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Why Think About Funeral Wishes

Article written by Rebecca Hillier

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Why Is It Important To Think About Your Funeral Wishes In Advance?

Whilst thinking about your funeral may be a difficult thing to do, making decisions about your funeral while you are still alive will not only ensure you get the funeral you want, but it also really helps to make a difficult time a little easier for loved ones when the time comes to arrange your funeral.

We regularly see families who do not know if their loved one wanted a cremation or a burial, and not knowing this makes arranging the funeral even more emotionally difficult as families are left guessing if they are making the right decision on your behalf, and can be left with feelings of guilt about whether they made the right decision.

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5 Reasons Why It’s A Good Idea To Start Thinking About Your Funeral Wishes

1.  Peace Of Mind For You And Your Loved Ones

Planning your funeral wishes ahead of time allows you to take control of your final send off, and relieves your family from the some of burden of making difficult decisions during an emotional time.

Knowing your preferences will provide them with clear guidance and peace of mind when it matters most

2.     Honouring Your True Wishes

Your funeral is a personal reflection of your life, values, and beliefs. By planning ahead, you ensure that every detail aligns with your wishes, the format and style of funeral service you choose, the coffin, the funeral songs and readings, as well as your final resting place.

You have the power to create a meaningful tribute that resonates with your story and celebrates your life on your own terms.

3.     Financial preparation

Funeral costs can be overwhelming and unexpected. When you plan in advance, you can explore and understand the financial options available, and make decisions today about how your funeral will be paid for.

Planning ahead also allows you to explore prepayment options with a Prepaid Funeral Plan.

4.      Easing Family Stress

When a loved one dies, grieving family members are often left to guess what their loved one would have wanted for their funeral.

By documenting your preferences, you remove uncertainty and disagreements, allowing your family to focus on supporting one another rather than making rushed decisions under pressure. Our Funeral Wishes form has been created to guide you through the process of documenting your funeral wishes.

5.     A Thoughtful And Responsible Choice

Taking the time to think about and document your funeral arrangements demonstrates care and responsibility for those you love.

It’s a final act of love, ensuring your family can celebrate your life without added stress or worry. Your forward-thinking decision helps them honor your memory with clarity and confidence.

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Choosing The Right Funeral Director

Choosing the funeral director that you wish your family to use for your funeral when the time comes is one of the most important and helpful decisions you can make in advance.

The right funeral director will offer more than just services, they will provide comfort, compassion and understanding and will hold your family’s hand throughout every stage of the arrangement process and on the day of the funeral, and will ensure you get a unique and fitting send off.

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About Hilliers Funeral Service

The Hillier family has been caring for the people of Swindon and it’s surrounding areas for four generations since 1923.

Today Mark and Rebecca Hillier lead an experienced team of funeral professionals who will treat you and your family with the utmost care, compassion, empathy.

Our way to is to spend time getting to know your family and finding out about you as a person as this allows us to show your family all the ways we can create a truly personal farewell.

No matter what type of funeral you decide, big or small, we always go the extra mile to make sure your family have all the guidance and support they need at every stage.

And with us, our care and support doesn’t end on the day of the funeral. Our Bereavement Care Service is available free of charge to help families through the difficult grieving process.

Our team
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Our Clients Give Us 5 Stars

We are very honoured that many of our clients like to tell us how the service they received from us made them feel. We’d like to share some of these comments with you below.

  • Avatar Tracey Huxtable 30 October 2025 ★★★★★
    Well there isn't really much to say apart from how fantastic Hilliers are in particular a special shout out to Mike. From the minute he came to collect Mum right through to the completion of the service Mike has been first class. Nothing … read more has been too much trouble, he is warm, caring and compassionate and my family and I are so grateful to him. Mike you are an absolute star and I will recommend Hilliers all the way!
  • Avatar April Thrush 14 October 2025 ★★★★★
    We were able to give dad the perfect send off with Hillier's , simple, no fuss and exactly as he wanted. Jo and Chris are the standout staff for us, thank you so much for your kindness and professionalism on all occasions.
  • Avatar Tom Harte 03 August 2025 ★★★★★
    Having lived in Swindon most of our lives Hillier’s were the first choice to handle our mum’s passing. Very professional and respectful, they made the whole process easy at a difficult time. Particularly good was their recommendation for … read more the celebrant, Lisa Hollander, who delivered the service exactly how we wished and our gave our dear mother a lovely service in her final moment with us.
  • Avatar Rachael Wilson 15 February 2025 ★★★★★
    Both Hillier’s and Kingshill House come highly recommended. Having been told by long-standing members of staff at the nursing home in which my mother died, plus friends and other Swindonians, that Hillier's are the 'only' … read more firm to use, I chose them - having always been Co-op in the past. I was not disappointed. The funeral held at Kingshill House was perfect. The tasteful service room beats a cold, impersonal and soulless crematorium any day of the week, and that we had the wake there too was just right rather than having to go elsewhere. As there were no time limits nor the usual conveyor belt scenarios it gave us time to celebrate her life as we wished. People could also slip off into the chapel to say their goodbyes without fuss as it was so easy and informal. Nick was quietly efficient and so kind. Him suggesting the colourful coffin was genius and so appropriate for Mum attracting the most favourable comments, however, the picture in the catalogue does not do it justice by a long way. Despite more mourners turning up than anticipated, no panic ensued, and everything went smoothly with the staff all-but invisible throughout.
  • Avatar Gill Moore 30 September 2025 ★★★★★
    Thanks very much to Julie & everyone at hilliers for being considerate & helpful over the last month. Also thanks for taking care of Dave & for being great in taking him to the crematorium on 25th September & throughout … read more the service.
    I would highly recommend yourselves in the future.
  • Avatar Sandy Woodage 4 weeks ago ★★★★★
    I would like to highly recommend this branch of Hilliers who helped with laying my Mum to rest. From start to finish they were consistent and attentive. Tracey and Sue were our key contacts and I can't recommend them highly enough … read more for the support and care they took in guiding us through such a difficult time. Their kindness and thoughtfulness was very much appreciated. The funeral was a very lovely tribute to my Mum and very personal. In addition the flower display for Mum's coffin was the best I've ever seen. It was absolutely stunning.
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The Hillier Promise

  • To care for you and your loved one as if you are members of our own family
  • To be open, honest and truthful in all we do
  • To always deliver excellence and go the extra mile
  • To give back to the community we live in and are part of
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Our Funeral Homes

Hillier Funeral Service is one of Swindon’s oldest family businesses.

We have three funeral homes covering Swindon, Wroughton, Royal Wootton Bassett, Purton, Chiseldon, Wanborough, Cricklade, Lydiard Millicent, Highworth, Fairford, Lechlade, Shrivenham and local villages.

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Talk To Us About Your Funeral Wishes

If you would like to talk through funeral wishes, or would like to understand more about what choices and options are available to personalise your funeral, please get in touch and we can help you not only with documenting your wishes, but also give you advice and guidance on how best to discuss your wishes with your loved one.