Freedom Funerals

168 reviews

Call 24 hours

A family-run funeral service tailored to how families want to remember their loved one, across Essex and Suffolk.

Funeral arrangements

  • Home visit
  • 24 hour telephone support
  • On-site parking
  • Chapel of rest
  • Hearse
  • Limousine
  • Horse-drawn hearse
  • Bespoke vehicle
  • Coffin
  • Personalised coffin
  • Casket
  • Headstone / Plaque
  • Urn
  • Memorial jewellery
  • Floral tributes
  • Charitable donations
  • Newspaper announcement
  • Online obituary
  • Memorial book
  • Order of service sheets
  • Music
  • Video tribute
  • Funeral webcasting
  • Catering
  • Dove release
  • Balloon release
  • Fireworks

Types of funeral

  • Traditional burial
  • Simple funeral
  • Traditional cremation
  • Green funeral
  • Direct cremation
  • Burial at sea
  • Non-religious funeral
  • Anglican funeral
  • Roman Catholic funeral
  • Muslim funeral
  • Jewish funeral
  • Sikh funeral
  • Hindu funeral
  • Buddhist funeral
  • Children’s funeral

Financial arrangements

  • Financial advice
  • Wills & probate
  • Pre-paid funeral plan

Additional services

  • Repatriation
  • Bereavement counselling
  • List of mourners

Location

Freedom House, Hawkins Rd
Colchester
Essex
CO2 8JY

Open map

Opening Hours

Day Hours
Monday Open 24 hours
Tuesday Open 24 hours
Wednesday Open 24 hours
Thursday Open 24 hours
Friday Open 24 hours
Saturday Open 24 hours
Sunday Open 24 hours

Professional Standards

  • NAFD Member

    Members agree to a published Code of Practice and can be held to account through the Association if something goes wrong.

    What they do

    • Inspects member premises to check standards are being met
    • Runs a complaints and resolution service for bereaved families
    • Provides funeral training and professional qualifications
  • SAIF Member

    Businesses are checked before they are admitted to SAIF and work to the Society’s Code of Practice.

    What they do

    • Inspects businesses before granting membership
    • Represents independent and family-owned funeral directors
    • Offers free, independent arbitration if something goes wrong

About Us

Funeral director Lee Jaschok and his friendly team are on call day and night, to support people in Colchester community and wider area, when somebody dies.

They believe that families should be able to arrange the funeral they really want, from a simple traditional service to a bespoke ceremony that reflects how someone lived their life.

A member of the Association of Green Funeral Directors, this considerate Colchester funeral home can tailor a woodland burial for your loved one, or a full traditional funeral, listening to families from the moment they first call and providing sympathetic support and advice.

It’s important to Lee and his team that families have the freedom to choose options that also suit their budget. This Essex funeral home believes in clear pricing with no hidden costs and respectful consideration of every family they serve. Payment plans are also available.

Freedom Funerals provides a wealth of funeral choices to help families personalise their loved one’s funeral, from Cadillac and campervan hearses, to coffins with meaningful motifs.

For people planning ahead, the Colchester funeral home provides a free Funeral Wishes service, while bereaved families can take their time to decide upon memorial masonry, remembrance jewellery and plaques available. For families who live further away, this funeral home can also provide a headstone cleaning and maintenance service.

Call Freedom Funerals for sympathetic care and practical support in arranging a meaningful funeral for your loved one.

Latest Obituaries

Alice   Hardie

Alice Hardie

Aug 1942 - Mar 2025

Jean   Jeffers

Jean Jeffers

May 1930 - Mar 2025

Edward   Teagle

Edward Teagle

Aug 1988 - Feb 2025

Ivy   Benton

Ivy Benton

Jun 1927 - Jan 2025

View more

What Families Say

AI Summary

Many families emphasise the personal care they received throughout the process, describing how the funeral director listened carefully to their wishes and treated them with genuine compassion during an emotionally difficult time. Several mention that staff were consistently available, answering questions patiently and accommodating requests without making them feel rushed or pressured into unnecessary services.

Families frequently note that the funeral day itself ran smoothly and felt meaningful, often mentioning how the service reflected their loved one's life and personality rather than following a standard format. A number describe the recommendations made for celebrants as particularly helpful in shaping a service that matched their needs.

