Our Dedicated Team
Caring for bereaved families is a special vocation and we know the importance of maintaining a professional and dedicated team at West & Coe.
Most of our staff have worked with us for a considerable time and have gained considerable knowledge and experience. Several having joined us from school and now some twenty years on are in management roles and directing funerals.
Our extensive training programme covers all aspects of our work embracing current legislation, changing custom and religious needs, always focusing on standards and service. We also invest in the well being of our staff and offer them confidential emotional support through SAIF Support. We have numerous staff social gatherings including our staff golf day which has been running for over 25 years.
Our family and staff are one team with a strong desire to help each family through the difficult time of bereavement. We are sensitive, respectful and understanding to each individual situation and are always mindful of the responsibility we have to ensure all wishes are carried out as each of us would like.
We strive to care for each family as it was our own.
Our History
As the oldest funeral directors in Dagenham and, in fact, Dagenham’s oldest business, this company’s history is a unique record of past times.
However, we do not just look back: we also look forward to providing the community with the quality of service that has been the hallmark of our company since 1903.
Our Promise
As an independent family owned and managed business spanning four generations, we offer each bereaved family special care, emotional support, expert advice and practical help.
At this most difficult of times, you can rest assured what our “care charter” sets out is our promise to you.
We will always:
- Show the utmost respect to each family regardless of their status, custom or culture.
- Take time in giving accurate advice and in offering choice on all aspects concerned in the arranging of a funeral, never taking advantage of a bereaved person’s situation.
- Give good service and make fair charges in respect of these services.
- On every occasion give a written estimate and confirmation of all arrangements involved in the chosen funeral.
- Offer and provide the company’s free bereavement aftercare support programme HOPE.
- Regularly invest in training to ensure all staff are fully conversant with current legislation, new ideas and in maintaining the company’s high moral and ethical standards.
- Strictly observe the confidence of every client at all times during and after a funeral.
- Offer free advice at any time.
- Offer a 24-hour professional service, personally attended to by qualified and caring staff.
- Respond immediately in an understanding manner should any form of complaint be received.
Supporting Our Community
West & Coe in the Community
For regular updates in what we are doing within the community please follow our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Education & Counselling
HOPE
Helping Overcome People’s Emotions in grief.
A unique six-week grief support programme, which is offered to bereaved families, regardless of whether we have carried out the funeral or not. Designed to help support people suffering loss and to show them that there is hope for the future. Since it was launched in 2006, we have helped a considerable number of people come to terms with their loss.
Today, St Francis Hospice, and several local churches run our programme within their organisations. To find out more, visit the
Bereavement seminars
Recent sessions have included
Helping Children Cope With Bereavement and Getting It Together After Life Falls Apart.
These free-of-charge seminars have proved hugely beneficial and we have received excellent feedback from those attending.
Care Home Support
What To Do When A Death Occurs and How To Help A Grieving Person
These seminars have proved beneficial and helped with N.V.Qs
Business Award
Local Sport
Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club
The 2009-10 season saw The Daggers promoted for the first time in their history from League Two to League One. They achieved this by beating Rotherham United in a dramatic 3-2 playoff final at Wembley on 30th May 2010 a truly memorable day. Since then like many sports clubs, they have had their ups and downs, but we continue to support our wonderful community club.
Bowls Club
Living the dream
Their role was to raise money to support talented local athletes, enabling them to compete on equal terms. The trust was launched July 2007 and raised over £100,000 which has given a number of rising local athletes the opportunity to get to the top. The trust continues to be active with grants still being awarded.
Cricket for All
Realising that the provision of cricket in local schools was almost non-existent, links have now been established with eighteen junior and eight senior schools within Havering. Through leaflets and school visits, cricket has now been promoted within these schools with several hundred boys and girls from 7 years upwards having the opportunity to learn and play cricket.
Charitable
School Support
For over 25 years, Jeremy West was a Governor at Eastbrook School in Dagenham, having attended the school as a pupil many years ago. He has recently stepped down as a full Governor but still supports the school.
Youth Worker
First Step
First Step is situated in their purpose built RJMitchell site in Tangmere Crescent, Hornchurch which features music therapy, multi-sensory rooms, playgroups and family & babies’ sessions.
Business Referral Network
BRN is a specialist network of local business people who refer work to each other knowing they are all of a high standard. The group has been invaluable in building special relationships, providing help for each other and as importantly supporting many local charities in numerous ways.
Local support for a village in Gambia
Charity Golf Day
Movember
In November 2014, the male staff at West & Coe came together to support the Movember foundation. The 36 members of our male staff all committed themselves to growing a moustache for 30 days. In doing so, became walking talking ambassadors for this great cause and also the first funeral director as a ‘whole company’, to participate in the movember challenge.
As well as raising awareness West & Coe were challenged to raise £10,000, by Manager of our Parsloes Avenue office John Crewe. John, who has worked locally in the funeral profession for over 40 years agreed to shave his ‘famous moustache off should the target be reached, for the first time in 47 years, something that his wife and children hadn’t seen!
The Movember foundation was formed in 2003 and has helped raise over £345 million and increased awareness of men’s health, specifically Prostate and Testicular Cancers and Mental Health. (In the UK, 1 man dies every hour from prostate cancer).
Within our business we regularly care for families who have lost loved ones from men’s related illnesses and our team at West & Coe are very aware of the need to support the fantastic Movember Foundation. We are mindful that all funerals are special and unique, during November we personally wrote to each family assuring them, that although our staff would be growing moustaches throughout the month, the same high level of respect, dignity and care will be evident throughout.
During Movmber, John lead Dagenham & Redbridge Football team out against Shrewsbury Town carrying the Movember football to mark the start of the challenge. In order to show their support, the daggers players and coaching staff also joined us in growing their Mo’s during November.
The support and generosity of local people, businesses, media and companies within the funeral profession enabled us to raise an amazing £16,542 for Movember, meaning John lost his ‘Tash’ at the companies Christmas Party. To see picture of this and some of the tashes please visit our Social Media Page.
Charity Football Matches
In November 2015, West & Coe received a football business award at Stanford Bridge with over 750 people for their charity work for Movember. The founder of Movember presented Managers Jamie West & Ross Galvin with the award; from there they arranged a match with the Movember team for the following May.
This time West & Coe won 2-0 over a Brilliant Movember Foundation team, with one of the founders flying in from Australia to support. A further £2,500 was raised bringing West & Coe’s Movember charitable donation just under a mammoth £20,000.
Great Ormond Street Hospital, GOSH
In February 2019 the Valentines Charity Ball for GOSH was the culmination of a year of fund raising which included, the Three Peak 24 hour Challenge, Rugby & Football Matches, Sky Diving and many more.
Together our #teameva raised a staggering £135k in just 365 days for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The achievement of our #teameva offers a wonderful example of what good can come from an unexpected challenge, it highlights the kindness and generosity we can offer to others and the difference that can be made when we change fear and worry into something positive.
If you have met Eva, you will be aware of her tenacity and her ability to look a challenge in the eye and give it a wink. So, it’s in true #teameva style that we exceeded our fundraising goal of £100,000 which means we can extend our thanks and support to Southend Hospital Neptune ward and New Life charity who have assisted in Eva’s care.
We are so thrilled that this moment in time has been celebrated and thank everyone for joining us at the Valentine Ball, we know you enjoyed the evening as much as we did.
To see more on this please look at our social media posts.