GOLDEN LEAVES, a leading funeral plan provider for the UK and expatriate community in Portugal, Spain and Cyprus, is celebrating a double anniversary of success. As a founder member of the National Association for Pre-paid Funeral Plans (NAPFP) and Funeral Planning Association (FPA), Golden Leaves has enjoyed 20 years growth and development in the UK.
Drawing on the 130 years pedigree of its parent company, Rowland Brothers International, Golden Leaves was the first company to provide the same high quality level of service to the expatriate community in 1995. With increased demand for its service, the company re-launched in 2004. Golden Leaves now provides dignified, professional and accessible advice to expatriates in Spain, Majorca, Portugal and Cyprus.
With the costs and complexity of making sensitive and appropriate funeral arrangements increasing in value, what is at best a difficult time has become almost impossible for the nonprofessional to safely navigate.
Steve Rowland, Managing Director of Golden Leaves has over 35 years experience in providing funeral services of the highest level and has witnessed many of the difficulties families face when trying to make funeral arrangements when there has been little or no preparation. “Living in the warmth and friendship of the expatriate community has many benefits, but however strong your local friendships are, you can be a long way from home at times of family grief. The question everyone needs to ask themselves is ‘will your friends know what to do, who to call and how to help arrange a funeral to suit your own and your family’s wishes?’
“The reality is that, all too often, people do not plan ahead for a variety of reasons. But the alternatives are much harder to discuss if left to the emotionally challenging time of bereavement. It is precisely to minimise this burden that Golden Leaves exists, with all of our staff having substantial experience of arranging funerals and repatriations, both in the UK and abroad.”
The other reason for the success of Golden Leaves within the expatriate community comes from a combination of the nature of its products and underlying ethos of approachable professionalism. “Unlike a number of others, we are not providing merely another life assurance policy with the risks and conditions one associates with that. The fact that our products are less expensive than our competitors, come with a guarantee of no hidden costs, and are available via easy payment plans, ensures that they essentially sell themselves. What people value most is that they can trust us to provide the knowledge and expertise to fit their own unique set of personal circumstances.” This should not be entirely unexpected as Golden Leaves’ parent company is entrusted by governments and emergency services alike to sensitively and professionally handle funeral and repatriation services in the case of natural disasters and other tragedies.
In acknowledgement of the unique nature of an individual’s requirements, Golden Leaves as part of its 10 and 20 year celebrations is offering a free consultation for all respondents before the end of 2005. This will include a personalised assessment of the funeral and related costs involved for each person’s family situation and personal requirements.
• For more information call Russell Newton on 282 457 835 or Roderick Fairfax Williams on 917 870 878.
