| 121 COMMUNITY Judy Thompson 4 Foley Drive Rotorua 3015 021 348 140 rob.judythompson@gmail.com FUNERAL CELEBRANT Remembering with you, the life your loved one Hand Crafted Wooden Urns Contact Peter today to order Natural wooden urns crafted in semi formal or rustic design from aged recycled native timber each with it's own unique story to tell. All urns can be customized on request with handles and other extra features. Tauranga, Bay of Plenty 0274 809 264 info@popeyeswoodworks.co.nz popeyeswoodworks.co.nz Collingwood Funeral Home T T Anne Boswell Thoughtful touches underline respect and care Collingwood Funeral Home was founded on the belief that every life is unique, and every farewell should reflect that. Attention to detail is at the heart of everything Collingwood Funeral Home does – and this commitment to going above and beyond has earned the Rotorua business a place among the finalists in the 35th Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards. For co-owners, Mike Lee and Todd Gower, the recognition is an affirmation that their approach to one of life’s most difficult occasions is making a difference. Established 10 years ago, Collingwood Funeral Home was founded on the belief that every life is unique, and every farewell should reflect that. Rather than simply following tradition, the team takes a personal, flexible and family-centred approach, taking the time to listen, understand what matters most and create a meaningful farewell that honours the individual. “You’ve got one shot at it,” Mike says. “The finer details are what set us apart.” One example is a small gesture the team makes after collecting someone from their home: before leaving, they make the bed and place a flower and a poem on the pillow. “You have to consider what their family are going back to,” Mike says. “You want something to make them feel warm, something special.” It is this thoughtfulness, combined with dignity, respect and genuine care, which underpins the business’s reputation. Todd brought extensive industry experience to the partnership, having worked in the funeral profession since he was 18, and previously operating his own funeral business in Tauranga. Mike had spent three years working part-time in a funeral home before the pair established Collingwood, determined to build a business around their shared values. Those values extend to how the business operates. Rather than investing heavily in marketing, or concerning themselves with what other funeral homes are doing, Mike and Todd have focused on delivering consistently good service and allowing word of mouth to do the talking. “Someone once told me that funerals breed funerals,” Mike says. “That means if you look after someone with dignity and respect, and give them a good send-off, other people will say, ‘I want that for my family members, too.’” Lower marketing expenses have enabled Collingwood to pass those savings on to families. Mike says the people delivering that service is equally important: finding the right team has been fundamental to the business’s success, because the qualities needed to support grieving families cannot simply be taught. “You can’t train that – they either have it, or they don’t,” Mike says. Collingwood has assembled a team of caring, warm people, who help families feel safe and supported throughout the process. That philosophy is reflected in the funeral home itself, which has been designed to feel homely and comfortable, rather than sterile. For Mike, being named a finalist in the 2026 Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards University of Waikato Management School - Professional Services category is about more than recognition for innovation, leadership, resilience and contribution to the local economy and community – it reinforces the importance of the work the team does and confirms they have built a business the community can trust. “It solidifies to the public that we’re not just people doing funerals,” he says. “We’ve built a successful business and we’re doing what we do really well.”
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