising would have really enjoyed it. They would have loved how many of their family and friends had turned up and would have so enjoyed the readings, the music and the reception afterwards. Nowadays, as we’ve seen an increase in direct cremations and people saying that they perhaps don’t want a service, perhaps we’ll see more ‘living funerals’ or pre-funerals where that person will benefit fr

Glossophobia - or a fear of public speaking - is a very common phobia and one that is believed to affect up to 75% of the population. Many of us will try to avoid public speaking situations at all costs and, if thrown into a situation where it can’t be avoided, will feel extremely nervous. While we might find ourselves facing up to the challenge of speaking at a wedding or in a work situation, at some point we could be offered an opportunity to deliver a eulogy. While this

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

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