A Do-It-Yourself Funeral Guide Until the last hundred years, family members took charge of caring for their dead. People typically died at home, and loved ones prepared bodies for burial and conducted rituals without the need for funeral directors. Death was an intimate family affair that was affordable, meaningful, and personal. Today, death has become a business that is increasingly depersonalised and expensive. The average funeral in the UK costs over £3,700 (Royal London National Funeral Cost Index Report 2017), an al...

Practical advice on creating a non-religious funeral A funeral service is a way we cope with the loss of someone dear. Whether it provides a special tribute to the deceased or it helps family and friends to acknowledge that loss and say goodbye, it doesn’t have to carry any kind of religious connotation. If the person who died was a non-religious, a humanist funeral celebrant is just the right person to help the family organize a ceremony based on the beliefs and the desires of the deceased. If you are looking for a celebrant to help with a fu...

Funeral flowers and their true meaning The act of sending messages with flowers became popular during Victorian times as people utilised gestures and symbols for expression rather than words. However, as time passed the selection of flowers available has grown and Victorian symbolism has given way to individual interpretation. Today, you can choose a particular flower and colour to recall and celebrate memories of a special moment or passion of a person’s life. At Willow we believe when organising a funeral, your decision is alwa...

Organising a Funeral Part 5: When, Where and Who Where do you want the ceremony to take place? Consider the type of ceremony you would like, as this will influence the location. Will it be a religious service at a place of worship, with particular traditions and rituals? Would you like a ceremony at the crematorium/burial site, led by a celebrant, friend or family member? Will you have a memorial event or wake? When to have the funeral? Unless your faith or personal spirituality requires it, there is no great hurry to set a funeral date. ...

Coping with Loss Everyone copes with loss differently and there is no right or wrong method for dealing with the grief that accompanies the loss of a loved one. People will experience many different emotions while they are bereaved, they will experience these emotions in different orders and for different lengths of time, and no doubt they will all find different methods by which to deal with these emotions and work through their grief. No one in a state of bereavement should be expected to act in a certain w...

How to write a eulogy Regardless of the individual circumstances, when it comes to writing a eulogy you are likely to be going through a difficult, sensitive and busy time in your life. Unlike most speeches, this is often an unexpected one. You may have little time to prepare for the funeral, let alone the eulogy. You'll have a million and one thoughts going through your head and a range of contrasting emotions. Amongst all that there is the instant requirement to write something perfect. If you’re worried abo...

Need help paying for a funeral? State Support The Government provides limited financial support for bereaved people on low incomes. Even if you are eligible for it, a state contribution is unlikely to cover the full cost of the funeral. The two forms of support are: Funeral Payments This is a grant (i.e. you don’t have to pay it back) towards the cost of a simple funeral for people on qualifying benefits. In east London the average award is around £1,250. More information on funeral payments can be found on the gov.uk site...

Organising a funeral part 3: Cremation, burial and other choices The choice between a cremation and burial can be a very personal matter. Factors in deciding may include: Directions or preferences indicated by the person who has died; Financial resources available to you; Religious beliefs, personal or spiritual philosophy; Environmental concerns; Simplicity or convenience; Where the person lived in relation to family or friends. Cremation is often a more affordable option and accounts for up to three quarters of all funerals. The UK figures for 2015 sho...