In our final blog of 2024, we look back on what’s changed at Poppy’s over the last year — and the core values that have stayed the same.
2024 has been a year of huge growth for us — complete with fresh faces, fresh ideas and fresh ways of doing things. Thank you for coming on that journey with us.
Poppy’s team members come from all kinds of different professional backgrounds — from film-making to nursing to events organisation — bringing expertise, insight and ideas from outside the funeral sector.
This year we have welcomed two new full-time funeral directors, three new on-the-day funeral directors, a new client support adviser, a new head of marketing, as well as three new practical leads and two new senior practical leads to work in our mortuary and on funeral logistics.
We’ve also said goodbye to office manager Sarah, and hello to our new administrator Nichola.
After weeks of planning, preparing and painting, we opened our first high-street shop in East Sheen in early 2024.
With our big windows, warm colours and fresh coffee, we know we stand out. We’ve been surprised and delighted how many people have popped in for a chat, to ask questions or to talk to us about their funeral wishes.
During 2024, we have built deeper relationships with existing suppliers and discovered some fantastic new suppliers who align with our values and provide great quality to our clients.
From seasonal flowers to sustainable silver, woollen shrouds to willow coffins, we look for the most environmentally-friendly, locally-sourced options because we know that’s what more and more people want.
We’ve hosted two well-attended open days during 2024 and stepped up our involvement with death cafés in both Tooting and Sheen.
These events are all about bringing funerals and care for the dead out from behind closed doors — shedding light and breathing fresh air into crucial conversations about death and dying.
Find out about upcoming events in 2025. We hope to see you there.
This has been a year of learning — and of sharing what we’ve learnt with others.
Bringing in experts to help us organise our systems has been refreshing, saved us time and money and improved how we help clients.
Listening to what families and friends tell us — in person, in our feedback survey and through google reviews — is hugely valuable too. We always benefit from hearing your comments and ideas.
In 2024, we’ve shared our experience and insights in local and national media — bringing our fresh approach to funerals to the readers of the Times, the Guardian and i news, as well as to LBC listeners.
We also seek out and share other people’s perspectives in our weekly blog. In 2024, we’ve talked to a funeral photographer, a researcher into African funerals, and a disaster response planner, among many other fascinating people.
And we’ve answered your questions on topics as diverse as pets and funerals; what happens in a mortuary, and how to lead a funeral service yourself.
Please do share your suggestions for what you’d like to hear about during 2025. And watch this space.
The biggest change for us in 2024 was becoming a certified B Corporation in April. We are now part of a movement of thousands of businesses — large and small, across the world — in being recognised for putting care for people and planet at the centre of our work.
It’s something to celebrate (and we have been!) but it’s also a big challenge. Next year our focus will be to build on that accreditation, in the spirit of continuous improvement – always pushing ourselves to do more to put people and planet at the heart of what Poppy’s is and does.
Thank you to everyone in our local communities; the organisations and individuals that we work alongside; our clients and our staff team. We wish you all the very best for 2025.
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