Shropshire Star

Young Telford funeral director in running for national award

It's not a profession that's normally thought of for women.

Published

But one female Shropshire funeral director is now up for a prestigious award.

Louris Hilton, Director of Hilton's Funeral Directors in Telford, has beaten hundreds of other competitors to be in the running for the Most Promising New Funeral Director of the Year at this year's Good Funeral Awards.

Miss Hilton holds a formidable number of qualifications, with a Diploma in Funeral Directing, Funeral Director's qualifications and is a member of the British Institute of Embalming.

She is the only woman in Shropshire to hold the latter two qualifications.

"It's a superb feeling to be nominated for such a brilliant award", said Miss Hilton.

"It's all the more rewarding because I was nominated by families that we have helped in their bereavement – it's just wonderful to know how much they appreciated our help.

""If you don't follow your heart and jump in with both feet, you'll never know – this profession is a vocation."

In a hugely male-dominated profession, it appears that women are becoming more involved in the profession, with all four of the finalists in Miss Hilton's category being women.

Miss Hilton said she has always wanted to be a funeral director, and started out on that path at a young age, working at a funeral directors office from the age of 16 in all of her school holidays.

"It has always been my calling" she said, "Ever since I lost my grandparents at 11, I've wanted to offer people the same quality of help that we received."

"The Good Funeral Awards recognise all those unsung heroes who work so hard for the bereaved, and whose role can so easily be overlooked" said Brian Jenner, the event organiser. "Some of the nicest people in Britain work in the funerals business."

And this is certainly true of Hilton Funeral Directors – they have a councillor who runs bereavement sessions for the recently bereaved in the community to attend.

Miss Hilton said: "The company are dedicated to helping and caring for bereaved individuals in the community."

"The Good Funeral Awards reward exceptional service to the bereaved", says Chief Judge Charles Cowling, "Louris has already demonstrated outstanding professionalism, empathy, and a willingness to go the extra mile".

The awards will take place on Saturday, October 6, and are the first part of the Ideal Death Show weekend.

For more information, visit:www.goodfuneralawards.co.uk

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