JEREMY West, 54, is chairman and managing director of West & Coe Funeral Directors in Rainham Road South, Dagenham. He was awarded the Freedom of the Borough two years ago and his family business has won awards for community involvement and customer care.

I am the third generation of one of Dagenham’s oldest businesses, which has been running since 1903.

We are one of the largest independent funeral directors in the UK and we have grown from quite a small business to having 15 offices.

My family has lived in Dagenham for 250 years, and are involved in everything we do.

Even when I was young I was conscious of the family business and the need to look after people through funerals.

I started working for the company myself when I was 15. It was something I wanted to do when I left school, and I have never regretted it at all.

Funerals are a lot more varied now than they were years ago. They are a celebration of a person’s life rather than just a tradition.

Nothing surprises me – whether it is requests for music or a horse-drawn hearse. It’s all about respecting a loved one’s wishes.

We run a unique after-care bereavement programme for anybody who has lost a loved one. This is all free of charge and whether or not they have used our funeral services. The six-week course helps people come to terms with their loss. We felt that this was something that was really needed in the borough and it has been recognised by St Francis Hospice and Age Concern as a meaningful service.

I am married to my wife Sue with two children. My son Jamie, who is 26, will continue the family tradition.

My daughter Clare runs events for a London company which operates throughout England and Europe, and I am extremely proud of her.

I’ve always been proud of my roots in Dagenham. Our family philosophy has been to put back into the community as much as we can.

We support Bethel Church, and like to sponsor local groups. I was a pupil at Eastbrook School, and am now on the board of governors.

I am chairman of Hornchurch Cricket Club, as well as the Living the Dream Trust, which supports young athletes in Barking & Dagenham.

I am a mad fan of West Ham and, of course, Dagenham & Redbridge. I used to be involved in a lot of sports, and still play cricket and golf.

The people I work with are very loyal, and many of them have been with me for a long while so we are very much a family in that respect.

Our lady receptionist runs a charity that collects for villages in Gambia and we all support local events when possible.