Funeral Times issue 1 2024

The magazine for Funeral Directors in Ireland

2024 Vol.24 No.1

Non-religious funeral and memorial ceremonies Meaningful and memorable ceremonies Humanist funerals and memorials are non-religious ceremonies which focus on the person who has died, the life they led, and the relationships they forged. They are based on the humanist perspective that every life is valuable and unique.

A humanist funeral or memorial is the perfect option for families and friends who want a sincere, personal commemoration of their loved one, without religion.

Each funeral and memorial ceremony is tailored to the person who has died, and the wishes of the people who love them, in the most fitting way possible. That may be an upbeat celebration of life or a ceremony with a more traditional tone.

Humanist funerals are inclusive and welcoming to people of all backgrounds and faiths. They often include time for reflection on the person who has died, when those with religious beliefs can say a silent prayer, if they wish.

Humanist funerals and memorial ceremonies are conducted by our trained and accredited celebrants.

FIND YOUR LOCAL CELEBRANT BALLYMENA Lisa Wilkinson

BELFAST Máire De Buitléar

BELFAST Michael Conlon

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BANBRIDGE Joan Davis

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DERRY Julie Hassell

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BANGOR Michael McAlinden

BELFAST Rachel Smith

DROMORE Sheena Bradley

NORTH DOWN Trevor Molloy

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BELFAST Richard Lavery

BELFAST MaryLou McShane

DUNMURRY Janni Knox

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For more information visit

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Humanist Ceremonies™ is part of Humanists UK, a registered charity in England and Wales (no. 285987) and company limited by guarantee (no. 228781)

> humanist.uk/ceremonies

The magazine for Funeral Directors in Ireland

Entheos look forward to meeting the industry 6

Fanagans strengthen it’s leadership team 9

New IAFD President Niall Mulligan 10

Contents

Entheos ready to help families in their time of need................................................6 Fanagans strengthen it’s leadership team.........................................................................9 IAFD News....................................................................................................................................10 New IAFD President Niall Mulligan...................................................................................10 IAFD Annual General Meeting and Dinner Dance...................................................... 11 Falconer’s Funeral Directors receive Certificate of Excellence .......................... 13 Funeral Partners team up with bereavement charity...............................................19 Eimer Duffy on how to maximise your online presence....................................... 24 PEAI News....................................................................................................................................28 The Funeral Awards NI...........................................................................................................30 BIE News....................................................................................................................................... 34 Tim Collison on Taking care of the small stuff..........................................................44 SAIF News....................................................................................................................................48 Ian Fee wants to tell a story................................................................................................ 54 NAFD News................................................................................................................................. 58 Navigating change by Jennifer Muldowney..................................................................66 The funeral director who invented the automatic telephone exchange......69 Mattie Lennon considers being composted.................................................................73 To be, or not to be, by Dr Bill Webster.......................................................................... 78 Classifieds ................................................................................................................................. 80

EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING CONTACTS: Graham Brown, Ruth McQuillan, Vikki Crangle, Paula Hanna Tel: (028) 3835 5060 (048) from ROI Funeral Times is owned and published by: InHouse Publications, 1 Annagh Drive, Craigavon, Co. Armagh BT63 5WF E: sales@funeraltimes.com

Disclaimer: Readers are urged to support the magazine’s advertisers, but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any claims made or implied in the advertisements. The publishers reserve the right to refuse advertising. Opinions expressed in this magazine by contributing writers and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contributed for inclusion in this magazine but no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from the use of published articles. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior consent. Articles and photographs for inclusion are welcomed but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for their loss or damage however caused.

FuneralTimes | 3

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Entheos Ireland: A Not-for-Profit Social Enterprise specialising in non-denominational, inclusive funeral ceremonies for everyone.

At Entheos, we appreciate the level of trust needed for a Funeral Director to engage the services of a Celebrant, so we embrace this opportunity to start 2024 with an introduction to our thriving organisation, the style of ceremony we hold, and the work we do in the world.

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ntheos is a not-for-profit organisation, currently with 65 Celebrants nationwide.

Our ceremonies are inclusive of everyone, and can be semi-religious, fully secular or whatever the family would like. Our growth as an organisation is driven by a profound sense of purpose - to be of service to our communities.

Entheos operates as a Social Enterprise, utilising the income generated from Legal Wedding

Ceremonies to fund the pro-bono work of the organisation.

We specialise in holding funeral ceremonies where there has been trauma or sudden lossin particular, funerals for babies and young children. Our dedicated service, Lara’s Legacy, offers Child and Infant Funeral Ceremonies without any fee. Our team of Entheos Celebrants undergo special training to assist

families during this most difficult time, providing a gentle, compassionate, and professional service without adding any financial burden.

Additionally, we provide an emergency service to Hospices and Hospitals, offering urgent marriage ceremonies for couples facing a terminal diagnosis. This service, Grá go Deo, is offered 24/7 Nationwide and is also provided free of charge, funded by Entheos through the income generated by Celebrants holding Legal Wedding Ceremonies throughout Ireland.

