Chapel keeps up with funeral preferences

SERVICE: Gary Pickering in his new chapel.

The newly built Village Chapel alongside the boutique Kuripuni village is the perfect venue to bring families together, says funeral director Gary Pickering.

The chapel, designed by Bronnie Hutchinson of Idesign, is Mr Pickering's way of keeping up with funeral preferences.

"The majority of funerals are now in chapels, that's why we went ahead with it." Mr Pickering said.

Work began on the chapel last August and except for the car park, which will cater for 35 cars, it is complete.

Mr Pickering has been in the funeral-home industry 28 years, after a police career and a brief stint farming before he was injured and opted to change direction.

He is in the business to help families and friends in difficult circumstances when a loved one passes away.

"I like to be able to provide a light at the end of the tunnel for grieving families and allow them to take a step forward," Mr Pickering said.

Chapel features include seating for 200, plus standing room, listening equipment for the hearing impaired, light control for photo tributes, climate control, live streaming for those who can't be there, new kitchen, closed courtyard and double glazing to block outside noise.

Everything he discovered families needed during his years in the business had been put into the chapel: "It will be a great asset to Masterton, people are so often jammed into places that are too small."