East Mids funeral directors future proofs electric fleet with council grant

A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service, an award-winning independent funeral directors in the Midlands, has consolidated its commitment to a cleaner future after securing a council grant, allowing it to significantly increase the number of electric vehicle charging points at its head-quarters.

It comes after the family funeral directors recently invested in its first fully electric hearse and accompanying fleet in 2023 – the largest of any independent funeral directors – in order to provide more choice for those wanting a climate-conscious send-off.

The Sneinton-headquartered business, which has 60 vehicles, has seen a shift towards a demand for more environmentally friendly funerals. This is a trend reflected on a national level, with 1 in 3 people noting that climate concerns would play a role in their choice of funeral disposition.[1]

Now, with the assistance of Nottingham City Council, A.W. Lymn has been able to increase its number of electric charging points from one to 12 at its Robin Hood House base.

The funding has given the funeral directors complete flexibility for its existing electric fleet as well as the necessary infrastructure to expand the collection in the future.

Pete Clarson, Commercial Director at A.W. Lymn, said: “The motor industry is in a period of great change and in recent years, we’ve started to look at various options.

“It’s incredibly important to us that we’re not only ensuring that we’re able to provide the families that we serve with the services they’re looking for, but also that we’re investing in a greener future in our city.

“Last year, we participated in Nottingham City Council’s EV trial scheme, using a Light Commercial Vehicle which gave us a great insight into how we could be incorporating electric transport into our services.

“We had a single charging point installed, but it quickly became clear that we needed to expand. We’ve been incredibly well supported by local government, and we’re lucky to have access to such excellent grant opportunities.

“Thanks to Nottingham City Council, we’ve been able to triple the number of charging points we could have installed from four to 12, allowing us to make a real commitment to investing in cleaner technology.”

Nottingham City Council Leader and Executive Member for Strategic Regeneration, Transport and Communications, Councillor Neghat Khan added: “It’s great to see more and more local businesses embracing sustainability with the help of the City Council’s Workplace Travel Service team.

“These new EV chargers will help improve Nottingham’s air quality and are another step towards our goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2028.

“I encourage local businesses, charities and public sector organisations to chat to our friendly team to see what kind of green travel improvements your staff and visitors could benefit from.”

As more people look towards alternatives to traditional funerals A.W. Lymn’s investment in green technology and wider funeral options will allow it not only to limit its impact on the planet, but also increase its offerings to the communities it serves.

Operating 28 funeral homes throughout Nottinghamshire and South Derbyshire and with one recently opened in Leicestershire, A.W. Lymn is an award-winning family business that prides itself on helping the bereaved with quality of service and value for money at the heart of its ethos.

[1] Legal & General https://www.legalandgeneral.com/insurance/over-50-life-insurance/future-of-funerals/