We place allyship and activism at the forefront of all our work, we have great diversities of language, faith paths and abilities within our Celebrant team, and have a dedicated team of LGBTQ+ Celebrants and allies providing our Community Initiative, Died With Pride.

Our Celebrants are specially trained to work closely with families during times of high emotion, and to guide them confidently through the process of planning and holding the funeral service. Once an Entheos Celebrant has been booked for a funeral service, we will schedule a home visit with the family. We will

discuss the music, eulogies and timings and will work closely with them to create a ceremony that honours their loved one beautifully in the time and space available. We are punctual and practical, and we take a common-sense approach to our work. We want each family to have a seamless experience of liaising with their Entheos Celebrant and your funeral team, so we build solid working relationships with our local Funeral Directors, and we pride ourselves on holding beautiful ceremonies with just the right balance of creativity, gravitas and common sense.

We are delighted to feature in this first edition of the Funeral Times for 2024, and we look forward to meeting you in due course. If you’d like to connect with your local Entheos Celebrant please check out the Celebrant Directory on our website www.entheos.ie.

Please also tune into our podcast “Re-imagining Ceremonies, a Podcast by Entheos”, which is available on Spotify and all podcast platforms.

We look forward to meeting you soon!

Karen Dempsey

QUALITY WHERE IT MATTERS Established in the early 1990’s, DJ MacNeice & Company Limited has forged a reputation as the leading supplier and manufacturer in the funeral business in Ireland. Here at DJ MacNeice, we value the needs and individual requirements of each of our customers. That is why all our mortuary and funeral products are sourced and manufactured to meet the highest industry production standards.

Here at DJ MacNeice & Co we cover all your funeral supplies needs from embalming fluids, mortuary supplies for mounting and linings for caskets and coffins, grave mat sets, grave markers and a high quality selection of urns and keepsakes cards. All our products are manufactured to the highest standards.

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Fanagans Funeral Directors strengthen its leadership team with two new appointments Seamas Griffin as Board Member and David J Fanagan as Funeral Director

F

anagans Funeral Directors welcome Seamas Griffin, who takes up a new position on the Board of Directors from January 1st, 2024, and David J Fanagan, who joins the 200 year-old family business as a Funeral Director in the Aungier St branch.

Today, the fifth and sixth generations of the family work in the business, namely Alan, David A, Jody, Robert and Suzanne. David J Fanagan brings a wealth of experience to the family business, having spent nine years at Google, where his responsibilities included people management at scale, hiring and onboarding for the EMEA team, client relationship management, and policy compliance.

Seamas Griffin has more than 30 years of experience in the funeral industry and has been with the Fanagan Group since 1996. He has been the Managing Director of Kirwans, part of the Fanagan Group, since 2012 and is a former President of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD). A bilingual speaker with a

Seamas Griffin

David J Fanagan passion for Irish language and culture, music and the theatre, Seamas is a natural and empathetic communicator with a passion for the business.

Welcoming the new appointments, Bryan Murphy, CEO of the Fanagan Group said “We are delighted to announce these two significant appointments. Seamas has brought a wealth of experience and professionalism to our business and has shown exemplary dedication to our client families. We are very much looking forward to the contribution that he will make in a strategic role at Board level.

We are also delighted to see David joining the Group at our Aungier Street branch. David joins after a successful career in Google Ireland and he brings with him a fresh perspective and expertise. David’s ability to understand business needs and provide bespoke strategies will undoubtedly enrich our services and strengthen our relationships with our families and local communities during their most difficult times.”

FuneralTimes | 9

IAFD News A letter from IAFD President Dear Colleague, I extend my heartfelt greetings to each one of you as the President of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors. It is with immense pride that I write to you today.

Having grown up on a family farm near Trim in Co. Meath, I unwittingly encountered the dynamics of life and death, albeit with animals. My journey into the funeral business commenced with my marriage to Celene, the daughter of the local funeral director, Aidan Heffernan, in 1999. That pivotal moment marked the beginning of my enduring commitment to Niall Mulligan, IAFD President this profession.

Over the past 25 years, I have witnessed substantial transformations within our field.

Foremost among them is the evolving expectations of our client families, compelling us, as funeral directors, to deliver a more refined and professional service. The way we, as funeral professionals, have risen to these challenges remains a testament to our dedication and adaptability.

While acknowledging the trials we’ve weathered and foreseeing future challenges, our unity as a well-educated collective, committed to adhering not only to national but also European standards through IAFD Excellence Program, ensures our preparedness to confront any adversities that may arise.

In closing, for those of you who are not members of IAFD please feel free to contact me at president@iafd.ie and I would be delighted to talk to you about the benefits of becoming a member of the Association.

