Glenys Jones
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One of the original founders of Tester & Jones Funeral Services, Glenys has more than 25 years’ experience as a funeral director.
Two decades after launching Tester & Jones, she says: “I really care about the community here in Crowborough and its surrounding villages and want to support local people, offering traditional care and attention to our families.”
Glenys is particularly proud of the Tester & Jones Bereavement Group (the BGs), which she launched more than 15 years ago and now has more than 100 members.
“We have an amazing group of people and it’s evolved so that existing members are fantastic at welcoming and supporting newer members,” she explains. “Some lovely friendships have developed; they comfort each other and offer support at times when it’s needed.”
Members enjoy trips to the theatre and Christmas markets, visits to gardens, meals out and holidays away. At the meetings, there are a variety of speakers.
When she’s not at work, Glenys is a member of The Rotary Club of Crowborough and also enjoys travelling.
Jo Walsh
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Jo Walsh joined Tester & Jones Funeral Services in September 2015, initially as our bookkeeper/payroll clerk/management accountant. That role involves keeping the company’s accounts up to date, producing monthly management reports for the directors, running the month end payroll for all the staff and ensuring all suppliers are paid and invoicing has been done. However, her role has grown.
“Since joining Tester & Jones, I have completed and passed the Health & Safety for Funeral Staff course run by the Independent Funeral College (IFD) and the Foundation Funeral Practitioner course,” Jo explains. “This has enabled me to help families with all of the funeral arrangements of their loved one from taking the first call and bringing their loved one into our care to arranging the funeral. I also work in the memorial side of the business and this could include adding an additional inscription to an existing memorial or arranging a new one for a churchyard of cemetery."
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When Jo joined Tester & Jones, she hadn’t worked at a funeral directors’ before and ‘wasn’t sure what to expect’ but she says it’s a very friendly place to work.
“Everyone here is so warm, kind, sympathetic and friendly,” Jo says. “Families come to us at a very upsetting and vulnerable time and they leave with the reassurance that their lost loved one will be well looked after and any wishes they want for the funeral service will be fulfilled in the best way possible.”
When she’s not at work, Jo enjoys gardening - growing a variety of fruit and vegetables - and looking after her chickens. She also loves spending time with her ‘very large’ dog called Diesel, particularly enjoying walks at Walshes Park and the beach.
Sharon Middleton
Sharon Middleton joined us in 2021, having worked within the bereavement sector for five years, most recently within bereavement services at the Kent & Sussex Crematorium in Tunbridge Wells. While working there, Sharon studied for certificates in Cemetery and Crematorium Management and also attended the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) education seminars and annual convention.
Sharon was drawn to working in the bereavement sector, after training to become a celebrant.
“During that time, my eyes were opened to the choices people have when arranging their loved one’s funerals,” she explains. “I feel passionately about families being able to have the funeral they and their loved one wants, one that is representative of the person that has died, so that it feels personal and not prescribed.”
Sharon’s role as funeral arranger with Tester & Jones has evolved to encompass funeral conducting and assisting Stephen and Glenys as their Branch Manager. Sharon has also studied for and passed the Independent Funeral Directors College (IFD) Foundation Funeral Practitioner Course.
“I feel extremely lucky to be working at Tester and Jones; they are a great team of people to work with,” says explains. “We are all very supportive of each other but also caring and committed to our families. We all understand the importance of each and every funeral and much planning goes in to make sure we get it right for the family. I feel fortunate to have found a team who are so positive about what they do.”
Sharon continues: “The wishes of the family are the priority and if a family would like something specific, we will do whatever we can to make it happen. Each family and their loved one is unique and with every service I am involved in, I have this in mind.”
Outside of work, Sharon is passionate about horticulture and enjoys growing vegetables, herbs and flowers.
“I love being out in nature; Ilike to spend time walking and visiting gardens, and am a member of the National Trust,” she adds. “I also like to read, practice Qigong and yoga to relax.”
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Sharon’s role as funeral arranger with Tester & Jones has evolved to encompass funeral conducting and assisting Glenys as the firm's Branch Manager.
Kim Eastwood
Kim Eastwood joined our team in 2021 as a Funeral Arranger, having previously worked at the Kent & Sussex Crematorium in Tunbridge Wells as a Bereavement Services Assistant, where she dealt with the cremation paperwork, along with arranging and attending interments and burials, and organising memorial plaques.
In her role at Tester & Jones, Kim says she enjoys helping our families and also learning different aspects of the bereavement sector.
“Families come to us when they are at their lowest and we are there to help them, guiding them through the process and shouldering some of the responsibility,” she says. “Walking through our door for the first time is a big step for many people, particularly if this is their first funeral. Every family is individual and we help them to create and prepare the service the family want for their loved one or their loved one wanted. We pride ourselves on being welcoming, friendly and caring.”
Whilst looking after our families, Kim has also studied and completed the Foundation – Funeral Practitioner Course, delivered by the IFD (Independent Funeral Directors’) College.
When she’s not at work, Kim has a variety of hobbies including fitcamp, walking, reading, socialising with friends and enjoying cross-stitch, diamond art and knitting. She also has an interest in alternative therapies and is a qualified Reiki practitioner.
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Mandy King
Mandy King joined our team as a funeral arranger in May 2024, having spent nine years in a pastoral role at St Gregory’s Catholic School in Tunbridge Wells.
“In my role here at Tester & Jones, I am often the first point of contact a family has with us,” Mandy explains. “I am here to guide them through everything that needs doing in the run-up to their loved one’s funeral. In many ways, it’s event planning but with more challenging deadlines than most other events. But I thrive on that.”
Her time working in pastoral care means she has some experience of dealing with students in grief, as well as students with life limiting illnesses.
“It’s good to be able to help families at such a hard time, when they are probably not thinking straight and need our support,” says Mandy. “It’s also a privilege to be let in by a family and have an insight into somebody’s life. Helping a family to create a fitting tribute is an amazing thing to be able to do.”
In her spare time, Mandy enjoys yoga, has recently joined a gym and discovered the joys of gardening. She also volunteers at the National Trust property, Standen House.
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