What to do

A brief guide to being a bearer

The first action is to remove the coffin from the hearse. The two bearers at the back “back bearers” stand behind the hearse and the two bearers at the front “front bearers” stand either side.

The back bearers pull the coffin out and the two bearers at the front come in to take the front end of the coffin.

Carrying it by the base, follow the Funeral Director to the required position when the signal “Ready? Steady, lift” and you lift the coffin onto your shoulder, positioning yourself comfortably on the corners of the coffin.

Putting your arm around your fellow bearer will prevent you from drifting apart. Try to keep an upright posture.

When preparing to walk whilst carrying the coffin, set-off with your inside foot forward. This stops the coffin from rocking from side-to-side.

The Funeral Director will explain the route, any obstacles such as steps or low doorways and how to tackle them. The back bearers can watch the feet of the bearer in front because they will not be able to see where they are going directly.

If you are carrying into church and there are trestles or stools the front bearers stop when they reach the trestle or stool, forcing the back bearers to stop. Take the coffin off your shoulder, carrying it by the base, sidle along the stools or trestles until they are in the middle of the coffin and then lower the coffin to rest on them, bending your knees if you can as you lower. If you are carrying into a crematorium you should stop when reaching the caterfalque (or table) and the front bearers place the front of the coffin onto the end and the back bearers push the coffin along the rollers. You may rejoin the family now.

On the way out of church, the same things happen in reverse. All the bearers take positions on the corners of the coffin and lift when instructed, bending your knees if possible. The Funeral Director removes the stools or trestles and the coffin is turned around. A second instruction to lift is given to lift the coffin onto your shoulders ready to walk out. Load the coffin onto the hearse as per caterfalque or onto the trestles at the graveside as per trestles or stools in the church.

At a burial, if you would like to lower the coffin into the grave there are further instructions available.

If at anytime you would prefer not to do a particular part of the bearer’s duties or would prefer not to be a bearer please let us know as soon as possible so that we can arrange for our own staff to be available. If you would like a training session together, this can be arranged by contacting the Funeral Director. A risk assessment is also available, please ask.