Kind regards

Niall Mulligan

President, Irish Association of Funeral Directors 10 | FuneralTimes

IAFD News 2023 Irish Association of Funeral Directors Annual General Meeting and Dinner Dance

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he 2023 AGM and dinner dance took place on 25th November 2023 in Tullamore. The AGM was well attended and many more joined us for the dinner dance in the evening. During the evening Down Syndrome Ireland launched their new booklet, Let’s Talk About Death – What happens when someone dies?

This material was created in conjunction with IAFD with the aim of helping people with Naill Mulligan and Tom Lawless Down Syndrome better understand what is happening during the funeral arrangements and funeral service thereby allowing them and their families greater involvement in arranging a funeral which reflects the life of their loved one. It is the vision of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors that all funeral directors in Ireland will receive training from Down Syndrome Ireland to help them support adults with special needs following the death of a loved one.

IAFD Board 2022 to 2023 with Facilitator Beverley Brown

IAFD News In addition, we were pleased to raise €2100 through the raffle on the evening. Thank you to everyone for their generosity, these funds will be used to buy book token for use in DSI book clubs, which are being rolled out in libraries across Ireland to support adults with Down Syndrome.

John Condon and Sinead Flynn from DSI with Tom Lawless, IAFD

Funeral Directing Certificate Award Class of 2022 receive their certificates from Niall Mulligan, President and Niamh Sweeney, Education Officer

Edward Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Funeral Directors, Rush

William Egan, Oliver Reilly Limited Funeral Directors, Prosperous

John O’Connor, Jerh O’Connor & Sons Ltd , Cork

Catriona Lonergan, Lonergan Funeral Directors, Carrickmacross

12 | FuneralTimes

IAFD News

Colin McCusker, Massey Bros, Dublin

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aria Boland, Seamus Boland Funeral Director, Swinford, Natasha Cramp, John J. Coneely & Sons, Galway Olivia Luc, Fanagans Funeral Directors, Dublin and Patrick

Aine Tuffy, Kieran Bros Funeral Care , Kingscourt O’Dwyer, Jerh O’Connor & Sons Ltd, Cork also successfully completed the course.

Congratulations to everyone on their achievements.

Falconer’s Funeral Directors receive Certificate of Excellence Falconer’s Funeral Directors recently received their Certificate of Excellence from the Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD), having successfully passed an independent audit. Falconer’s Funeral Directors are the first funeral directors in the Republic of Ireland to be awarded the Certificate of Excellence, with the exception of the IAFD Board Members.

Erich Falconer, General Manager of Falconer’s Funeral Directors said “At Falconer’s Funeral Directors, we are honoured and proud to receive such prestigious recognition from the IAFD, which acknowledges the services we provide are of the highest standards. This acknowledgment reaffirms our dedication to providing best-in-class funeral care to the families we serve in Ireland, ensuring compassionate and dignified support during their difficult times”

Erich, James and Ursula Falconer with Fintan Cooney, IAFD Membership Officer FuneralTimes | 13

IAFD Contacts Niall Mulligan (President) Heffernan’s Funeral Directors Trim, Co. Meath Mobile: 086 8208501 Ph: 046 9438662 Email: president@iafd.ie Niamh Sweeney (First Vice President and Educcation Officer) John Sweeney and Sons Fairgreen Arklow, Co Wicklow Ph: 0402 32333 Email: education@iafd.ie Paul Reilly (Hon. Secretary) Oliver Reilly Ltd Funeral Directors Leinster Street, Maynooth Ph: 045-868230 Email: info@reillysfuneralhome.ie Pat Smyth (Hon. Treasurer) Smyth’s Funeral Directors Lanesboro Street, Roscommon Ph: 0906 626122 Email: treasurer@iafd.ie Fintan Cooney (Membership Officer) Fanagans 54 Aungier Street Dublin 2 Ph: 01 4167700 Email: membership@iafd.ie John Mark Griffin (Public Relations Officer) Griffin Funerals John’s Gate Pennywell Limerick Ph: 061 415000 Email: pro@iafd.ie

14 | FuneralTimes

Tom Lawless (Immediate Past President Lawless Funeral Directors Mucklagh, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Ph: 057 9322622 Email: info@tullamorefunerals.ie Dara Gillespie Finlays Funeral Service Tierney Street Ardee, Co. Louth Mobile: 086 7923472 Email: dara.gillespie@finlaygrp.com Donal Forde Fordes Funeral Homes LTD South Gate Bridge Cork, Co. Cork Ph: 021 4318222 Email: donal@fordesfuneralhome.ie Kylie Gourley Funeral Partners Northern Ireland 300 Newtownards Road Belfast BT4 1HF Ph: 028 9045 1021 Email: kylie.gourley@funeralpartners.com Peter Maguire Massey Bros Crumlin Road, Dublin Ph: 01 4541666 Email: peter@masseybros.com

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Funeral Directors and bereavement charity team up to help community understand children’s grief Bereaved young people helped those who work with children understand how to help them through grief thanks to work from a funeral company and their charity partners

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ast year, Funeral Partners NI and grief charity Cruse Bereavement Support NI came together to create videos and resources to help children through their grief journey.

