There is even more to celebrate during Varty’s 90th anniversary year.
We are delighted to have been named as finalists in three categories at the Wigan Business Awards 2026, with our own Jake Melling also shortlisted for Employee of the Year.
Varty’s has reached the finals for:
Independent Business of the Year
Customer Service Excellence
Family Business of the Year
And, to make the news even better, Jake has earned an individual place in the Employee of the Year final.
There is another reason this year’s Independent Business shortlist feels particularly special too.
Varty’s won Independent Business of the Year in 2025, which means we will be returning to the awards this year to defend the title.
Four finalist places in our 90th year, including the chance to retain the Independent Business crown…
We’ve got plenty to smile about.
Recognition here in Wigan means a lot
Varty’s has been part of Wigan since 1936.
Generations of local families have trusted our family to care for theirs, so recognition within the borough we have served for nine decades means a great deal.
Awards are never what drives the work we do.
However, reaching the finals gives us an opportunity to stop for a moment and recognise the people, values and standards that have kept Varty’s going throughout those 90 years.
Each category tells a different part of our story.
Defending our Independent Business of the Year title
Winning Independent Business of the Year in 2025 was an incredibly proud moment for everyone at Varty’s.
To be shortlisted again a year later gives us the opportunity to defend that title during our 90th anniversary year.
Remaining independent has always been an important part of who we are.
Decisions about Varty’s are made here in Wigan, by the people who work in the business and understand the families and communities we serve.
That independence allows us to remain personal, responsive and rooted in the values the Varty family has carried through generations.
Being recognised for that for a second consecutive year means a great deal.
Customer Service Excellence
There are some professions where customer service can be measured through speed, convenience or sales.
Funeral care is different. Families often come to us shocked, overwhelmed and unsure what they need to do next.
Good service starts with listening.
It means explaining things clearly, answering questions, giving families time and paying attention to details that can mean an enormous amount when somebody is grieving.
The trust families place in a funeral director is extraordinary.
Being shortlisted for Wigan Business Awards Customer Service Excellence Award is huge! because caring for families properly sits at the heart of everything we do.
Family Business of the Year
Varty’s remains an independent, family-run business, now in its third generation.
The business has changed enormously since 1936, but the family values behind it have remained remarkably consistent.
Today, Kristen Varty continues the profession alongside her dad Bill, carrying the Varty name and its responsibilities into another generation.
Being shortlisted for Family Business of the Year feels particularly significant during our 90th anniversary.
A family business does not reach 90 years through history alone.
It continues because each generation takes responsibility for what came before it while making sure the business remains relevant for the families it will serve next.
Celebrating Jake Melling
We are especially proud to see Jake Melling shortlisted for Employee of the Year.
Every funeral involves a team of people working together, and much of what they do happens quietly behind the scenes.
An individual finalist place gives us the chance to recognise one of the people who contributes to Varty’s every day and celebrate the part our team plays in maintaining the standards families expect from us.
We are incredibly proud of Jake for reaching the final and delighted to see his contribution recognised beyond the business too.
Another milestone in our 90th year
Our 90th anniversary year has already given us plenty of reasons to reflect and celebrate.
We have looked back at our history, supported local organisations, raised funds for EPiC Hope CIC and continued doing what Varty’s has done since 1936: serving families across Wigan.
Now we can add four Wigan Business Awards finalist places to the year.
Whatever happens when the winners are announced, reaching four finals is something our whole team can be proud of.
Of course, after bringing the Independent Business of the Year trophy home last year, we would be lying if we said we weren’t hoping to keep hold of it for another year!
Ninety years after the Varty family first began serving Wigan, we are enormously proud that the story is still continuing.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support Varty’s.
Thank you to the families who place their trust in us.
And a very big congratulations to Jake.
