Poppy Mardall is the Founder and Chair of Poppy’s Funerals, the award‑winning, B Corp‑certified independent funeral directors she established in 2012 to bring greater transparency, compassion and choice to funeral care. Now supporting families across London and Surrey, Poppy’s Funerals is widely recognised for redefining the modern funeral experience. A leading advocate for improving standards in death care, Poppy regularly shares her expertise across TV, radio and national press. Poppy lives in South London with her family.
Poppy’s Funerals just opened a new shop on Coombe Lane in Raynes Park on Monday 13 April to serve the Wimbledon and Raynes Park communities.
What inspired you to create Poppy’s Funerals in 2012?
A number of separate exposés into the funeral sector drew my attention to a culture of neglect, disregard and greed. Most people don’t know the funeral sector is unregulated.
I wanted to create a service where outstanding care for the living and the dead would be the norm. It’s what I would want for the people I love – I strongly feel that great service and care should be available to everyone.
Where are you based?
We have three beautiful locations across London: Raynes Park, Tooting and East Sheen, from which we serve people across London and into Surrey.
What is unique about Poppy’s?
The feedback from our clients emphasises the same sentiment over and over again: the exceptional quality of our service. We are here to support and guide you to do exactly what is right for you. We are at your side every step of the way, whether you need something really simple and affordable, or a beautiful series of events across multiple days.
How is Poppy’s redefining what a modern funeral experience looks like?
The emphasis is on your experience, not what you choose to buy. When you need a funeral, you are often in a vulnerable position. You shouldn’t be aggressively sold to – you should be supported to get what you want and need. At Poppy’s, of course you can buy as many beautiful things as you want, but our job is to help you navigate your decisions with confidence. It needs to be exactly right for you.
What’s your advice for choosing the right funeral director for you?
Many people don’t realise how important it is to find a funeral director who is really on your side. Before you appoint a funeral director, try and find out: will they be led by your wishes and needs? Are you at the centre of the experience, or are they? Many of us only organise one or two funerals in our lives: we deserve to receive the very best support.
You’re opening a new shop in Raynes Park during a time when many services are going online. What is so important about being on the high street? And why is Raynes Park/Wimbledon the right place for Poppy’s next opening?
We want to be exactly where our clients need us to be, which in today’s world means a thoughtful combination of in-person and digital services. Yes, our website is a breath of fresh air and lovely to use, but sometimes you need to meet a real person face to face. A shop on the high street is also a great way to start conversations: don’t just come in when you need a funeral director, pop in any time to ask us questions or to check us out.
This new shop just had to be in Raynes Park. We have been looking after families in the Raynes Park and Wimbledon area for fifteen years, and as our local clients have grown, we knew we wanted to embed ourselves more fully, to be local and at hand when people need us. We feel so lucky to be joining such a welcoming and supportive community.
You’re passionate about having more open conversations about death and dying. If readers want to have better conversations with the people in their life, where should they start?
It can feel hard to start a conversation about the end of our lives. But if we don’t talk, we won’t know what people want and we can be left very vulnerable when the time comes. It can help to start slowly and to plant seeds of conversation that can be returned to. One way to start is to let people know what you’d want for yourself. ‘I’d love this song played at my funeral’ or ‘I’ve always loved spring flowers’ can both be gentle starters. This can lead to you finding out more about others: ‘recently I’ve been thinking about the future and I realise I don’t know what your wishes might be. Might there be an opportunity for me to find out more about what really matters to you?’
At Poppy’s, we hold regular open afternoons and Death Cafes which can be a good way to build your confidence to have the conversation.
What are some meaningful ways families are personalising funerals?
There are so many ways to make a funeral really personal. A man wanted to be driven to his funeral in his beloved classic car rather than in a traditional hearse – no problem. A family chose to use vegetables from the person’s allotment to decorate the top of the coffin, rather than traditional flowers. We have supported grandchildren to help to carry the coffin. The most personal, meaningful funerals are the ones where family and friends do exactly what they need to – whether that’s something very traditional or not. Our job is to support our clients’ wishes and instincts.
Can you share how Poppy’s approaches eco‑friendly or sustainable funeral options?
Poppy’s is B Corp certified and we love to support our clients to choose sustainable options if that is right for them. We are lucky to be in the UK where we can source beautiful willow coffins, grown and woven in Somerset. We offer a traditional coffin made entirely from spruce offcuts, and a mushroom coffin made from mycelium, hemp and moss. We work with a florist who can source seasonal flowers grown entirely locally, some from her own garden. The key for us, as with everything, is to be led by our client and their wishes and priorities.
What first steps do you recommend when someone loses a loved one and feels overwhelmed?
When somebody dies, there are things that have a firm timeline: the death must be verified and registered for example. But perhaps counter-intuitively, this can be a moment to stop and take a breath. Once you have appointed Poppy’s and we are caring for your person, you can take some time to think about what you might want for the funeral. Decisions don’t have to be rushed. The other thing I’d recommend is to share the load if you can. Is there a friend or relative who can take responsibility for communicating with wider friends and family? Can someone else make sure food is on the table? If it’s possible, this can be a time to reflect and focus on yourself a little.
How does Poppy’s support families emotionally as well as practically?
Our job at Poppy’s is to make sure you feel thoroughly held and supported throughout your experience. Yes, we are experts at ensuring the funeral runs smoothly. But we care about your wider experience with us. Do you know what your options are? Can we recommend bereavement support for your children? Is there something that someone just needs to do, which we can help you pull off? The feedback from our clients is that they feel held and heard at every turn, and that is what brings us back to work in the morning.
If readers are interested in finding out more about how Poppy’s works, what is the best way to do this?
Give us a call any time 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday (except on Thursdays, when our phone lines open at 9.30am) on 020 3861 0554.
Or pop in to see us at Poppy’s Raynes Park, 46 Coombe Lane, London SW20 0LA.
People can also get an instant quote on our website any time, day or night at www.poppysfunerals.co.uk.
Other Poppy’s info
- Poppy’s Open Afternoon – a free community talk in our beautiful light-filled mortuary in Tooting. Wednesday 3 June: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poppys-open-afternoon-tickets-1983765080758?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true
- We also run regular Death Cafés – the first café in Raynes Park will be announced on our events page soon: https://www.poppysfunerals.co.uk/events/
- People can also sign up to our monthly newsletter if they want to stay in touch with our news and events: https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1wpuCMTUbQS6_cCTuVSh0lgg4udr