And as part of their ongoing collaboration, they invited professionals who work with young people to the A Promise of Hope Event held at Dunmurry Community Centre to raise further awareness. This included school staff, church representatives and people involved in children and youth services.

Three members of Cruse’s, Youth Advisory Group – Somewhere For Us – spoke to attendees about how they could help children navigate what is, naturally, a challenging and difficult time.

Lisa Hutchinson, Funeral Arranger at James Brown & Sons Funeral Directors in Dunmurry, helped organise the event.

She hailed it as a great success and said she would like to see similar events held in other Funeral Partners branches across Northern Ireland.

She said: “It was powerful to have three young people

Participants at A Promise of Hope share their experiences of bereavement and provide valuable insights into what makes a good grief ally.

“They touched coping around birthdays and anniversaries, and what support is helpful at school or college.

“The feedback from the

people who attended was very positive.

“They appreciated the value of hearing directly from the young people about their experiences and the support they say is helpful in supporting them on their grief journey.”

FuneralTimes | 19

Healing Harmony: An Occasion to Remember at St Anne’s Cathedral St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast provided a poignant setting for an emotional and uplifting ceremony, ‘Light Up the Night - An Occasion to Remember,’ organised by Funeral Partners NI and Cruse Bereavement Support NI.

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he ceremony was designed to honour and remember those who passed away in recent years, providing a source of comfort and support for families.

Hosted by the Very Rev Stephen Forde, the service gave families the opportunity to place tokens on remembrance trees in honour of their lost loved ones.

Featuring moving music from the Cathedral Choir and a solo harpist, readings and poetry, a moment of silence was also included and representatives from various traditions led prayers, emphasising unity and shared compassion.

Speaking at the event, the Very Rev Stephen Forde expressed, “We trust you will find some comfort in the words and music you will hear today and in coming together with others who find themselves in similar circumstances to yours.”

James Brown of James Brown & Sons said: “We stand alongside our communities with compassion, having witnessed the profound impact of loss over the years.

This event offers unique moments of solace, bringing a collective embrace to those travelling on the difficult journey of grief. Through Funeral Partners support,

20 | FuneralTimes

we have been able to create an environment which will hopefully bring some healing to those who are experiencing loss. It is excellent that Cruse Bereavement Support are key partners with us, their muchneeded service and support will no doubt benefit those experiencing grief in the days ahead.”

Teams from funeral homes across the Funeral Partners

network were on hand to help with the event to chat and Cruse volunteers were able to offer bereavement support.

Several attendees expressed their thanks for being invited to the ceremony which they commented had lifted their spirits and allowed some time out of their busy lives to reflect and remember those that they had lost.

The congregation at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast

Funeral Manager Barbara Wilson, Louise Green and Barry Craig Redburn Loughview Community Forum and Senior Funeral Arranger Sandra Williamson

Funeral Director’s first Community Assistance Programme helps local charities A Funeral Directors which has been proudly supporting the people of North Down for more than 60 years has given grants to five local causes following the launch of their first ever community funding initiative.

The John Gray & Co Community Assistance Programme invited projects within one mile of their funeral homes in Bangor, Holywood and Newtownards to apply for small grants to continue their outstanding work.

The aim of the initiative is to support causes led by people who have a clear understanding of community issues and that address the needs of the most disadvantaged people in the local area.

The successful applicants were: • Kilcooley Women’s Centre, Bangor to assist the Bangor Social Supermarket • Bangor First Presbyterian Church to go towards their Warm Welcome Space • Camphill Community, Holywood to purchase garden furniture for Riverside House – a residential home for adults with learning disabilities

• Redburn Loughview Community Forum to get more young people involved in their shared community garden project • Ladybird Children’s Services, Bangor to purchase a sensory floor rug, to enhance the centre’s emotional support provision The project has been supported by John Gray & Co Funeral Directors’ parent company Funeral Partners.

Funeral Manager Barbara Wilson has been co-ordinating the fund, and said she was thrilled to be able to have supported so many worthwhile causes.

“It has been great to hear from the people involved in these brilliant projects across our communities,” she said. “These are challenging economic times for charities and I am so proud we’ve been able to help them. We don’t want these grants to be the end of the matter and we are looking forward to building relationships with them for the future. If you think this is something which could benefit your scheme or charity, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.”

FuneralTimes | 21

About Funeral Partners: Funeral Partners is the UK’s third largest funeral business, with more than 230 funeral homes staffed by over 1000 dedicated funeral professionals serving communities across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Chief Executive Sam Kershaw has over 40 years’ experience in the funeral profession, joining the business back in 2016 as Chief Operating Officer.

Funeral Partners, which celebrated its 15-year anniversary in 2022, has grown rapidly, building a strong reputation as a well-run, high-quality funeral services business overseeing more than 25,000 funerals each year.

