AW Lymn appoints new senior funeral director for West Notts

AW Lymn has announced the appointment of Kirby Cranshaw as its new senior funeral director for the West Notts area to lead an all-female team. Cranshaw stepped into the new role at the start of October, having joined the family funeral directors’ Wollaton branch in 2020. She brings an unwavering commitment to the families and community she serves, and joins the team of six senior funeral directors working across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and most recently, Leicestershire, following the opening of AW Lymn’s 28th branch in Bottesford. As part of her new role, Cranshaw oversees the funeral directors working in Wollaton, Beeston, Stapleford, Aspley and Long Eaton branches in both a professional and pastoral capacity. She will also continue to direct funerals and engage with the local community. Her team is made up of all women, reflecting a change in what has historically been a male dominated profession. Her interest in the sector began at the age of 15 when she completed work experience at a funeral provider in Blackpool. After obtaining a degree in Forensic Science from the University of Lincoln, she started to write to funeral directors in the area and secured her first role. Cranshaw said: “I’ve known ever since that first bit of work experience that working in the funeral industry is what I was put on this earth to do. It’s about making someone’s final journey perfect, helping people through some of the most difficult times and making it just a little bit easier.” After nine years of working in Lincoln and becoming a branch manager across four funeral homes, Kirby joined AW Lymn as a funeral director and moved to Nottingham. She added: “I’d always known of and dreamed of working for AW Lymn, but because I lived in Lincoln, I didn’t think it would be possible. I’d seen their service brochures and the way they operate, and their approach really aligned with me. “Joining A.W. Lymn allowed me to get back to what I was really passionate about, which is building relationships in the community. I’m incredibly proud to have been promoted to senior funeral director and take on a new level of responsibility within the business.” Matthew Lymn Rose, MD of AW Lymn, said: “Ever since Kirby joined the team in 2020, we have been incredibly impressed by her commitment to the job, and her devotion to embodying our core values and ethos in everything she does. “We have no doubts that Kirby will excel in her new role supporting her colleagues across the west area, and we look forward to seeing her continue to grow professionally as she takes on this new challenge.”