Deborah Caron

My mother died 12 months ago and I used Ashcroft Funeral Directors. It has taken me 12 months to write this. After using their services it took me 6 months to return to Walsall Wood High Street. This is due to the stress they caused me; stress at the most difficult time of my life. Anything admin related this company are not capable of performing. Despite being provided with photos of my late mother, three weeks prior to her funeral, they produced an Order of Service with incorrect photos, one of which was NOT my mother! They referred to my mother as ‘June’ (her name is Jean) and wrote to advise her collection/donation money was sent to Cancer Research (she died of Dementia and the donation money was to be sent to Dementia UK and Guide Dogs). Ashcroft told my husband mom’s grave had been dug (it hadn’t), they removed a personal item I had placed in her coffin (photograph) and when my husband attended their premises the morning after the funeral to add additional money to mom’s collection, Ashcroft couldn’t find it as it was not kept in a safe (was found in an envelope under the table). I have complained to the Society of Independent Funeral Directors, but Ashcroft are not members. Whilst I managed to attend their premises in October 2022 to negotiate their final payment, I still struggle to this day to get my head around their errors. I struggle with the concept I put my deceased mother through this. Ashcroft apologised for their errors and offered to wipe the invoice clean. I didn’t want a free funeral, I wanted a right one. I wanted a perfect funeral for a perfect mother. If it wasn’t for my understanding employer, a supportive husband, supportive friends and a member of the clergy, who spoke on my behalf to Ashcroft, I think I would have had a breakdown. Please do not use them.