Customers are losing money on the products and a change to the law is overdue, it says. Read more

Long-standing Christchurch company Lamb and Hayward wants to build a new 1222-square metre "spiritual facility", or funeral home, on 2 hectares of residential land on the corner of Halswell Junction and Wigram roads.

The company says the facility will be a "landscaped oasis" among a heavily residential area, but residents living in the newly-developed area say they would never have bought their properties if they had known a funeral home would be developed on land zoned for homes. Continue reading

Fresh Funerals home page offers "self-select funerals delivered wherever you need them."

"We walk you through the whole funeral process, so you can decide what you'll do to save costs and what you'd like your funeral director to do for you," says Jude Mannion.

There's also a checklist, with options that allow you to spend money differently and save thousands on the traditional price of a funeral.

Once selected and saved, you can send the checklist to family for approval.

Press ‘submit' at the base and it's automatically sent to funeral directors near you who can email quotes directly. Read More

"Please understand that we do not charge for our services. It would therefore be appreciated that the Funeral Director, when preparing a bereaved family for the funeral service, makes this point very clearly," Fr David Dowling, chairman of the Council of Priests, said in the letter to Funeral Directors.

"The family may wish to make a donation to the priest, but this should not be interpreted or explained as payment."

The letter says it is not usual to make a donation for the use of the church, but there may be a hiring fee for the church hall or other place for refreshments.

However, "in all cases, the circumstances of the bereaved family should be taken into account."

Supplied