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All my family and I would like to highly recommend the services of Molly at Douglas Mercer and Son. My Dad was fortunate to live a very long life, and we were keen to have a celebration of that life in the way that he…
Julie Davies
About Douglas Mercer & Son Funeral Directors
Douglas Mercer & Son Funeral Directors have been an integral part of St Leonards’ local community since 1897, founded by Douglas ‘Pop’ Mercer.
His original values of providing a personal and respectful experience have been upheld to this day. Keith Martin joined the funeral home in 1969 when his uncle, Fred Pomphrey, brought him into the funeral profession. Keith Martin then retired in 2010.
The team at our St Leonards funeral home will provide advice at every stage of the funeral planning process, and will arrange an individual and unique funeral to help you celebrate the life of your loved one.
Here at Douglas Mercer & Sons Funeral Directors we also offer an affordable prepaid funeral plan, Choice, so that you can arrange and pay for a funeral in advance. This will protect your family from rising costs and remove uncertainty about your wishes.
If you would like to talk to us about planning a funeral, or our Choice plan, please come and see us in any of our funeral homes, or if you’d rather we can arrange a home visit. We’re also available 24 hours a day on the phone so if you need anything please don’t hesitate to call your local funeral home.
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Meet the Team
Molly Dowling
Funeral Arranger
Molly has been in the funeral industry since leaving school. She has an NAFD (National Association of Funeral Directors) Certificate in Funeral Arranging and Administration. Outside of work, Molly is a Trustee of a local charity. She says, ‘Helping families during one of the most challenging times of their life is extremely rewarding, and being entrusted to care for loved ones is on of the highest honours’.
Gillian Strachan
Gillian has worked in the funeral business for 13 years, previously working for another local funeral director. She has an NAFD (National Association of Funeral Directors) certificate in funeral arranging and administration and has been part of our team since July 2010. Gillian also has extensive experience around end of life planning and pre-paid funeral plans, an essential requirement now for any progressive funeral director.
Nick Darkk
Nick has worked in the funeral industry for over 10 years.
He moved from London to St. Leonards-on-Sea in 2000 and says he loves living in the community.
Nick has six children and two grandchildren and likes nothing more than spending time with them.
Peter Noakes
Funeral Service Operative
Rachel Chorlton
Casual Funeral Service Operative
Rachel has been working in the Funeral Industry since 2022. Having previously been a Funeral Arranger / Funeral Planning Consultant, she feels at home working as a Funeral Service Operative with us. Helping families give the perfect goodbye to their loved ones has been the most rewarding part of her career. Outside of her work she spends time exploring local markets, playing video games and enjoying time with her friends and family.
Henk Van Aalst
Casual Funeral Service Operative
Alex Bayley
Casual Funeral Service Operative
Our Values
Pride
We take pride in everything we do. Our aim is that everyone who works for Funeral Partners shares our values.
Helping People
Our business exists to help the bereaved to make fitting arrangements for their loved one’s last journey and to provide lasting memories for family and friends.
We do this with a positive, caring and understanding approach.
Respect for everyone
We value diversity and treat everyone with the same respect, courtesy and dignity.
Professional Standards
We are a professional organisation and we strive to achieve the highest possible standards in everything we do and to improve upon these standards continuously.
Accept responsibility
We accept responsibility for our actions both as a company and as individuals.
Partnership
We believe that we can only achieve our goals by working together in partnership with client families, suppliers and our employees.