Many families highlight that costs were transparent and reasonable, with several commenting that prices were significantly lower than they expected or had encountered elsewhere, and that there were no hidden charges or pressure to upgrade services.

This summary is generated by AI from recent verified reviews.

Verified Reviews

Verified Reviews

  • 5 Susan . 3rd Dec 2019

    Was very  professional , lovely caring company, from start to finish you could tell lee cared about what I wanted, I would recommending this company and pricing was a fraction of others

  • 5 Simon . 18th Nov 2019

    We received wonderful service from lee and his team, would highly recommend 

  • 5 Jolene . 13th Nov 2019

    I received a very good service at such a difficult time. Lee was very professional, kind, helpful and understanding. I’m very grateful for all of his help. 

  • 5 Tina Booth 5th Nov 2019

    We've used freedom funerals twice in the last month or so, once for my mother & again for our son Rik. Lee has been wonderful & supported us through both deaths. Lee once again took a lot if the stress from us arranging our son's funeral was the hardest thing we have ever had to do. Lee allowed our son's dog to visit him in the funeral parlour, this helped the dog realise Rik couldn't come back to her. We can't thank Lee & his team enough for the great send off our son had.

  • 5 Patricia . 29th Oct 2019

    Lee was very helpful & comforting at the sad loss of my son
    Everything to the flowers were arranged at our meeting. There was nothing left to arrange. Thank you Lee it was perfect.
    One last comment my son looked wonderful so natural he just looked like he was sleeping.  Thank you Lee

  • 5 Lawrence Gatt 13th Oct 2019

    Sympathetic and professional

  • 5 Lena Hardy 5th Oct 2019

    I was so impressed by Freedom Funerals. My mother, Alice White, passed away in August. You do not realise until you are in this position what loss entails. I found the ethos of Freedom Funerals to be so appropriate, so much what you would want and need during a shattered time. To me, it seemed as if every aspect of the service had been thought through and considered. They are an extremely human company and we are grateful for their care.
    Carmel Ellis

  • 5 Janice . 4th Oct 2019

    Lee was very knowledgeable and used his knowledge to listen to what we wanted for our Mother's funeral in September 2019. He took us through the choices. His suggestions were always helpful. On the day he made sure everything ran like clockwork. Everyone who attended commented on how well the funeral service went. I would strongly recommend Lee to others going through this difficult process.

  • 5 Tina Booth 30th Sep 2019

    From the moment we contacted Lee regarding my mother's passing, he gave us 100% of his support & guided us through the process.
    Lee took the strain of my mother's passing away by doing everything, we inform Lee how we would like the booklet of service & he completed it, he done the flowers which were amazing,we couldn't have asked any more from him.
    At the service Lee gave a lovely sincere service towards my mother, we can't thank him enough for his support & professionalism throughout this very sad time for our family.
    Thank you Lee.

  • 5 John . 27th Sep 2019

    Words cannot do justice to the service that  Lee provided Thank you for all you did

  • 5 Philip Scordis 7th Sep 2019

    Absolutely great service. Don't let the informal funeral parlour surrounding put you off. Service is as good as any but at 70% of the price of the others with total options on how you want to build your package. Lee gave lots of advice,organised the service and lots of support to the family and helped make us feel that we gave Chris a good send off. Many thanks to Lee and team.

  • 5 Jacey George 3rd Sep 2019

    Lee and his team were simply amazing. They always go above and beyond to make sure our loved ones have the best possible send off. Couldn’t recommend them highly enough.

  • 5 Emily Johnson 20th Aug 2019

    It was a great service. Thank you. 

  • 4 Christine Evans 17th Aug 2019

    This is a family fun business and I felt as if they treated us like one of their own family members had passed. They provide  a personal , caring service.  Would thoroughly recommend 

  • 5 Patricia Kemp 13th Aug 2019

    A professional service from start to finish.

  • 5 John . 6th Aug 2019

    Very helpful Lèè took the time to explained  everything to me. I cannot thank him and his team enough  for the  way he helped me.

