News Guardian – August 19, 2010
A CULLERCOATS businessman has been appointed the new regional director of the British Institute of Funeral Directors.
Jonathan Ryland is a former chairman and secretary of the BIFD, and currently runs R J Ryland Funeral Services, based at Cullercoats, with his parents Edward and Brenda Ryland.
The region covers the north east and Cumbria, and Jonathan was elected director at its annual meeting.
The business, in Farringdon Road, was established in 1993 and covers the North Tyneside and Newcastle area.
Earlier this year Jonathan, who studied at the Westminster College of Funeral Directing, went to Haiti as part of an international aid team in the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated the Caribbean country.
That visit was the second time he has been called out at short notice to a major disaster zone.
In 2005, as a fully qualified embalmer, he was flown to Thailand after the Boxing Day tsunami that swamped many parts of Asia, helping to identify victims.
Jonathan said he is looking forward to taking on the new role.
Photo caption: Jonathan Ryland, right, with national president Ken Satterly during his recent visit to the north east for a BIFD roadshow.
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