Partnership brochure v8

CARING, TRANSPARENT AND PERSONAL

Hospice Funerals, The Pool House, Bicester Road, Stratton Audley, Oxfordshire OX27 9BS T. 0800 862 0155 E. info@hospicefunerals.co.uk www.hospicefunerals.co.uk

© Hospice Funerals 2017. All rights reserved.

A Partnership Built On The Need To Offer Distinguished Standards Of Service At Affordable Prices This brochure is designed to answer some of the immediate questions that are bound to spring to mind when the concept first comes to your attention.

So it asks and answers the following: • Who are Hospice Funerals?

• Who are Memoria?

• How will the partnership work?

• What are the client benefits?

• What are the hospice benefits?

For further details about any of the above and the business plan, the cost of set up, the suggested profit and loss performance, the product offerings and the modus operandi please consult the more detailed documents contained within the partnership/franchise pack.

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Who are Hospice Funerals?

In the summer of 2017 St. Margaret’s Hospice Ltd and Memoria entered into discussions to see how the two companies could work together to create a new extended service in order to provide those in the community (along with their families), who are facing end of life care either in their hospice or at home, a modern, caring, transparent and personal funeral service.

Such a service would be a natural extension of the patients’ immediate care needs by the provision of their funeral arrangements so that their final weeks, months and years could be free from worrying about such concerns.

It was very quickly realised that rather than Memoria training St Margaret’s staff to discuss its products with patients (and their families) we should open this service up to the whole population by a) taking the service into the high street and b) work with hospices as our partners in their local areas.

So, together, we set up Hospice Funerals LLP with the purpose of engaging in partnerships with hospices throughout England & Wales to provide a new concept of funeral service. There is a transparent menu of products and prices that start with unattended direct cremation (a low cost funeral) ranging to a bespoke funeral (a personalised and more expensive funeral).

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The lower priced direct cremation Simple and Flexible options are not readily available at other local funeral directors and serve a new and growing market.

All Hospice Funerals selected funeral options are easy to understand and allow families to find a service that they feel is applicable to them, but at a price that they can also feel comfortable with.

In addition, we offer a range of pre-arranged, fixed cost funeral plans to cater for all budgets and personal choices so that funeral arrangements can be made years in advance. The details are then known and the price is fixed. Therefore, all worry about having the funeral service the person wanted or the cost of it at the time of need is eliminated.

All of this is set in a modern high street location with interior designed premises that are tasteful and serene rather than dark and forbidding.

The staff needed will be selected, trained and managed by Hospice Funerals who will be accountable to the local hospice partner. Hospice Funerals will draw upon the considerable experience of Memoria in order to deliver a caring, transparent and personal service to all.

Hospice Funerals Hospice Funerals’ Vision To provide all hospice communities with the choice and experience of hospice funeral services that uniquely reflect the dedication, warmth and reputation of the hospice movement – an extension of exemplary hospice care – caring, transparent and personal.

Hospice Funerals’ Mission To bring choice, quality and affordability to families in our communities, so that they can celebrate the lives of loved ones with a unique and individual funeral that respects their wishes. This is achieved by only engaging highly trained staff with unwavering attention to detail and compassion - so ensuring a caring, transparent and personal funeral to all whatever their budget.

Ann Lee Joint Managing Partner Hospice Funerals LLP

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Who Are Memoria?

The Hodgson family have been engaged in funeral directing since 1850 (see page 7). It controls Memoria which is dedicated to offering a distinguished service at an affordable price.

Memoria was incorporated in 2003 by 3 directors with over 90 years collective personal experience in the funeral sector. Since this time it has received more planning consents than any other crematoria operator since the millennium. Further sites are at various states of planning. In 2017 all 7 of Memoria’s then opened Crematoria made the list of the 10 finalists in the category of ‘Best Crematorium in the UK’ at the ‘Good Funeral Guide Awards’ with a Memoria crematorium, South Oxfordshire being crowned the eventual winner.

All Crematoria are rated 5-Star (Excellent) on Trustpilot.

