Northwood & Sons in Much Wenlock, is a family business and we meet a 22 year old that is helping serve the community as an undertaker.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00So we're here in Much Wenlock and Jack you're an undertaker?
00:04I am, yes.
00:05How old are you?
00:06I'm 22.
00:07Possibly the youngest undertaker, you never know.
00:10Well, in Shropshire, yeah.
00:12How long have you been doing it for?
00:14About three and a half years now.
00:15And it's a family business?
00:16It is, yeah, with mum and dad.
00:18Yeah, and what is it that you kind of get out of it then?
00:22I mean, you're with people that kind of their, you know,
00:25goal guards are down, they're quite vulnerable.
00:27I guess it must be satisfying that you can help people in those times of need sort of thing.
00:32Of course, it's a strong sense of pride about it.
00:35And your family, you have had the business how long?
00:38Twelve years now.
00:39We should give a shout out, what's the name of the business?
00:41Northwood and Sons.
00:42And your colleagues over there, who have we got with you?
00:44Paul Butler.
00:45How long's Paul been involved?
00:47I was, I'd say about five years now.
00:49Yeah, cool.
00:51So, what's, it must be, is it nervous on the day when, you know,
00:56because it's an important moment?
00:58When you've done your preparation properly, then no.
01:01Building up to it, it can be interesting and your family is different to the next.
01:07Yeah, and I guess you have to, there's a lot of reading people, I presume,
01:10as to how you have to be with them.
01:12Social signals, yeah.
01:14Yeah, yeah.
01:15So what do your friends think when you're down the pub or you meet someone new
01:18and they say, oh, what do you do for a job?
01:19You say I'm an undertaker, go on.
01:21A lot of people are very surprised, to be honest.
01:24But in Shropshire, there are a few young funeral directors.
01:29I think that I'm the youngest.
01:31And have they come out with all the jokes, have they?
01:35Yeah, definitely, so I could list a few.
01:38But it's a good career, isn't it, you know?
01:41I don't see myself doing anything else.
01:43Yeah, yeah, cool.
01:45So what would you say is the thing that you feel most proud about doing the strolling?
01:51I think helping people, being there when people, as you said, are vulnerable,
01:55and seeing the process from them being obviously distraught and going through a bereavement
02:01and then carrying out their wishes and their loved ones' wishes on the day of the funeral
02:05and then seeing that almost breath of relief once everything's panned out.
02:10Everything's gone well, yeah.
02:12Well, thank you, Jack, and long may the streets of Shropshire see you doing your things.
02:16Thank you very much.