HAVE you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in a funeral home?
If you have, a Huddersfield undertaking company is holding an open day, to help dispel some of the mystery that surrounds the funeral trade.
On Saturday, November 8, Co-operative Funeralcare on St Thomas's Road, Longroyd Bridge, is inviting local people to visit between noon and 3pm.
Visitors will get a guided tour of the premises, which have recently been refurbished with a new mauve colour scheme and contemporary style.
The pastel-coloured surroundings aim to make the funeral home less forbidding to the public.
During the tour, the newly-refurbished remembrance rooms will be dedicated by local clergymen the Rev Martin Crompton, of St John's Church, Golcar; the Rev Ian Burley, from Oakes Baptist Church; the Rev George Courtney, of Moldgreen United Reformed Church; and Fr Ian Smith, from St Brigid's RC Church at Longwood.
While on the tour, visitors will be able to talk to members of staff, including regional manager Brian Taylor, manager Keith Clegg, funeral directors and funeral arrangers.
Visitors will also view monumental masonry and floral demonstrations.
Also on display will be horse-drawn and motorbike hearses, a Scottish piper and other funeral music examples.
Leaflets on planning a funeral will be available for visitors.
Mr Clegg said: "We hope that by opening our doors we can break down some of the traditional barriers and promote a greater understanding of the profession.
"Many people would rather not know about how a funeral is arranged. But ignorance of the process can cause extra worry to families at the time of bereavement," he added.
"Knowing what has to be done in advance can considerably ease the emotional burden on the family."
The open day was prompted by the Co-operative Group's Funeralcare Forum, which looked into how funerals could be improved.
The forum decided that more information about funeral options should be made public.