It now includes more than 130 family businesses, which have entrusted their reputation and heritage to Funeral Partners.

For more information about Funeral Partners or if you are considering selling your business visit: www.funeralpartnersnorthernireland.com

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Eric McCormack from Brian McElroy Funeral Directors with their newest addition to the fleet from Quinn Hearse and Limousine 22 | FuneralTimes

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Eimer Duffy is a Social Media Consultant and Trainer at FIT Social Media. Through bespoke solutions, Eimer helps Funeral Professionals gain a better online presence, build communities and trust online with zero stress and hassle in a short space of time. She also co-hosts The Let’s Get Social Show and you can catch that on all the major podcast channels such as Spotify etc... And for more information on what Eimer provides go to www.fitsocialmedia.co.uk

How to Maximise Your Online Presence for Business Success E

mbracing commitment at a time of challenge....the show still must go on as we all know, even when you are not feeling the best. Why does it always happen when you are all set to do something and overnight you get sick?

Despite battling a head cold and sinus issue, I had the distinct honour of joining Ritz Loredo-Rectra on her insightful business show “Talking Business with Ritz” which goes out live every Saturday. I am a big believer in the importance of honouring commitment and I didn’t want to let Ritz down at the last minute.

We had a great chat about the ever evolving world of social media and being online. While the discussion wasn’t tailored for the Funeral and Bereavement sector, we did cover things which are key. Curious to hear the entire conversation? Do scan the QR code on the next page to watch and hear the interview. Here are some of the topics we covered:

Google Business Profiles: More Than Just a Listing

In our chat, we explored the underused potential of Google Business Profiles. It’s a gem for increasing visibility, especially for funeral services. Updating your profile regularly, engaging thoughtfully with reviews. And ensuring that your profile reflects the true essence of your services can make a world of difference. It’s about making your business not just findable, but approachable and inviting in the digital space.

Your Website: The Digital Handshake

We also talked about the importance of a website in the digital age. A website is more than just a digital presence; it’s your digital handshake with potential clients. It should offer various offerings, be easy to navigate, and responsive. And especially on mobile devices.

24 | FuneralTimes

This is where first impressions are formed, and you want to ensure it’s an engaging and informative one. Having key collaborative partners and suppliers on your website to give people choices. For example share who you are aligned with: Celebrants, Coffin Suppliers, Singers and more. Become the one-stop shop and take away all that extra stress.

Social Media: Engage And Be Engaging

We discussed how to engage with your audience and be on the right channels for the right audience. There are four generations.

Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials (Gen Y) and Gen Z. It’s about finding the right tone that resonates with your audience. providing a mix of informational and educational content. People want solutions and you want to be top of mind. Baby Boomers and Gen X are your future customers and Millennials and Gen Z your future staff.

Analytics: Your Guide to Better Engagement

A surprising takeaway for many is the role of analytics in shaping your online strategy.

It’s about understanding what your audience engages with and tailoring your content accordingly. This insight can help make your online interactions more meaningful and supportive.

A Few Practical Steps for Your Funeral Home’s Digital Presence

I want to add this in: 1. Plan with Content Calendars: Organising your online content in advance. This will help maintain a steady and relevant online presence.

A content calendar is your best friend in this regard. Think of your social channels like magazines, a good mix of content and not just death notices.

2. Community Engagement: Building connections with related businesses like local florists, Celebrants etc.... By doing this on social media can boost your visibility and reach. Post about who you are aligned with and give people an insight into who you work with, eg: your staff, collaborative suppliers such as Celebrants and resources such as supportive bereavement materials to engage.

3. Authenticity is Key: Ensure that your online presence is a true reflection of the sincere and compassionate service you provide. People buy from people they “get to know and trust”. When was the last time you posted a video of you?

Conclusion:

My chat on “Talking Business with Ritz” highlighted that with the right digital strategy you can bring significant benefits to your business. This is especially so in these times

when the digital Scan QR Code to watch! realm is intertwined with our daily lives.

Be sure to watch the full interview by scanning the QR code.

Things are evolving. More and more people are looking for different options when it comes to funerals.

Not everyone wants a traditional funeral. When it comes to being online and on social media…. are you letting people know online what else you do? Do you stand out and share how you are different from your competitors? Show you provide more value compared to direct cremation providers etc?

It’s the start of the year, an ideal time to give your funeral business’ online presence a spring clean. So here’s a thought, ever considered having a video audit of your online presence to see what your potential customers see? I am providing free audits to the readers of The Funeral Times Magazine. Thinking I need to take the next step and update things online.

If so, why not book in for a free no-obligation exploration chat with me. For more information check out www.fitsocialmedia.co.uk or contact me by email at eimer@fitsocialmedia.co.uk.

If you have any more questions, send them into Eimer and she will answer them for you, and we will publish them in our next edition.

