Derbyshire man reveals how losing a loved one inspired him to become a funeral director

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 27/07/2017


A new Funeral Director has spoken of how the exceptional service he received following the passing of a loved one inspired him to get a job in the industry.

Mark Godfrey is the new Funeral Director at Central England Co-operative Funeralcare, in Chaddesden, and he has spoken for the first time of the reasons why he decided to take on the role.

The former pub company operations manager now hopes to use his role to help families and be a major part of the community in Chaddesden.

The 40-year-old said: “My wife and I used Central England Co-operative Funeralcare because of a bereavement and we were so impressed with the level of service we received.

“I was so impressed by the care and compassion shown that I decided that it was an industry that I wanted to work in.

“I eventually got a job as a Senior Funeral Services Assistant for the Society and I have not looked back since.”

Mark was later seconded to the role of Funeral Director in Normanton Road, Derby, before finally landing his latest role at Chaddesden Funeral Home.

He added: “I love this job because I love to help people. I am proud to do what I do and to be able to help families in their time of need.

“I am also proud of the great team I work with at Chaddesden and the dedication they have for their roles.”

Aside from supporting families, Mark is dedicated to being a big part of the Chaddesden community.

“Being a part of the community we serve is of massive importance to me and my team,” Mark said.

“We are proud to be based in the centre of Chaddesden and are always here for people whenever they need us.”

The funeral home offers a 24-hour service, seven days a week.  In addition to arranging funerals, Mark and his team are also able to offer advice on floral tributes, monumental masonry, funeral stationery, pre-paid funeral plans and probate advice.  The team can be contacted on 01332 281442.

Notes to editors

Picture credit: Mark Godfrey is the Funeral Director at Chaddesden  Central England Co-operative Funeralcare.

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK. It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with projected gross sales of £927million for 2016/17. The Society’s principal areas of activity are food, funeral services, and property. The company’s funeral business consists of over 120 funeral homes across 16 counties, 10 florists, masonry production and administration, Bretby Crematorium and Terry Smiths coffin factory.
Central England Co-operative has more than 430 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.  The Society has an ambitious food store and funeral home development programme for 2017. 
Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.  It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence.  The Society supports a number of charities including Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, @mycooplife and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop