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Westland Funeral Services Ltd has served the Westland area since 1963. Our funeral directors (male & female) will do their very best to ensure your wishes are carried out offering practical help and advice with professional assistance.

Westland Funeral Services:

Our premises offer a warm environment which will give you the opportunity to discuss all matters surrounding a funeral with complete privacy and will make this difficult time as easy as possible.

William Sampson Memorial Chapel:

With seating for 150 and a lounge area at the rear with additional seating for 100 the chapel has a peaceful feeling, soft pastel green walls with contrasting Rimu pews, a conservatory area with plants and a fountain. In front of a marble altar, the casket is placed on a rimu catafalque suitable for both burial services and cremation committals.

Westland Crematorium:

We have the only crematorium on the West Coast and this is situated on site. Inspection of the facility is welcomed.

Catering Facilities:

We are please to arrange full catering facilities with several different venues appropriate to your individual needs all within a short distance from our funeral home.

Services we offer:

We are pleased to provide all or part of the following services depending on your individual requirements.

Service Sheets: with perhaps a photo of the deceased on the front, music or hymns printed with other relevant information and an invitation to the refreshment venue.

A Memorial Register: when combined with our Memorial Album will be a lasting record of the family & friends who were able to attend the funeral and can be a significant memory of the service.

Flowers: are often an important part of a funeral and we can arrange a casket spray or individually designed spray coupled with a basket of flowers to please on the casket at the cemetery or cremation committal.

Clergy: We will arrange either a minister, priest or funeral celebrant depending on your requirements, someone that you feel comfortable with who will structure a funeral service appropriate for the family and the person who has died.

Death Notices: We will arrange for Death Notices to be placed in the newspapers or your choice and assist you with the format and family details.

Legal Requirements: We will also arrange all legal documentation requirements, which will remove this burden and responsibility from your family.

Audio Visual Displays:  We have a full facilities to provide visual displays with family photos and music combined into a DVD format that can be played during a Funeral Service and then kept as a personal keepsake.

Returned Service Funerals: We liaise closely with the local branch of the Returned Services Association, and will provide you with all details available on special funeral grants if you are entitled to them. We can arrange for a flag to drape the casket, arrange for an R.S.A. representative to be present at the funeral including Bugle off this is your wish. We can also complete an order form for a services bronze plaque.

Repatriation: Our company has vast knowledge and experience in arranging the repatriation of deceased persons to both New Zealand and Overseas destinations.

Memorials

We are monumental agents and provide full facilities for arranging of new monuments and renovation or addition of existing monuments.

Casket Manufacturing

We source a wide range of caskets and cremation urns from solid timber through to specially ordered designs.

Financial Advice

We can advise and assist families with applying for funeral grants from Work & Income (WINZ) and the ACC or Employers Insurance Company. We can also assist in closing bank accounts for small estates.

Financial Assistance

Following is information about financial assistance that may be available to you from Government Agencies.

WINZ (Work & Income New Zealand)

If there is a surviving spouse a Funeral Grant to a maximum of $1925.34 may be available from Income Support (this is asset tested).

For a single or solo person whose estate is unable to meet the total cost of funeral expenses a Funeral Grant to a maximum of $1925.34 may be available from Income Support.

A Childs Funeral Grant, again from Income Support to a maximum of $1925.34 (parents income and assets come into the equation).

Ex - Service Persons

In addition to the above grants, a person who served in the Armed Forces before December 1947 may be entitled to a free or subsidised cemetery plot in the Services Lawn Cemetery.

This may also apply to those who served in Korea, J. Force, Malaya or United Nation Peace Keeping Forces.

For a Returned Service Person whose death was caused directly to War service or who was 70% permanently incapacitated due to war service and was receiving a War Pension at the time of death the WINZ Funeral Grant entitlement may be slightly greater than the above grant.

A.C.C.

In the case of accidental death, ACC may contribute towards the funeral expenses up to a maximum of $5788.92 (Other grants may also be available to a dependent spouse and children). The word dependent is defined by ACC.

You cannot claim a Funeral Grant from both WINZ and A.C.C.

If you have any queries regarding these grants please feel free to contact the staff at Westland Funeral Services Ltd who will be able to advise and assist you.

Westland Funeral Services Ltd

134 Tainui Street, Greymouth

Phone: 03 768 0250

Fax: 03 768 6336

email: westlandfs@extra.co.nz