All questions submitted and published can be anonymous if you wish.

You can contact Eimer by email at: eimer@fitsocialmedia.co.uk

We are ready to meet your needs Mortuary Equipment Direct, situated in County Meath, is renowned for providing premium quality mortuary equipment. Our esteemed partnership with The Spencer Range, an Italian-based company, ensures that each product meets exceptional standards of quality.

A

mong our diverse range of products, the 3-Body Fridge is our standout offering, highly sought after for its practicality and space efficiency.

Ideal for various settings, these fridges are designed to provide optimal temperature control, ensuring the maintenance of a proper environment.

We invite potential clients to contact us for detailed information, quotes, and installation services for these fridges, which are particularly popular due to their balance of size and functionality.

OUR INVENTORY ALSO INCLUDES A VARIETY OF ESSENTIAL ITEMS: • Funeral Trolleys: Designed for ease of mobility within facilities.

• Body Trunks: Durable and userfriendly, suitable for storage and transport needs.

• U-Shaped Body Bags: Made from robust 200 microgen material, these bags are designed for durability and ease of use.

• Manual Hydraulic Trolleys: These facilitate effortless movement within facilities, enhancing operational efficiency.

• Body Fridges: We offer a wide range, accommodating from 1 to 20 units, catering to different scale requirements.

Our focus on the 3-Body Fridge reflects our understanding of the needs of modern mortuary services. These units are not only efficient in space utilization but also in energy consumption, making them an environmentally conscious choice.

Mortuary Equipment Direct is dedicated to serving the entire island of Ireland. We pride ourselves on delivering products that combine quality with functionality, ensuring that our

clients receive the best possible equipment for their needs.

In addition to our product range, we place a high emphasis on customer service. Our team is well-informed and eager to assist with any queries, guiding clients towards making the best choices for their specific mortuary equipment requirements.

For more information or to discuss your mortuary equipment needs, please feel free to reach out to us.

We are here to provide superior solutions that meet the demands of efficient mortuary management. Our commitment is to ensure that each facility is equipped with products that are both high in quality and respectful in their function.

FuneralTimes | 27

PEAI News... PEAI News...

Hello My name is Grainne Teefy After successfully achieving my qualification, I became a trade embalmer. The areas I cover are Louth, Monaghan, Down and surroundings area.

Coming from a medical background, I embarked on my embalming career training in Ireland with the Death Care Academy and with the BIE. I served as secretary to the PEAI for the last four years during which our country was faced with a pandemic bringing lots of uncertainty.

The PEAI continued to obtain information from the HSE and the HSA with direct communication to and from our national organisations. This information was shared directly with our members. We kept our members up to date with protocols developments and precautions as guidance was received from our national health authorities.

I am very keen on providing our members with further educational opportunities relevant to our profession .

All members are bound to the PEAI Code of Practice, and for this reason my vision for the PEAI is to provide numerous hands on workshops.

I will be looking into how the PEAI can further aid our members in areas which will enhance our embalmers professional skills and technique and to become familiar and informed about new innovative products available in our industry.

I am passionate about after life care and I believe that modern embalming is central to helping families during the grieving process.

CERTIFICATE OF GOOD STANDING No: IE01112

ACTIVE MEMBER PRESENTED TO

P R O F E S S I O N A L E M B A L M E R S A S S O C I AT I O N O F I R E L A N D C O. SLIGO

-

FIAT-IFTA PRESIDENT Marek Cichewicz

I RELAND

FIAT-IFTA SECRETARY Emerson De Luca

FIAT-IFTA - founded by Royal Decree the 24th of April 1970, Principality of MONACO Registered Head Office—Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS

This certificate is awarded for calendar year 2024

28 | FuneralTimes

Grainne Teefy PEAI Chairperson

Certified by The Irish College Of Funeral Directing And Embalming Accredited by the Professional Embalmers Association of Ireland

PEAI OFFICERS & APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES 2024-2025

CHAIRPERSON Gráinne Teefy MPEAI Mobile: 085-8570029

SECRETARY Martina Burns MPEAI, MEAE Mobile 086-3845446

VICE CHAIRPERSON Pat Keller MPEAI, MEAE, MIAFD Mobile: 087-2535519

TREASURER Michael Grealish MPEAI, MEAE Mobile: 087-8184283

PRO Joe McNamara MPEAI, MEAE, MIAFD Mobile 086-2532449

www.professionalembalmers.ie secretary@professionalembalmers.ie

Taking place Spring 2024 – Belfast Showcasing the best of the local funeral industry Nominate yourself or your team now!

