Meet Our Dedicated Management Team

Steven Mears DipFD

Group CEO

Office 020 3455 0305
sjm@funerals.london

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Steven is a third generation Funeral Director and founder of the Steven Mears Group. He oversees all aspects of the business and is passionate in his quest to offer funerals at the highest standard for a reasonable cost. Steven also has a funeral business in Cheshire, with branches in Runcorn and Warrington, that has the same ethos. His International Repatriation business, Mears Repatriation, is one of the largest in the UK.

Lisa McDermott DipFAA

Managing Director

Office 020 3455 0305
lisa@funerals.london

lisa

As Managing Director, Lisa is the most senior member of the team and is responsible for the entire funeral business and many other departments within the Steven Mears Group. Lisa has worked with Steven for over 16 years sharing his vision and setting the high standards to which the 11 branches in South East London, East London and Buckinghamshire work.

Gary Hart

Business Development Manager

Office 020 3026 3126
gary@mears.london

gary

Gary has over 13 years of experience across all aspects of the funeral profession and is responsible for the commercial and marketing activities of the company, including its web and social media presence. He is also responsible for managing and developing trade partnerships with other funeral directors, trade associations and other industry partners for our funeral and international repatriation services.

Anji Reeves DipFD DipFAA

Area Business Manager

Office 0208 650 1188
anji@funerals.london

anji-dip-fd-graduation-2-

Anji has over 11 years’ funeral profession experience and is an elected member of the Executive Committee of the London Association of Funeral Directors, a role she has held since 2016. She is passionate about the profession which has enabled her to deliver a compassionate, professional, caring service to the families in my care. Anji is responsible for the Beckenham, Bromley, Catford, Lewisham and West Wickham branches.

Elisabeth Elphick

Diary Manager

Office 0203 455 0305
info@funerals.london

Lis is responsible for the operation of all funerals we conduct, ensuring that our vehicles and staff are at the right place at the right time. She controls our fleet of over twenty vehicles and thirty staff.

Luke Dighton

Senior Funeral Director

Office 0203 455 0305
luke@funerals.london

lukewebsitetall

Luke has over 12 years’ experience of all aspects of the funeral profession having previously worked at two independent funeral companies. Luke is fanatical about attention to detail and is particularly passionate about delivering a quality service to customers by delivering a perfect funeral from start to finish.

Alan McPherson

Funeral Conductor

Office 0203 455 0305
info@funerals.london

Alan McPherson Funeral Director

Alan is our principal funeral conductor, leading our team of funeral operatives who are responsible for delivering our local funeral services. He also has responsibility for the care of our ever increasing ceremonial fleet, ensuring each vehicle is maintained to a ‘showroom’ condition.

Joe Hopper

Trainee Funeral Conductor

Office 020 3455 0305
info@funerals.london

Yvonne Surridge

Masonry Manager

Office 020 8719 0910

info@memorials.london

James Huntington

Celebrant

Office 0208 650 1188
celebrant@funerals.london

james-huntington

When planning a funeral ceremony with a family James prioritises sensitivity, compassion and understanding. He believes that each ceremony should be as unique and special as the person being celebrated and so will work closely with you to put together a meaningful service in accordance with your wishes and of course any wishes left by the person who has died.

Philippa Smith DipFD

General Manager - Aylesbury

Office 01296 593121
info@mearsofaylesbury.co.uk

pip

Philippa has worked in the funeral profession for 35 years, gaining her Diploma in Funeral Directing in 1991 and later qualifying as an embalmer in 1996. Philippa has previously been an area manager for the Co-operative Funeral Service and several Independent funeral homes. In 2006 Philippa established her freelance embalming business before joining Mears of Aylesbury as General Manager.

Brenda Sullivan

Manager - Beckenham

Office 020 8650 1188

beckenham@funerals.london

Ian Moore

Manager - Blackfen

Office 020 8294 5600

blackfen@funerals.london

Lucy Johnson

Manager - Biggin Hill

Office 01959 573 838
bigginhill@funerals.london

A Biggin Hill resident, Lucy jumped at the chance to join the team when the Biggin Hill branch opened in October 2018. Having previously worked for blue-chip corporations, Lucy has embraced the change in working environment (and shorter commute!) and is passionate about serving the community she is a part of. She is also our in-house Order of Service design expert - with a flair for the creative and eye for detail.

Maria Sofocleous

Manager - Bromley & West Wickham

Office 0208 719 0917
bromley@funerals.london

Originally joining the team as a mobile arranger, Maria has quickly progressed to managing two of our branches - Bromley and West Wickham. She is committed to delivering the highest quality of client service and has a deep understanding of the varying needs and requirements of all sectors of the communities she serves. Maria also manages our specialists funeral floristry business, Cloud Flowers.

Dianne Gillard

Manager - Catford

Office 020 8719 0910
catford@funerals.london

Dianne Gillard Manager - Catford Branch

Dianne started working with Steven over 18 years ago when he opened his original flagship branch in Lewisham under the Steven Mears Funeral Directors brand (sold in 2013). Dianne is well-known in the Catford and Sydenham area and has unsurpassed knowledge in all aspects of funeral arranging and monumental masonry. She is especially proud to be the manager of the first branch opened under the Mears Family Funerals brand.

Pam Ambrose

Manager - Eltham

Office 0208 859 6344
eltham@funerals.london

Pam Ambrose Branch Manager

Pam is the driving force behind our Eltham Branch.

Having spent most of her life in and around the Eltham area she has a unique understanding of local life and cultures.

Always ready to serve our clients, she is very knowledgeable in all aspects of arranging a funeral.

Nichola Wickenden

Manager - Lewisham

Office 0208 314 0995
lewisham@funerals.london

Nichola strongly believes in ensuring our families are treated with the care and respect they deserve.

Drawing on her many years of face to face customer service experience gained from 19 years training colleagues in a corporate environment.

She is proud to fulfill her long held ambition to work for a Family Run Funeral Directors.

Sharon Wickes

Manager - Orpington

Office 01689 363001

orpington@funerals.london

Sharon joined the group as a Repatriation Manager at Mears Repatriation, having previously worked for a leading independent funeral directors that was acquired by a large corporate group. Sharon, who has over 23 years of funeral profession experience, is now the driving force behind our flagship Orpington High Street branch providing the local community with exceptional service and compassion.

Samantha Gibson

Manager - Walthamstow

Office 020 8520 4999

walthamstow@funerals.london