Our Professional Membership
We are proud to be members of the following organisations and always try to deliver the highest professional standards in all elements of the service.
We are member no. 2002 of The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors
(SAIF), a trade association whose members are all independent funeral directors.
The funeral service we offer is not part of a national or international conglomerate or chain,
but is privately owned and managed, having been run by the same Rounce family for two generations.
Independent funeral directors are known for their high standard of service and a caring, traditional approach to their local communities, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. By choosing a SAIF member when the need arises, you are assured of a trusted and caring professional who is dedicated to serving the needs of the community. SAIF Members must adhere to a strict Code of Practice.
They have 850 funeral companies in membership, totalling almost 1,500 sites. An additional 100 companies are Associate Members, who supply products or services to the funeral profession.
Rounce Funeral Services are recommended by The Natural Death Centre because we are flexible, transparent and accommodating.
In the 25 years since the charity was founded in 1991, the Natural Death Centre has sought to
inform, empower and inspire the public in all matters relating to death and dying, and in
particular to increase awareness of funeral choices outside of the mainstream.
Despite their long running links with environmentally friendly funerals, they are not a green pressure group, but primarily a movement for social change.
They have played a central part in demystifying the traditional funeral, encouraging thousands of families in having the kind of funerals they wanted, and helping create opportunity for new rituals to emerge.
They are, and will continue to be an informed and reflective presence on issues such as dying at home, caring for our dead and changing funeral practices and actively promote natural burial as an option that should be offered to everyone.
The Fair Funerals pledge is part of the national Fair Funerals campaign which
calls on the industry and government to give better support to people in funeral poverty. The pledge was launched by anti-poverty charity Quaker Social Action (QSA) and Rounce Funeral Services were one of the first funeral directors to commit to making their most affordable funeral visible.
QSA wants clearer pricing and more choice so people know what they are buying when arranging a funeral and can choose a simple funeral with a low cost coffin if they wish.
SAIF members commit to explaining their costs and providing a choice of prices, including the availability of a simple, low cost funeral. When giving costs for coffins they must provide a choice of at least four, one of which is an inexpensive plain type. Written estimates of the costs must be given at the time the funeral is arranged.
Alun Tucker, Executive Chairman of SAIF, said: “SAIF is fully behind the Fair Funerals pledge launched by Quaker Social Action, which we are recommending that our members sign. Our members are small, independent funeral directors based in local communities across the UK who are committed to being open, honest and fair about funeral costs, so it’s only natural they’ll want to support this campaign.”
He added: “We encourage members of the public to look for a SAIF registered funeral director because our members are committed to always explaining and giving a choice of prices, including for a simple, low cost funeral. All SAIF members undergo regular inspections to check they are meeting our high standards.”
Quaker Social Action’s Fair Funeral’s campaigner, Heather Kennedy, said: “Funeral poverty has increased 50% in five years because funerals have become much more expensive at the same time as support from the state has dried up. The Fair Funerals pledge helps people access funerals they can afford. We’re working with local communities across the UK to raise the profile of the pledge in their area so people will be looking for funeral directors who have signed.”
The average total cost for a funeral is around £3,500. The fee to the funeral director usually accounts for about half of this, with the cost of the cremation or burial, doctor’s fees and fees for a religious or secular service accounting for the rest.
Rounce Funeral Services are also members of Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce,
the business hub of Worthing and Adur who actively represent the interests and needs of local business on many local committees, councils and business working groups across the region,
on a local, regional and strategic level.
They are a vibrant and fast growing chamber encouraging businesses to work together for
mutual success. The Chamber champions local industry to secure future investment and
growth in our towns and Rounce Funeral Services are proud to be a part of this and show
our support.