Categories include: • Independent Funeral Director of the Year • Special Recognition Award • Lifetime of Service • Stonemason of the Year • Embalmer of the Year • Funeral Arranger / Planner of the Year • Receptionist of the Year • Trainee Funeral Director of the Year • Eco Funeral Service of the Year • Celebrant of the Year • Funeral Florist of the Year

And many more

Full list of categories at www.thefuneralawards.com follow us on facebook Event Charity Partner Cruse Bereavement Support

For further information please contact: Excellence Awards Ltd Telephone: 028 9433 9895

NEW MODEL PASSAT COMING SOON!

www.fearghasquinn.com

patrick@fearghasquinn.com | +44 (0)28 2582 2525

BIE News BIE News Ireland Division Hi All, I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and is enjoying the start of 2024. I hope people are keeping to those new year resolutions!

It’s been a crazy start to the year with storms so far, but we won’t let that get us down. We have so much to look forward to this year and being a member with us, you won’t regret being a part of this amazing division with amazing people with great ideas.

We start off the year with our AGM and first meeting of 2024. It will be held at Pure Reflections Resomarium, Abbeylands, Navan, Co, Meath on the 18th February 2024 at 12 noon. After our meeting the founder of Pure Reflections Elizabeth Oakes has kindly offered to give us a tour of her building and give us her insight into the resomation process. We will be able to get the knowledge to pass on to families we may be dealing with, our Funeral Directors we work with and also to our friends and family.

We have decided on this location to give our members an insight and knowledge into the resomation process in Irelands first Resomarium.

Fortunately times have changed in the Republic of 34 | FuneralTimes

Ireland. Cremation hasn’t always been as popular as it is today. It has taken years for the Irish to come away from the traditional Irish burials. Our first crematorium opened in Glasnevin in

1982 and the percentage of cremations was only at 2% Now our country has widened it’s horizon and it has increased to over 25% in 2020. Reflections Resomarium is giving the families of Ireland another option of a green and eco friendly alternative to cremation.

On a final note, I can’t wait to see everyone soon and I just want to give a gentle reminder for any of our members that need to pay their annual subscription to do so.

BIE Irish Chairperson

Niamh Cusack

Nikki Taggart presenting Michael Morning with his BIE certificate at the Funeral Times Tradeshow in Dublin

List of BIE Officers and Appointed Representatives for 2023/2024 IRISH DIVISION Chairperson & Divisional Liaison Officer: Niamh Cusack MBIE Ballingowan West, Villierstown, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford.

Tel: 086 3744762 E: cusackembalmings@gmail.com Vice Chairperson: Cyril Gantley MBIE 336 kildare Road Crumlin, Dublin 12 Mobile 085 7671582 E.cyril.gantley@mortuary-science.ie Secretary & Public Relations Offcer: Jennifer Tighe MBIE St. Patrick Street, Boyle, Co. Roscommon Tel: 086 8854333 E: Jennytighe30@yahoo.com 1st National Council Rep & National Educational Rep: Cyril Gantley MBIE 336 Kildare Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12 Mobile: 085 7671582 E: cyril.gantley@mortuary-science.ie 2nd National Council Representative: Paul Fahy MBIE 96 Ard Alainn Ballybane Co galway Mobile 086 1775817 E.paulie_waulie@yahoo.com Treasurer and Professional Standards Rep: Susan Moran MBIE 20 Cedarwood Park Newbridge, Co. Kildare Mobile 086 0619500 E.susan.moran@mortuary-science.ie

NORTHERN IRELAND DIVISION NI Chairwoman Mrs Nicola Taggart, MBIE 11 Alderley Crescent, Newtownabbey BT36 7WY Tel: 07917 220073 E: nikki.taggart@icloud.com

NI 1st Educational Committee Representative: Stephen Shields MBIE James Brown & Sons 300 Newtownards Road, Belfast Tel: 028 9045 1021 E: jamesbrown.belfast@funeralpartners. com NATIONAL UK DIVISION

NI Vice Chairman: David Rice MBIE

President: Richard D. Van Nes MBIE

NI Secretary: Liam Edwin Boyle, MBIE 4 Bradford Place Belfast BT8 7AW Tel: 07713 575501 E: liamboyle15@hotmail.co.uk

Imm. Past National President: Bobby Hopkins-Hoggarth MBIE

NI Treasurer: Andrew McMullan MBIE 22 High Street, Ballymoney Co. Antrim BT53 6AQ Tel: 028 2766 2265 E: andrew@mcmullanfunerals.com NI Public Relations Offcer: Ciaran Bailie MBIE 27 Navan Court Armagh Tel. 07523 477852 ciaranbailie@googlemail.com NI Student Liaison Officer Charlie Poots MBIE NI 1st National Council Representative: Laurence O’Neill MBIE 98 Stewartstown Road, Belfast BT11 9JP Tel: 028 9062 0099 E: oneill8210@hotmail.com NI 2nd National Council Representative: Mrs Barbara Fowley, MBIE Killakee, Rockbrook Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 Telephone: 00353 (0)86 1911022 Email: barbarafowley@yahoo.ie

