Philip Evans Funeral Director Dip Fd, MIFDC, MBIFD – A Personal Statement

Now to tell you a little about us –

Sallie and I live in Shoreham. I have an older daughter from a previous marriage, Lauren, and Sallie has two older sons, Mike and Josh.

I was educated in Hove, but chose a vocational path rather than an academic one. I like to describe myself as having attended the “University of Life”.

Prior to my change of profession, I served with the Royal Air Force, after which, I went on to become a Police Officer, followed by a number of investigative roles with various agencies including Trading Standards.

These former professions have helped me in becoming the person that I am today, a professional with integrity. Furthermore, my previous public service has enabled me to acquire all the relevant skills that are transferrable to the funeral profession.

It was a personal trauma, following the death of my brother, Richard, who died from a terminal illness at the young age of 39, which led me to pursue an interest in the funeral profession.

Though I had experienced grief through the death of close family and friends before, I had never before experienced the death of an immediate family member. I was now starting to realise and understand what real grief felt like.

It was his funeral that changed my life. I wanted to put together words which meant something to me, to us, which would both honour and celebrate his life. With the help of photographs, I was able to recall my favourite memories of my brother and found the inspiration to put his life together in the form of a photographic and oral eulogy. It was one of the most daunting but proudest moments of my life.

For me the funeral was an opportunity to celebrate his life and to give thanks everything that was good in his life. It was a time to give thanks for all the love, the laughter, the friendship and the inspiration that he brought into my life, as well as all the other special people in his life.

I wish to thank my brother for providing me with the inspiration, the motivation and the enthusiasm for establishing, developing and growing one of the leading, few independent Brighton Funeral Directors, a company which leads the way in providing clients with the best possible service, of which we are immensely proud.

Sallie and I met in 2013 and having showed a keen interest and desire to get involved in bereavement services after the loss of her father, combined with her natural ability in providing care and support to those in need of it, Sallie has become my right-hand lady, providing me with much needed care and support myself, as well as providing our clients with the care and attention that can be offered from that female approach.

Sallie has a wealth of life experience, obtaining skills and experience that contribute to her role as a funeral professional. Sallie is also an accomplished artist.

Sallie has also been through her own grief having lost both her parents at a young age. She has also been through the trauma of having been previously diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2014, but thankfully following the usual course of treatment, which involved surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and with my support, and of course her family and close friends, combined with her own determination and strength, Sallie has now come through to the other side, leaving all that trauma behind as distant memories.

We hope that our story helps to provide you with the knowledge and peace of mind that if you choose to use us, you will know that we are people with compassion, sensitivity and life experience who understand what it is to live through grief and trauma.

Sallie and I married in April 2016, and it meant that we were not only an ‘Independent Funeral Director’, but an ‘Independent Family Funeral Director’!