WELCOME - our latest advice on COVID-19, updated 6th September 2021
In this section (click to jump)
- Collecting someone who has died at home
- Making arrangements for the funeral
- Coming to see a loved one in the chapel of rest
- What the funeral service might be like
- What you can do if you would have liked to have gone to the funeral
- After COVID-19
Current advice given by government has removed restrictions for funerals, but asks that everyone continues to take the right precautions, and that venues set their own policies regarding keeping everyone safe. Please speak to us if you are unsure.
Please stay safe.
We have kept as many measures as practical to ensure our current working practices are as hygienic as possible: we regularly clean down all surfaces in the office, chapel of rest and mortuary and have hand-sanitizer and hand washing facilities available for frequent use.
If you plan to come to the office we ask that you maintain social distancing, wear a mask and we will do the same. We are happy to work with you in whatever way you feel safest including telephone or video appointments and working by email.
If you have any of the Coronavirus symptoms you should try not to attend a funeral service. Please let us know if this is difficult for you.
If you are concerned about anything related to COVID-19 or the service we offer, please contact us by telephone on (01453) 54 27 54 or email.
COLLECTING SOMEONE WHO HAS DIED AT HOME
We will continue to do our job as respectfully as possible but we need to take a few extra precautions during this time, even if the person's death was not caused by COVID-19. We want to protect you from our presence in your home. We will take a few extra precautions while we are in your home:
- we will not attempt to shakehands and prefer to remain a safe distance away
- we will encourage you to stay a safe distance away while we do our work
- we will indicate that we have finished, again at a safe distance
- you may find that we wear Personal Protective Equipment, including masks, for slightly longer than usual
In this way we hope to protect you and also our staff.
Making arrangements for the funeral
We are happy to discuss your funeral requirements with you over the phone, via video-call, email, or in person, either at your location or in our office. We will attempt to make any visit as safe as possible for both you and our staff.
Ministers and celebrants will be happy to speak to you, again, over the phone or video-call and some may now do home visits.
Registration of the death can still be done over the phone so there is no need to attend the Register Office. The Certifying Doctor can email the Medical Cause of Death Certificate to the Registrar and paperwork will be emailed to the Funeral Director and certificates posted to you.
The "second doctor" normally required for cremation is not needed at the present. The first doctor can email their paperwork to the Funeral Director.
Other official paperwork required for cremation or burial, or by us, can be emailed to customers and back to the Funeral Director if required.
Coming to see your loved one in the Chapel of Rest
In order to protect you and our staff we will still need to exercise social distancing during visits to our chapel of rest - our chapel of rest is small and so this will be tricky. We will only be able to guide you in and we will not be able to stay with you for any length of time.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT FUNERAL SERVICES
According to the latest Government rules funerals are subject to best advice such as social distancing, hand-sanitising, and the wearing of masks. You should follow the guidance of your venue and Funeral Director who are trying to keep everyone safe.
There are no longer limits on attendance at crematoria, however some churches have implemented their own limits as they continue with social distancing policies. Most churches have started to allow singing, but most are asking people to wear masks when they do.
The use of life-stream or recording of the service is still common for those who cannot travel or who feel vulnerable. Both Gloucester and Westerleigh crematoria have facilities for this - provided by a third-party: Obitus. We will be happy to help with arranging this, either for crematoria, or for other venues where possible (subject to signal, equipment and third-party infrastructure).
Wakes are now permitted but requests for managing this safely will depend on the venue. For example, some may ask you to wear a mask and you will find many staff members will weat a mask for your protection.
What you can do if you would have gone to the funeral...
A funeral is where we gather to share our love for someone we have lost and those who are grieving. A place to make that love public and for some a place to pray for the deceased, the mourners and bereaved. WE CAN STILL DO THIS FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST. We can still tell the world we loved them, we just need to be creative.
Here are some ideas of what you can do if you would have attended a funeral which is no longer able to happen. We would love to hear more of you ideas which you can share with us by email, Facebook, or any other means you can think of.
- Share our memories of someone with the immediate family. A simple sentence like “Your Mum had the most lovely smile and was always kind to me.” is simple but means the world when emailed, said on the phone, texted or posted on a postcard.
- Make use of technology for group meetings such as the Facebook, ZOOM app, WhatsApp or whatever apps you are familiar with.
- You could ring people on the designated day and share stories.
- Children could draw pictures for the deceased and you could post them on-line or scan and post them to folk who don’t use digital communication.
- Look out for memorial services that happen in the future. We will have a memorial service for everyone caught up in this situation in the Memorial Hall in Cam and there will be others organised by religious groups too.
- Light a candle to help you focus on thinking about that person.
- Listen to music that is either special to you or special to them.
- Look out for information from the Funeral Director or family about how to join in remembering someone - most information will come online.
After COVID-19
When the threat of Coronavirus has diminished we will be offering memorial services to those that would like them, either religious or non-religious. We will also be providing a special non-religious memorial service in Cam Memorial Hall to remember all those who have died during these times and whose families and friends have not been able to attend a service. More details about this will follow nearer the time.