Leading funeral industry figure urges people to make time to talk to loved ones about their final farewell wishes

In an era in which TV viewers are increasingly bombarded by adverts for pre-planned funerals and direct cremations on a national scale – Ross Hickton, a fourth generation independent funeral director in the Black Country, is on a mission to highlight the value a more local, personalised service can offer grieving families in their hour of need. 

Mr Hickton, managing director of Hickton Family Funeral Directors and president of SAIF (National Society of Allied Independent Funeral Directors), stands at the helm of a family firm that was founded more than a century ago. 

The business, started by his great-grandfather Joe Hickton in Cradley Heath, has been there for families dealing with bereavement for the last 117 years. 

Although the basics of a funeral haven’t changed much over the years – there are burials and increasingly more cremations – more people are choosing to pre-plan their own send off to ensure they do it their way and to avoid passing on extensive costs to their grieving loved ones.

Golden Charter is among the leading providers of pre-planned funeral offerings (2) and Hickton Family Funeral Directors is one of the top sellers of such packages in the West Midlands, selling around 200 plans annually (3).

The family firm, headquartered in Cradley Heath, was an early adopter of pre-planned funerals and has been selling Golden Charter packages for two decades. 

“It does make things easier but it’s also a really practical way to manage the costs and the financial stress that a funeral can bring,” Mr Hickton said. 

“There can be a lot of unforeseen costs so having a plan in place ensures wishes are met without really leaving any unexpected costs behind.

Speaking to the Express & Star to highlight National Funeral Planning Awareness Week, which runs from February 23 to March 2, he said a key benefit of a Golden Charter funeral plan is the peace of mind offered. 

“It’s a really good product for the family,” he explained. 

“We tailor all the plans ourselves so the families sit down, we give them the options, we let them tell us what their thoughts, plans and wishes are and put that into a formal plan, work the cost out and they pay at today’s cost plus a small admin fee. 

“The money is fully secured, it goes into the Golden Charter Trust, then at their time of need the family come to us and we redeem the funeral plan.” 

He added that Golden Charter, which was established 35 years ago, only allows independent family-owned funeral directors to sell its plans – ensuring families receive expert, transparent and personal guidance – with the funds paid secured in the Golden Charter Trust and invested to help ensure growth covers the funeral costs when the time comes. In addition, Golden Charter is unique as it is owned by the independent funeral directors who work with it. 

“Families have peace of mind, as we have a voice in how the company is run,” said Mr Hickton. 

The Golden Charter Trust is not run for profit, with no dividends paid to outside shareholders or investment companies; all money is retained to benefit the funeral directors and the families they look after. 

“It’s not there to make a profit, it’s to look after the families’ money that’s come into the trust,” explained Mr Hickton whose brother Greg and sister Jodie also work for the family firm. 

The company, which employs more than 30 people, has seven funeral homes plus a stone masonry business – Jones Memorials in Dudley. The integrated approach makes their service unique, Mr Hickton said. 

“We can sell the funeral plan, look after the funeral when the time comes, then if the family want a headstone or any memorialisation we can do it all in house – so we’re a one-stop shop where the family is looked after completely by us.” 

Beyond the family business, which he joined straight from school, Mr Hickton is the national president of SAIF (Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors) – the largest trade body for funeral directors in the UK, representing more than 1,000 independent funeral directors. 

The role, Mr Hickton says, gives him a “broader view of the national picture of funerals, funeral planning and the death sector as a whole”. 

As part of his role, he’s keen to promote the benefits offered by traditional funeral directing firms in an age in which no-frills send-offs are being heavily marketed by online providers. 

“If families are considering any type of funeral planning at all they should really come and talk to their local independent funeral director who will give expert and transparent advice on the pros and cons and talk through the process,” he said – highlighting how “sadly some families don’t realise their local, independent funeral director offers direct cremation or unattended cremation”. 

He added: “Because Golden Charter offers fully bespoke funeral plans, we can offer any type of funeral – burial, cremation or unattended, direct style funerals – if that’s what the family wishes. 

“We offer any type of funeral plan – including natural or woodland burials which are popular in certain parts of the country.”

Ultimately, he stressed, whether a family chooses a traditional service or a direct cremation for their loved one, the custom nature of a Golden Charter plan ensures Hickton Family Funeral Directors can meet any wish.

2. based on Golden Charter analysis and independent research of the funeral plan market size as of December 2024. 

3. Based on Golden Charter analysis as on December 2025.