Helpful Guides
We’ve gathered our most useful guides, brochures, and trusted links in one place. Families often tell us it helps to have everything together, so you can read in your own time and share with others.
Downloadable Resources
Preparing for death
Taking small steps early can make things easier for you and your family. Preparing gives peace of mind and ensures your wishes are clear. Things to consider:
- Make or update your will
- Appoint enduring power of attorney
- Record your funeral preferences — see our How to Pre-plan page
- Talk with your family about your wishes
- Gather important documents in one place
- Learn more about Prepayment, Grants & Assistance
- Record your Funeral Wishes – Book a meeting to discuss or RYC form link
- Financial prep – Prepayment, grants & assistance
- Explore all preplanning
Eco Funeral Options
If our planet is precious to you or your loved one, it’s natural you would wish your funeral to follow environmental principles.
Eco-funerals in New Zealand are imperfect, because of our lack of natural cemeteries and alternatives to cremation, but there are things you can do to minimise your funeral’s impact on our planet.
Caring for your body sustainably
The embalming process uses aldehyde chemicals. If environmental impact is important to you, you may wish to consider alternatives to embalming. Your funeral director can discuss your options and help you make the right choice.
No embalming
If you’re being buried soon after death you may choose not to have your body embalmed. If this is appropriate, your body will be gently washed, dressed, and kept in a cool environment. We recommend funerals take place within 3-5 days.
Eco-care
We also offer environmental embalming options. These use plant-based solutions approved by the Green Burial Association. They’re only effective for a short while, so we recommend funerals take place within 3-5 days.
Green burial in Christchurch
Natural burial principles allow our bodies to return to the earth with minimal environmental impact. Bodies are buried in conditions that encourage speedy decomposition and the regeneration of natural forest above the graves.
Natural burials usually follow these guidelines:
- A shallow plot within the living soil layer.
- No embalming.
- The body is dressed in natural, biodegradable materials.
- Natural, biodegradable casket or shroud.
- Plots are filled with living soil and planted with native trees and shrubs.
Christchurch City Council offers Green Burials, which follow most natural burial principles, in the Diamond Harbour Memorial Gardens Cemetery and Yaldhurst Cemetery.
Eco caskets
We offer a range of eco-friendly caskets, including natural pine sourced from sustainably grown plantations, hand woven willow, and biodegradable wool with an organic cotton lining. These caskets are certified for use in natural burial sites.
Minimising environmental impact at the funeral
Other ways to minimise the environmental impact of a funeral include:
- Locally sourced, seasonal flowers and foliage.
- Recycled service sheets (or no service sheets).
- Minimising the use of vehicles.
- Simple, seasonal catering.
Please let the John Rhind team know if you'd like any advice on a envoronmentally sustainable ideas for funerals in NZ.
John Rhind Grief Care
Families going through the stress of bereavement can require ongoing care and support, which is why we offer free bereavement care to our clients.
We use a qualified counsellor who understands the challenges grieving can bring. They offer support, reassurance, and education, and can also refer you to other services if you need long term support.
We’ll contact you a few weeks after the funeral to see how you are coping and ask whether you’d like to use our grief support services. If you’d like to speak with someone before this, please call us on 03 379 9920 to book an appointment.
Ways to help yourself through grief
Grief is our natural response to losing someone we love. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and people experience grief differently. When you’re grieving be gentle with yourself. Here are 10 ways to care for yourself as you grieve:
- Exercise regularly and choose an activity that you enjoy.
- Maintain a balanced diet and take supplements if you need to.
- Limit your use of drugs or alcohol.
- Structure your time. Keep routines as normal as possible, especially where children are concerned.
- Keep important decisions for later. Your judgement may not be sound.
- Ask for help when you need it.
- Spend time with others.
- Talk to people you trust about how you feel.
- Write down some of your thoughts or feelings.
- Allow yourself time out and do things that make you feel good.
Grief takes time. Be patient with yourself and others.
John Rhind Grief Care
Families going through the stress of bereavement can require ongoing care and support, which is why we offer free bereavement care to our clients.
We use a qualified counsellor who understands the challenges grieving can bring. They offer support, reassurance, and education, and can also refer you to other services if you need long term support.
We’ll contact you a few weeks after the funeral to see how you are coping and ask whether you’d like to use our grief support services. If you’d like to speak with someone before this, please call us on 03 379 9920 to book an appointment.
Ways to help yourself through grief
Grief is our natural response to losing someone we love. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and people experience grief differently. When you’re grieving be gentle with yourself. Here are 10 ways to care for yourself as you grieve:
- Exercise regularly and choose an activity that you enjoy.
- Maintain a balanced diet and take supplements if you need to.
- Limit your use of drugs or alcohol.
- Structure your time. Keep routines as normal as possible, especially where children are concerned.
- Keep important decisions for later. Your judgement may not be sound.
- Ask for help when you need it.
- Spend time with others.
- Talk to people you trust about how you feel.
- Write down some of your thoughts or feelings.
- Allow yourself time out and do things that make you feel good.
Grief takes time. Be patient with yourself and others.
Need more help?
If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, please call us. Our funeral directors in Christchurch and Kaiapoi are always glad to answer questions or provide extra copies of brochures.