About Valentines
Our Causes
Our work brings us into contact with families facing grief, illness, trauma and other difficult circumstances. It also gives us an understanding of the pressures carried by the professionals who care for others. As a result, some causes have become particularly important to Gary and the Valentines team.
We created this page to share the charities, campaigns and organisations we support and to explain why their work matters to us. Each reflects values that are central to Valentines: compassion, dignity, community and practical support for people when they need it most.
By highlighting their work, we hope more people can learn about the issues they address, find support when they need it and discover ways to become involved.
Grave Concern
Funeral professionals spend their working lives supporting people through death, grief, trauma and loss. The effect this work can have on those providing that support is rarely discussed openly enough.
Our MD Gary founded Grave Concern during his year as President of the London Association of Funeral Directors to help change that.
The campaign raises awareness of mental-health challenges within the funeral profession, including anxiety, trauma, burnout and compassion fatigue. It encourages people to recognise the signs, talk honestly and seek support before reaching crisis point.
Gary has spoken publicly about his own experiences of anxiety, stress, burnout and sleep paralysis - because silence does not protect people, it isolates them. If we expect funeral professionals to provide compassionate care to families, we must also take better care of the people carrying that responsibility.
The ‘MumMum’ Foundation
The ‘MumMum’ Foundation was created in memory of Gary's nan, affectionately known as MumMum, after we experienced first-hand the effect cancer can have on an entire family.
Gary founded the charity to help families affected by cancer create positive memories together. That might mean a meal, a trip to the theatre, a day out, some respite or simply having somebody there to listen.
The purpose is straightforward: to give families opportunities to laugh, smile and spend meaningful time together during circumstances that can otherwise become dominated by appointments, treatment and worry.
Gary remains the Foundation’s Chair and a trustee. Its work is deeply personal to him and reflects something he and the Valentines team have learned repeatedly through service to families: the memories people create together matter.
Talk to someone who can help
If someone has died or you need immediate guidance, call either of our branch numbers for 24-hour assistance.
You do not need to know what to ask. We will take you through the next steps.
For non-urgent enquiries, you can request an estimate or contact us online. We will respond during office hours 09:00-16:00.