Pictured above: Aubrey Kirkham and Leanne Garvey

A local company is celebrating dual successes after it triumphed at a regional business awards ceremony and saw a member of its team achieve a prestigious qualification to become the only qualified female Funeral Director in Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury, Four Crosses and Welshpool-based Aubrey Kirkham Funeral Directors, were presented with the Community and Business Award in the Small to Medium Business category at a recent ceremony, and the family-firm is also celebrating Leanne Garvey successfully achieving the prestigious Diploma in Funeral Directing.

"It's been an exciting month already" explained Aubrey Kirkham. "My wife Ann and I founded the business and are hugely proud of our eldest daughter Leanne's success in passing the Diploma with such flying colours. Not only is she now the only qualified female Funeral Director in Shrewsbury, but she joins Louise Williams of Telford as one of only two in the whole county."

"Leanne's success will assure bereaved families in the county of our commitment to the very highest standards, and the recent award is a wonderful further accolade which we're all delighted to have received," he added. 

The ceremony saw the Mayor of the new Shrewsbury Town Council host the first event to recognise individuals and businesses in Shrewsbury who have excelled in their efforts and endeavours in making the town a better place to work or live, and who have made a difference in creating jobs or giving support.

Aubrey Kirkham Funeral Directors were recognised because of their high levels of customer care, their commitment to training, and their business success which has seen the creation of new jobs in the town during a period of economic difficulty. The company has also invested in the expansion of their offices and has expanded their Chapel of Rest as a Ceremony Room.

Leanne Garvey added: "I'm thrilled to have passed the Diploma after months of hard work, and will be attending an Awards Ceremony in Windsor with my husband Chris where I'll be presented with my Diploma. It's certainly been tough to have studied alongside continuing to arrange and conduct funerals within our ever-busy firm, but I was determined and the end result has been really worth the effort."

As well as various written assignments, Leanne sat two written examinations and undertook face-to-face assessments with the Examiners who are part of the National Association, before she was able to secure the qualification.