Please note voting is now closed for our Executive election.
This year we had three candidates proposed for three vacancies.
James Morris, William Purves Funeral Directors
James Morris has 30 years’ experience in the funeral profession having joined William Purves Funeral Directors in 1992 as a trainee funeral director. James has worked his way up to Managing Director in 2014 and still holds this position today.
Working in this large independent company, based in Edinburgh but with branches across Scotland and the North East of England, has given him a breadth of experience and understanding of funeral practices and running businesses of various sizes.
James stands for re-election to the SAIFCharter Executive now that his initial three year term is coming to an end after being elected in 2019. James is an active contributor to the association and is also a member of the SAIFCharter Product Development & Innovation and Monitoring & Compliance Working Groups, as well as sitting on the Scottish SAIF Executive.
Giving up time to help his fellow professionals, James has been involved, through various committees and the Parliamentary Cross Party Group for Funerals and Bereavement, in the rapidly changing and challenging legislative environment in Scotland with the introduction of an Inspector of Funeral Directors and preparations for Government regulation and licencing. As well as being actively involved in discussions with and submissions to the CMA.
In standing for re-election, James continues to commit to represent the needs and challenges of all SAIFCharter members and to safeguard the ability of independent funeral directors to retain their independence and flexibility.
George Locke, R. Locke & Son
George started working with his grandfather and father for their family business in 1995, based in rural Warwickshire. He is now a company director of R. Locke & Son, who have worked with Golden Charter since 1992. Being a part of the local community has always been important at R. Locke & Son and George helps out by supporting a range of local community initiatives.
After participating in intelligence sharing meetings and peer to peer groups in 2020, George became involved with SAIFCharter’s working groups and in 2021 joined SAIFCharter’s Regulatory working group. George has been an active contributor in helping to shape Golden Charter’s approach to make the process for funeral directors who wish to continue to offer plans as straightforward as possible, whilst always keeping the customer at the heart of everything.
Alongside this, George has also successfully completed and been awarded his Diploma in Funeral Directing.
George is standing for election as he is proud to be an independent funeral director and is keen to represent the interests of small independent businesses.
Tracey Warren, Stoodley & Son
Tracey has been in the funeral profession since leaving school in 1995, working within the Dorset and Somerset community. In 2000 she joined Stoodley & Son of Crewkerne and subsequently bought the business after her employer’s retirement in 2016. Since then, she has opened another branch in the locality.
Tracey has been an advocate for the funeral profession over the years to help open up discussions around death and bereavement. She has written articles for trade and national magazines, conducted many interviews on national and local radio, been a regular contributor on BBC Radio Somerset, and been a keynote speaker at the Festival of Death at London’s Southbank Centre.
Tracey has a degree in Funeral Service from Bath University and is committed to providing ongoing support for families in her community and pre pandemic ran a successful bereavement support group.
Tracey joined the SAIFCharter working group for product development and innovation in 2020 and has been a valuable contributor. In standing for election, Tracey wants to increase the contribution she is making to represent the views of all SAIFCharter members and protect the future for Independents.