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We are licensed through the British Institute of Funeral Directors and
qualified by a Diploma from the National Association of Funeral Directors.
Paul Sullivan, proprietor and Funeral Director has 18 years local
experience and will guarantee a highly personal, professional and
compassionate service. SUPPORTED BY JIM & STEVE BACK - FORMERLY J & S BACK FUNERAL SERVICES IN BRIDGE STREET, DOVER. RECOMMENDED BY THE WWW.GOODFUNERALGUIDE.CO.UK CONTRACTOR TO DOVER DISTRICT COUNCIL |
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I was born in Ilford, Essex in 1973 and spent my childhood in Swaffham,
Norfolk. I came to Canterbury, Kent in 1983 when my father got a teaching
headship in Ashford. I attended St Anselms School in Canterbury and it
was during my 6th form that my interest in the funeral profession began.
WHY everyone asks, I am still not sure! I was attracted to it because of
its historic place in society, because of its apparent security and
because it was something completely different.
It took nearly a year of perseverance and letters before I was given my
chance by an area manager of the then Plantsbrook group (now Dignity) and
taken on as an employment trainee through Kent Skills. I was just 19. I
started learning the business at John Kemp Funeral Directors in Whitstable
and spent my time going all over Kent and the UK on funerals and removals
(collection of deceased). I also spent time at F.C. Woods of Ashford and
after my first year was taken on as a Trainee Funeral Director based at
Woods. I was given my own hearse to look after and again experienced
funerals all over south east Kent and beyond.
In 1994 I was offered the position of Funeral Director at Hambrook & Johns
in Folkestone along with free company accommodation and I eagerly left
home to begin this next challenge. In 1998 I was given the additional
responsibility of Hambrook & Johns in Dover and around this time also
began studying for my Diploma in Funeral Directing. I am proud to say
that I successfully passed the exams first time in 1999 and subsequently
joined the British Institute of Funeral Directors, so becoming one of only
a relatively few, fully qualified and licensed funeral directors in this
area.
Shortly after passing my Diploma I started to look for a position with an
independent firm as working for a large multinational group was not for
me. In 2001 I was taken on as Funeral Director/Manager at J. Dilnot Smith
& Son, Deal and Woodnesborough (near Sandwich) where I stayed for five
years. It was during my first year here that I met Louise. She was
working in the relative support office at the Q.E.Q.M. hospital and in
fact we had been talking on the phone for nearly a year before we finally
met and got together! We soon got engaged and in 2003 had a beautiful son
together whom we named Joshua. In November 2006 we married in St Lucia
but before this came to the conclusion that starting our own family
business, making it grow and doing things exactly how we want to, is the
next logical step in our life's journey.
I have been involved with many large and high profile funerals, although
pride myself with the same dedication and attention whether arranging a
simple cremation service or more complicated funerals. In the seventeen
years I have been in the profession I have personally arranged and
directed approximately 3000 funerals and have experience as either a
coffin bearer, driver, arranger or director of approximately 6000
funerals. |
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