In recent times, Memoria has opened Cardiff & Glamorgan Memorial Park & Crematorium in 2011; Kirkleatham Memorial Park & Crematorium in 2014; South Oxfordshire Crematorium & Memorial Park, Amber Valley Memorial Park & Crematorium, South Leicestershire Memorial Park & Crematorium and Waveney Memorial Park & Crematorium in 2015; Denbighshire Memorial Park & Crematorium in 2016 and North Hertfordshire Memorial Park and Crematorium in 2017. We shall be opening Flintshire Memorial Park and Crematorium in 2018 and Bassetlaw Memorial Park and Crematorium in 2019.

Memoria’s Mission “Memoria has a mission to provide exceptional standards of service and facility to the bereaved families that use its crematoria and gardens of remembrance. This is because it is not only commercially sensible to do so but also because it is an essential act of human decency towards people who have just lost a much loved member of their family or friend. Bereavement is the price we must all pay for the joy of loving and being loved. The loss of a loved one is the most stressful, unhappy and traumatic experience that we will face in life.

We at Memoria realise that we are unable to eradicate such pain but we also know it is our responsibility and duty to be as efficient, kind, respectful and polite as humanly possible to our clients at their time of grief, and thereafter when they return to remember their cherished relatives or friends. Therefore, it is our aim to provide immaculately clean and tidy facilities in tranquil and beautiful surroundings attended by people who are sincerely dedicated to our mission, and who take a great pride in their work as a result.”

Who Are The Memoria Directors?

Howard Hodgson MBIFD (Dip) Ass. RSH (Chief Executive Officer) (b,1950) A fourth generation funeral director, who took over the family business in 1975. He launched an expansion programme that culminated in the flotation of Hodgson Holdings plc in 1986. The company subsequently merged with Kenyons in 1989 and then with Great Southern Group to form the largest funeral/crematorium group in the UK. Howard sold his interests in 1991, having taken the company from one branch to 546 and becoming ‘Entrepreneur of the Year 1987’ in the process. He is largely recognised as the individual who transformed the funeral industry in the 1970s, 80s and early 90s. hhodgson@memoria.org.uk Michael Hackney MA (Oxon) (Chairman & Finance Director) (b,1950) A former career banker who has held senior positions with both the ANZ/Grindlays and Abbey National banking groups, including in venture capital, where he was responsible for the flotation of Hodgson Holdings plc, and in debt recovery, which resulted in him directly managing a succession of troubled commercial and financial businesses as principal for the bank, both in the UK and Europe, 1992-2000. mhackney@memoria.org.uk Jamieson Hodgson (Business Development Director and Head of Planning) (b, 1983) Jamieson Hodgson joined Memoria in early 2009. He initially lead business development but has since progressed into the role of Head of Planning. During that time he has helped to grow the business by leading our planning team to securing 10 new planning consents for new crematoria and memorial parks in the last 6 years. He is a demographic expert who has helped to develop GIS technology in order to better understand the way that ‘need’ and financial viability is measured in the funeral industry. Jamieson also heads up HR and Operational Performance which sees him involved in various areas of the ongoing business. These areas include recruitment of staff, financial performance, ongoing demographic assessment and facility service standards.

Howard Hodgson, Chief Executive Officer

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How Will The Partnership work?

The partnership will operate as a franchise scheme. These are the facts: • Hospice Funerals signs an agreement with a partner hospice (the Partner Franchise Agreement - samples available).

• Hospice Funerals support you with a turnkey service and are on hand throughout the set up period, signing off the premises when complete.

• The hospice partner will be entitled to operate exclusively within the defined area.

• Thereafter, the location will be inspected prior to opening and all snagging signed off.

• A hospice partner can acquire more than one area if it so wishes.

• Hospice Funerals will select, train and manage the partner’s funeral staff, while being accountable to the partner.

• Hospice Funerals will give each partner a demographic survey providing a death profile of the granted area and will be available to advise the partner on this issue.

• Hospice Funerals will issue a list of products and prices that the partner will need to purchase in order to create their funeral service.

