Notts Funeral Director Praised for 30 Years of Service Caring for the Bereaved

A Principal Funeral Director and General Manager is marking three decades of service with a local funeral director, having worked her way through the ranks of the business.

Julia Carty has dedicated thirty years to caring for the bereaved across the East Midlands with award-winning funeral directors, A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service and later its acquired business, M.A. Mills Funeral Service.

Starting her career in the funeral industry as a Clerk, Julia has progressed to overseeing four funeral homes across the region. She joined the Ilkeston Consumer Co-operative Society as a Funeral Director in 1995, which was later acquired by A.W. Lymn in 2003.

Speaking on the achievement, Julia said: “It’s a real honour to be marking such a milestone. Working in the funeral industry has always been a vocation for me, and I couldn’t think of a better place than A.W. Lymn and M.A. Mills to have spent the last three decades fulfilling this.

“Having performed various roles across the business, from Funeral Arranger, through to Principal Funeral Director and now General Manager at M.A. Mills, I’ve not only gained significant personal experience, but I’ve also gained the trust of the Lymn Rose family – which is a real privilege and something I hold very dearly.

“Every individual or family that we help is special, and being a part of someone’s final journey has given me a real sense of purpose over the last 30 years – I truly couldn’t see myself doing anything else.”

Throughout her tenure, Julia has seen firsthand how both the industry, and people’s attitudes to funerals, have shifted. A.W. Lymn and M.A. Mills have been at the forefront of these changes, adapting their services to best meet the needs of the communities they serve.

When it acquired M.A. Mills, a respected funeral directors in Radcliffe-on-Trent, it expanded its offering across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, rebranding three A.W. Lymn funeral homes in Allenton, Aspley and Cotmanhay to the Mills name.

M.A. Mills offers a streamlined version of the A.W. Lymn service, built on the same values and ethos, quality of service and care, as the A.W. Lymn approach. It is a streamlined service from the same family, providing more choice for those in the East Midlands as preferences shift and develop.

Julia added: “Attitudes to funerals have changed over the last three decades, and it’s important that we continue to recognise this, and offer services that meet these developing needs.

“What would once be considered a traditional funeral – perhaps a formal ceremony which may incorporate religious or cultural customs – is becoming slightly less common, and people are turning towards either more unique or simpler options for their final journey.

“But across the board, funerals have become much more personalised, and a better reflection of an individual’s personality, their hobbies and passions in life. As a Funeral Director or Funeral Arranger, this can be a wonderful thing, as we really get to know the families we’re helping.

“Despite these changes, our core value of quality of care, and reputation for delivering excellence, have remained the same.”

Nigel Lymn Rose MBE, fourth generation and Chairman at A.W. Lymn, added: “As a family business which has operated in the community for more than a century, being able to celebrate such wonderful milestones with staff which have given so much of their career to us is truly heartwarming.

“We’d like to congratulate Julia on her significant achievement – her commitment and unwavering dedication to the bereaved is truly admirable.”

M. A. Mills first opened its doors in 1995 in Radcliffe on Trent, and was acquired by A.W. Lymn in October 2023. Operating with the same values and mission to provide compassionate, professional and family-focused care as A.W. Lymn, it offers a streamlined funeral service to communities in the East Midlands.