  • 5 Joanne Parker 16th Jul 2019

    I was very happy the way you could just go in and dress the Coffin as you pleased there was no rules on what you can do. Would recommend highly.
    Thank you

  • 4 Sky Roskell-Cheale 3rd Jul 2019

    Overall a good service but I was rather annoyed when the Hearse came to collect the family for the funeral, a MG Hearse arrived instead of the Chevrolet Hearse as previously confirmed. This was one of the deal-makers as my father was an avid American car enthusiast. On arriving at the Hall for the service, I was informed that the Chevrolet Hearse was too small to fit my father in, which I dont believe as it's huge... I think what they meant to say was that my father was too heavy to lift and as such required additional people to help. Instead of collecting my father in the agreed Hearse and driving an additional car of staff to help, he was put into an MG for his final journey, one I was not happy about, but by that time it was too late to change. It would've been nice to have been told prior to the day of the funeral as they would've known this.

  • 5 Sally Norfolk 21st Jun 2019

    As a family we can’t thank Lee and his team at Freedom Funerals enough for his suppport and guidance through what is for anyone a difficult time. He is a breath of fresh air with his approach and thoughtfulness, particularly the time taken to get to know us and through us our mum to make sure we had exactly what we needed. We have been singing his praises to everyone we talk to and the friends and family attending on the day thought it was a lovely service, so much was due to his care and attention and recommendation of the celebrant who he matched to us as a family which could not have gone any better. He made the whole process so much easier for us, again we cannot thank him enough.

  • 5 Simone Bickmore 11th Jun 2019

    Lee is a wonderful man and provided the best service for our Dad. His understanding and sympathetic approach throughout the process was more than we hoped for. Couldn't ask for a better funeral director.

  • 5 George Odukoya 29th May 2019

    Wonderful people Lèè and Will helped us through a torrid time we will be forever thankful. 

  • 5 Anne-Marie Hayward 26th May 2019

    I would urge anybody finding themselves in the difficult position of having to arrange a funeral, to chat with Lee at Freedom Funerals. His approach is refreshing and progressive and he will listen to your needs, before putting together a genuinely personalised plan to accommodate your wishes. Lee was pivotal in transforming what I feared would be a heart-wrenching occasion that I just 'had to get through', into a calming, dignified and rather beautiful Farewell Service for my Dad.

  • 5 Diane Keith Green 24th May 2019

    I cannot speak highly enough for Freedom. would totally recommend them. They helped us so much to have the funeral that WE wanted. No selling you stuff you really dont need, they were just perfect. And Lee is an absolute star!

  • 5 Philip Tayler 21st May 2019

    I had already used Freedom Funerals earlier this year for my mother's funeral. So when my wife sadly passed, I had not the slightest hesitation in asking Lee to work with me once again in giving Julie a wonderful send off.
    The great thing about Freedom Funerals is that there are no standard packages - Lee listened to how I wanted Julie's funeral to go, and he delivered every detail to provide a memorable occasion.
    He provided the Orders of Service leaflets, and he delivered the Eulogy as if he really knew Julie.
    I do hope I don't need to use Lee's services again too soon, but if i had to, I would feel reassured to use Freedom Funerals again.
    Thank you, Lee and your team.

  • 5 Ian Cocks 19th May 2019

    Excellent service, every detail covered with compassion and care. Highly recommend.

Address
Freedom House, Hawkins Rd
Colchester
Essex
CO2 8JY

Open map

Opening Hours

Day Hours
Monday Open 24 hours
Tuesday Open 24 hours
Wednesday Open 24 hours
Thursday Open 24 hours
Friday Open 24 hours
Saturday Open 24 hours
Sunday Open 24 hours

Professional Standards

  • NAFD Member

    Members agree to a published Code of Practice and can be held to account through the Association if something goes wrong.

    What they do

    • Inspects member premises to check standards are being met
    • Runs a complaints and resolution service for bereaved families
    • Provides funeral training and professional qualifications
  • SAIF Member

    Businesses are checked before they are admitted to SAIF and work to the Society’s Code of Practice.

    What they do

    • Inspects businesses before granting membership
    • Represents independent and family-owned funeral directors
    • Offers free, independent arbitration if something goes wrong

Latest Verified Reviews

Susan . 3rd Dec 2019

Was very  professional , lovely caring company, from start to finish you could tell lee cared about what I wanted, I would recommending this company and pricing was a fraction of others

Simon . 18th Nov 2019

We received wonderful service from lee and his team, would highly recommend 

Jolene . 13th Nov 2019

I received a very good service at such a difficult time. Lee was very professional, kind, helpful and understanding. I’m very grateful for all of his help. 

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Prices vary by time and day of week