• The hospice will be supported to deal directly with these suppliers, shop fitters and other trades. This means that Hospice Funerals is not involved in the invoice chain and so is making NO margin on the set up of the unit.

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• Memoria will also carry out the majority of funeral administration for the partner.

• Memoria will also install and teach the partner’s funeral director how to operate a bespoke software system for making funeral arrangements.

• The sign above the unit will be that of the local partner hospice with ‘As operated by Hospice Funerals (with logo)’ on last 5th of the sign (right side).

• There will be a wall mounted TV screen running the TV adverts in each location along with the local partner’s promotion and appeal for donations.

• All signage, print, decoration, equipment furniture and interior design will be standard.

• Besides funeral income, the partner will receive pre-arrangement plan commission and all memorial income.

• The funeral selections available and their cost will be also standard and displayed – giving a more transparent modus operandi.

• Memoria will spend a minimum of £200,000 p.a. on television adverting. Hospice Funerals will spend 14% of its net revenue on the same.

• Each partner will receive a monthly account of funerals arranged and income taken.

• Each partner will be responsible for their own management accounts.

• Memoria will instruct all partners when removals from its own direct cremation business are required in their area. This will ensure immediate and additional business coming to the partner that it otherwise would not have received.

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What Are The Client Benefits?

• The comfort of dealing with the same caring organisation that has cared for them through their final illness.

• The trust and confidence that the whole community has in that name.

• The benefits of dealing with a company that has aligned values and that boasts over 90 years collective funeral experience and operates UKs most admired memorial parks and crematoria. In 2017 Memoria had 7 of 10 Good Funeral Guide finalists for ‘Crematorium of the year’. The winner was South Oxfordshire – a Memoria crematorium.

• Dealing with polite, caring and efficient staff at all times.

• Hand picked and extensively trained staff by both Memoria and Hospice Funerals.

• Transparent prices which are published on an easy to understand menu that includes several low cost options.

• Very clean and pleasant surroundings in a convenient location.

• The benefit of knowing that the vast majority of the payment made for these services will be going back to hospices to enable them to continue to offer their excellent services to others.

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What Are The Hospice Benefits?

• Participation in a new enterprise that will deliver sustainable and growing income going forward and thus helping to bridge the considerable funding gap that stands between government funding and the annual needs of the hospice.

• A partnership of transparency and integrity with like minded people who are dedicated to the care of the bereaved in the same way as a hospice is dedicated to the care of the dying and their families.

• Delivery of the extension of a service dedicated to care, understanding, kindness and efficiency from 1st involvement until after the funeral.

• This extended service should generate further hospice acclaim, recognition and gratitude that in turn will increase donations to the hospice.

• Hospice Funerals will manage the funeral business for the hospice partner – so there is no need to worry about lack of expertise or the cost of engaging any additional consultants.

• Fees are taken at source and therefore, after costs have been settled, are immediately available to the partner.

• The set up costs are virtually the same or perhaps less (given bulk discount) as a hospice starting their own operation. The benefits of working in partnership cannot be denied thereafter: • Help and advice when setting up • Expert management to recruit, train and manage the operation • No need for senior management & administration staff • A united Hospice brand • A national television advertising campaign • Additional funeral arrangements from Memoria

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CARING, TRANSPARENT AND PERSONAL Amber Valley Memorial Park & Crematorium

Kirkleatham Memorial Park & Crematorium

Bassetlaw Memorial Park & Crematorium Opening 2019

North Hertfordshire Memorial Park & Crematorium

Cardiff & Glamorgan Memorial Park & Crematorium

South Leicestershire Memorial Park & Crematorium

Denbighshire Memorial Park & Crematorium

South Oxfordshire Crematorium & Memorial Park

Flintshire Memorial Park & Crematorium Opening 2018

Waveney Memorial Park & Crematorium

This brochure comes with an information pack. The other items you should read are: • The estimated cost of setting up a partnership operation.

• The modus operandi.

• The anticipated P&L over 3 years.

• A business plan.

• A Hospice Funeral Client Brochure.