Trevor Hunnaball marks 60 years within the funeral sector
The Hunnaball Family Funeral Group recently hosted a celebration party to commemorate its Chairman’s 60 years service to the funeral sector.
Trevor Hunnaball, Chairman of Hunnaball Family Funeral Group marked the special occasion with family, friends, colleagues and industry leaders at Le Talbooth, Essex.
Trevor is an Honorary Member of the Essex & Suffolk Association, in recognition of his long service, and has been Chairman on several occasions, also serving as East Anglia Area President. He was elected National President of the Association in 1994, and is a Trustee of the NAFD. He also represents the profession on the Churches’ Funerals Group, and is highly respected throughout the industry.
The evening commenced with an opening address from Mandie Lavin, CEO of the National Association of Funeral Directors and Sir Bob Russell High Steward of Colchester, former Mayor and Colchester MP. Among the distinguished guests in attendance, including local dignitaries, Peter Wilson, Chairman of the Colchester Cancer Centre Campaign gave an address on the charity, which the Hunnaball Family Funeral group has chosen to dedicate all their fundraising activities to for 2017.
Speaking on the occasion Trevor Hunnaball said, “I am truly honoured and blessed that so many special people were able to join me to celebrate my 60 years in the industry.” He added: “ I sincerely appreciate the support everyone has given me over the course of my career. My wife Melanie, our family and dedicated staff who are all equally as passionate about the business as I am.”
“It is a tremendous honour to be a funeral director. People allow us to be responsible for their loved ones, they place their trust in us and I am privileged that I have been able to serve the local community for six decades.”
Since leaving St Helena School in Colchester in 1957, Trevor Hunnaball has worked in the funeral sector. He joined W H Shephard Funeral Service in Colchester as a trainee and rose to become Managing Director. However, Trevor’s ambition was always to have his own business, which he achieved with the purchase of Geo Paskell Funeral Service of Wix in 1984. This decision proved to be the right one, as W H Shephard was subsequently sold to the Colchester Co-Operative Society.
Since opening Hunnaball Funeral Service in Colchester, the company has gone from strength to strength, and now has 12 outlets throughout Essex and Suffolk, which form the Hunnaball Family Funeral Group. They also own and operate Lexden Garden of Rest and Columbarium in Colchester, and have a well-established stonemasonry business, Hunnaball Memorials. The company is also heavily committed to education and quality through achievement.
The company has a firm footing in Suffolk and opened a new branch in Spring Road, Ipswich, in late 2016 serving the eastern side of the town and outlying areas. This complements the original Ipswich branch on Norwich Road, which has just marked 21 years of their ‘Ladies in Hats’, which have become recognisable as the Hunnaball team of lady funeral directors.
The family theme is very important to Trevor, and in addition to working alongside his wife Melanie, his son Saul, daughter Polly and stepson Chris Partner, daughters-in-law Jennie and Zena and son-in-law Joe are now part of the team – it’s a real family business.
Trevor commented: “As a family business we are dedicated to providing the very best of care for bereaved families, and to serving their local communities.” He added: “I would say that we are probably more a family business than ever before and that’s our foundation and what we base our values on.”
He added: “Some people might say I’ve achieved enough, but I’m still full of ideas and ambitions, so watch this space, I’m not ready to retire just yet!”
