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Thursday, September 04, 2008, 07:00
matt.johnson@essnmedia.co.uk
It isn't often you'll see a funeral director smiling.
But an upcoming world record attempt to be held in Croydon could brighten even the most sombre face.
The British Institute of Funeral Directors' annual conference to be held next month will see a cavalcade of 100 hearses from around Britain converge on the borough to form what could be the largest gathering of funeral cars anywhere in the world.
Horse-draw carriages, motorcycles and Rolls Royces will be among those attending the conference at the Hilton Hotel in Waddon Way, Waddon, between Friday, October 24 and Sunday, October 26, all under the watchful eye of a Guinness World Records representative.
Adrian Pink, manager of Surrey-based A&D Pink Independent Family Funeral Directors and president of the BIFD said: "I wanted to make this year's conference something different.
"We always have a bit of a trade show but we need to do more to open our doors to the public.
"The funeral profession has a history of conservation and there are many restored hearses around the UK so we thought that we would try and bring a few of them together at the conference.
"We had reserved 100 places for hearses in the Hilton car park for the display and by the end of July we were almost fully booked.
"We're going to set the record for most hearses in one place.
"We've got people coming from the West Country, Ireland, Scotland, all over the place so we're quite excited."
Among the attendees at the event will be Rev Paul Sinclair who is leading a convoy of seven motorcycle hearses down from Leicester and Matthew Lymn Rose who will be bringing several Rolls Royces from his Nottingham-based fleet.
The conference will culminate in the world's longest cavalcade of funeral vehicles that will tour through Croydon between 2.15pm and 4pm on Saturday, October 25.
Mr Pink added: "The BIFD wants to open up the profession and its suppliers to their market, to make the whole process less intimidating.
"The hearse cavalcade is an event that puts us in the public eye, it lets the public and the funeral directors see the range of vehicles available from the carriage masters.
"It is a showcase for carriage masters to show off their vehicles."
Mr Pink says the cavalcade will travel at normal road speed, rather than at the respectful hearse pace.
PRESTIGIOUS: A Rolls Royce hearse belonging to A.W Lymn Family Funeral Service
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