News & Advocacy

Every day in New Zealand, people are given a second chance at life through the extraordinary gift of organ and tissue donation. As someone who regularly supports families through end-of-life decisions, I've witnessed how this sensitive topic can spark hope, hesitation, and countless questions.

Posted in Blog, All; Posted 5 days ago by Sam - Representing the Funeral Directors Association Less than a minute to read

Cemeteries are more than just final resting places - they’re spaces where we connect with the past and honour those who came before us.

Posted in All, History; Posted 5 days ago Less than a minute to read

More than a century after Frank Renall reportedly beat John Henderson to death with his fists and a chair, both men lie in unmarked graves near the asylum where it happened.

More than 1700 other patients lie there in the same way: unacknowledged, unclaimed, and publicly unnamed.

Now though, that’s set to change.

Posted in All, In the News ; Posted 13 days ago Less than a minute to read

Over the years, I've noticed how social media has transformed how we experience and express grief. What was once a private journey shared with close family and friends has become something that can be both deeply personal and surprisingly public.

Posted in All, Blog; Posted 18 days ago by Sam - Representing the Funeral Directors Association Less than a minute to read

In what is being called a significant change for the funeral industry, New Zealand’s first water cremation service is being offered in Christchurch from next month.

Posted in In the News , All; Posted 19 days ago Less than a minute to read

The Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ) is calling for more transparent standards for pricing and standards after further details of a former funeral director's misconduct were revealed.

Posted in All, In the News ; Posted 25 days ago Less than a minute to read

Details of Fiona Bakulich’s deception revealed in a Marae programme interview with Francis and Kaiora Tipene reinforce the importance of more transparent pricing and standards says the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand.

Posted in All, Press Releases; Posted 27 days ago Less than a minute to read

Well done to member firm, Pellow & Hill for their compassion and generosity in stepping up to fully support a grieving family when it mattered most. 

Posted in In the News , All; Posted 37 days ago Less than a minute to read

It is a trend the Funeral Directors Association has observed across the country. Cultural advisor Larni Hepi said about three in five whānau across the Eastern Bay of Plenty have tangi at home or at a funeral home, instead of the marae.

Posted in In the News , All; Posted 39 days ago Less than a minute to read