Anyone can make funeral arrangements

According to Births, Deaths and Marriages, anyone, not just a funeral director, can organise a burial, cremation or other disposal of the body of a deceased. 

To do this, a BDM28 form must be sent, with the Medical Certificate Cause of Death (signed by the doctor), within three days of burial or cremation. 

Knowing these legal rights and being prepared, we arranged our mother’s tangi last week. 

We were organised in our arrangements, her coffin was made, her body was kept cool with Manaaki Mats and we were now ready to place the death notice in the Gisborne Herald. 

We were extremely distressed when told by an NZME staff member that we could not place a death notice or organise a death without a funeral director. Their inaccurate information caused undue stress and frustration at a vulnerable time for our whānau. 

We informed them that their information was incorrect and suggested to them that the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death be emailed as proof that our mother had died. After an unnecessarily stressful conversation, the matter was finally resolved, enabling us to place our death notice. 

We want to help others in this situation and hope this experience will educate staff that anyone (not just a funeral director) can make funeral arrangements. 

Funeral directors do a wonderful job but it is important for people to know all their options, including being able to arrange the paperwork themselves. 

We also want whānau to be aware that to place the initial death notice, you must email the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. This will resolve the issue of ensuring that staff can clearly identify the person in charge of the main arrangements so they can act accordingly. 

For our beautiful Queen of the castle, Trudy Meredith — all her wishes were carried out; she remained in her home, she stayed natural in her deathcare, and she had a magnificent farewell. 

If you would like to do what we did, do your research, be prepared, and remember that legally you have the right to make all the arrangements. 

The Meredith whānau