Life Funerals Ltd
We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
The Armed Forces Covenant
An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, His Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families
The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.
Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
1.1 We Life Funerals Ltd will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment
2.1 Life Funerals Ltd recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
- UK Cadets
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Armed Forces Charities
- UK Wounded, Injured And Sick
- Additional Leave For Reservists
We also pledge the following:
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Supporting any mobilisations,
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Creation of a Reserves Forces policy,
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Engaging with the Career Transition Partnership.
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Working with sector-led employment schemes aimed at the Armed Forces community, for example ‘A Great Place to Work’ and ‘Step Into Health’.
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Considering ways in which remote-working solutions might benefit the mobile nature of the Armed Forces community.
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Engage with any local Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) presence – for example, local Army units, RAF stations and/or Naval bases.
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Provide ways for our staff to learn about the Armed Forces community.
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Create a dedicated Armed Forces community section on our website.
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Establish an internal Armed Forces Network within our organisation, to enable staff members with an Armed Forces connection to meet and support one another.
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Appoint an Armed Forces lead within our organisation to coordinate support for the Armed Forces community.
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Signpost members of the Armed Forces community to available support, for example from Cobseo members, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs directory of support and statutory services in your area.
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Deliver or promote external events for veterans and other members of the Armed Forces community.
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Develop relationships and work collaboratively with other organisations supporting the Covenant and the Armed Forces community in our local area and/or our industry sector.
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Waive cancellation fees for utility and other contracts for those posted overseas or to areas outside the service provision.
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Ensure the Armed Forces community has fair access to our services and is not put at a disadvantage due to their service, for example due to deployment or mobility.
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Ensure upkeep of war memorials and war graves (with support from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission) if you are a local council.
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Organise, facilitate, promote and/or take part in remembrance and other ceremonial activities.
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As an independent funeral director serving families across the Isle of Wight, Life Funerals recognises the important contribution made by serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans, Reservists, members of the Cadet Forces and their families. Military service can be an important and deeply personal part of someone’s life. We believe that should not be forgotten when someone dies.
- Our pledge is to make sure a person’s service is recognised when appropriate, and that those who have given the most — including those who have been injured or bereaved through service — receive the understanding, respect and support they deserve. As part of arranging a funeral, we will respectfully ask families whether their loved one served in, supported or was connected to the Armed Forces. Where they have, we will give families the opportunity to tell us about their loved one’s service and talk about whether they would like it to form part of the funeral. We will:
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Ask families, where appropriate, whether their loved one served in or was connected to the Armed Forces, including the Regular Forces, Reserves or Cadet Forces.
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Listen to their story. We will give families the opportunity to tell us about their loved one’s service and what it meant to them. We understand that military service can remain an important part of someone’s identity long after they have left the Forces.
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Provide information and guidance on the different ways military service can be recognised at a funeral, including military funeral honours and other appropriate ceremonial elements.
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Respect personal choice. Not every family will want military recognition, and we will always follow the wishes of the person who has died and those closest to them.
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Recognise the wider Armed Forces community, including serving personnel, veterans, Reservists, Cadet Forces members and their families, as well as those who have supported a loved one throughout their service.
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Pay particular attention to those who have given the most, including those who have been injured through service, those living with the lasting effects of their service, and families who have experienced bereavement through service.
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Help families understand where to turn if they need to make contact with military organisations about funeral honours, ceremonial arrangements or other support.
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Signpost families to appropriate organisations, charities and sources of support where we believe this may be helpful, including specialist services for veterans, serving personnel, Reservists and their families.
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Encourage people planning their funeral in advance to record their wishes, including whether they would like their military service to be recognised, so their family does not have to guess what they would have wanted.
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Continue to learn and build relationships with organisations supporting the Armed Forces community on the Isle of Wight, so that we can provide families with the best information and support we can.
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Our commitment is simple: We will ask, because every service deserves to be remembered. We believe military service should be recognised in the way that feels right for each person and their family. For some, that might mean formal military honours or ceremonial elements. For others, it might simply mean acknowledging the part that service played in their life. Whatever a family chooses, we will listen and respect that choice. We want Armed Forces families across the Isle of Wight to know that when they come to Life Funerals at one of the most difficult times in their lives, their loved one’s service will not be overlooked. It will be treated with the same care and respect as every other part of the life we are helping them remember.
- We also recognise that the Armed Forces community is much wider than those currently serving. It includes veterans, Reservists, members of the Cadet Forces, families and the people who have supported their loved ones throughout their service. This commitment is about more than a discount or a logo. It is about people. It is about making sure that those who have served our country — particularly those who have been injured, those who have made significant sacrifices, and families who have experienced bereavement through service — receive thoughtful, informed and respectful support when it matters most. Recognising Service. Remembering Lives. Supporting Families.
2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.