A Honiton funeral directors has been named the runner-up for the best, pre-paid funeral planner in the South West region of the UK.

Shoobridge Funeral Services, based in Silver Street, has celebrated success at this year’s, Funeral Planner of the Year Awards, orchestrated by funeral plan providers Golden Charter.

Hosted by the BBC’s Dan Walker, the awards mark the biggest annual gathering of independent funeral directors in the UK with this year’s event taking place at the Park Plaza London Riverbank Hotel.

Paul Shoobridge, CEO at Shoobridge, said: “This not only recognises the hard work our team has put in again this year, but endorses our absolute belief in a marketing process, which will save the consumer money but is primarily designed to put the client in charge of his/her own, future funeral, whilst giving their families and loved ones, ‘peace of mind’ at possibly, the most difficult time they will experience in their lives.”

In addition to the award itself, a framed certificate and cash prize, the Woodland Trust has dedicated trees representing plans sold on behalf of Shoobridge Funeral Services, which will be planted locally in recognition of the company’s achievement.

Malcolm Flanders, Golden Charter’s director of Funeral Director Sales, added: “These highly competitive awards are now in their 24th year and, each year, the standard increases.

“Funeral plans continue to grow in popularity, and the awards are more competitive than ever before.

As independent funeral directors continue to set extremely high standards of service in all areas of their work, this award is well-earned proof that Shoobridge Funeral Services are among the very best in the profession.”

The ‘Funeral Planner of the Year Awards’ focus on the achievements of independent funeral directors throughout the UK. This constitutes the largest sector of the funeral profession.