1st Vice National President: Mrs Rachel Shipley MBIE 2nd Vice National President: Edward Williams-Price MBIE National PRO & National General Secretary: Karen Caney FBIE White Meadow Cottage, Brailsford, Derby DE6 3DA Mobile: 07786 432014 E: ngs@bioe.co.uk National Treasurer: Michael Liddle FBIE 10 Yew Tree Close, Silsoe MK45 4EQ Tel: 01525 860117 E: michaelliddle914@gmail.com Editor: Gwen Schofield FBIE 9 Seymour Walk, Meltham, Holmfirth HD9 4BP Home Tel: 01484 851994 Mobile: 07778 279100 E: gwen.schofield@ntlworld.co.uk Master Fellow: Karen Caney FBIE Student Liaison Officer: Frank Harron MBIE

NI Professional Standards Rep: Pat Harley, MBIE 67 Creggan Road, L’derry BT48 9DA Tel: 07712 899137 E: pat.harley@hotmail.co.uk FuneralTimes | 35

New Delivery - Quinn Hearse and Limousine

Damien and Aidan Clarke from Clarke Funeral Directors, Bailieborough with their new 5 Door Passat Hearse from Quinn Hearse and Limousine

Padraic Cawley Civil Funeral Celebrant Celebrating the life of the deceased, reflecting their personal beliefs, wishes, values and traditions.

T: 087- 2676050

E: padraic@padraiccawley.ie W: www.padraiccawley.ie 36 | FuneralTimes

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Our primary duties include: Biohazard Cleanup Cleaning and decontaminating areas contaminated with blood, bodily fluids, and other biohazards to prevent the spread of diseases and ensure safety.

Removal of Biohazardous Materials Disposing of items like blood-soaked materials, furniture, and other contaminated objects following strict protocols and regulations.

Odor Control Eliminating unpleasant odors that may linger after such incidents, often using specialized equipment and techniques including Ozone machines.

Decontamination Thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting affected surfaces to ensure they are safe for future use.

Restoration Repairing or replacing items and structures that may have been damaged during the incident or the cleanup process.

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Funeral directors face charge of nearly £200 for late arrival at cemetery

T

he January meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Environment and Economy Committee heard a proposal that funeral directors should be charged a “supplementary charge” when cemetery staff have to work outside fixed working hours to complete a burial.

Councillors were asked to support a recommendation to approve new rules for council owned cemeteries within the borough.

The current fee for a late arrival is £180.40 and the committee was told that there was a grace period of 15 minutes.

Three examples of late arrivals were given, in May at Ballee Cemetery in Ballymena; in August

Victoria Cemetery gates, Carrickfergus

at Victoria Cemetery, Carrickfergus; and in December at Larne Cemetery.

If any readers have been faced with similar problems please email sales@funeraltimes.com and we will be happy to share your experiences in a future issue of Funeral Times.

REPATRIATION SERVICE Exclusively available to Funeral Directors

A

side from their Dublin office, Aerly Bird Trans Global have expanded their service and now have an office in Cork, which opened at the end of 2021. They merged Allied Forwarding into their group Gilmac Limited, retaining the trading names for reason of continuity and familiarity with client base.

Aerly Bird Trans Global’s worldwide export transportation service of human remains & ashes on scheduled airlines is exclusively available to Funeral Directors only, who are

acting on behalf of the bereaved.

Although the Gilmac Group arranges various transportation types, they consider this service to be their most personalised, always requiring respect and thoughtfulness when carrying out their duty.

For more information or to discuss your requirements please contact: Aerly Bird Trans Global. Tel: +353 1 8161910 / 8161900, E-mail: sales@abtg.ie or visit their web-site: www.aerlybirdtransglobal.com FuneralTimes | 41

Taking Care of the Small Stuff

By Tim Collison CFSP, MBIE

Tim is CEO and Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Dodge. He is a regular presenter at the Dodge Seminars and is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the State of Michigan.

T

he first funeral home I worked for after I became a licensed funeral director primarily served Roman Catholic families. One of the effects of doing mostly Catholic funerals was that by far the majority of the work around the funeral home was done in the early morning.

Since most of the funeral masses were held at 10AM, friends and family would begin to arrive for prayers at the funeral home one and a half hours prior to beginning the procession to church. The employees were expected to be at work at least an hour before people began to arrive, so that meant we needed to be at the funeral home between 7:15 and 7:30AM. This gave us enough time to vacuum, clean bathrooms, dust, and ensure that the deceased was presentable. We also were then given our assignments for the funeral. Who would lead prayers, drive the lead car, drive the hearse, instruct the pallbearers, work the parking lot, deliver flowers to the church and cemetery, all of the details that were part of carrying out a Catholic funeral the correct way... our way!

I learned a lot of valuable lessons under the tutelage of the three owners. I found out that, as the youngest member of the firm, I was always expected to drive the removal vehicle on a two-person removal. I learned the hard way that you didn’t have your suit pants tailored too tight in the seat, since you spent a lot of time squatting to clean floors or to set flowers down in the front of the church. I also came to

44 | FuneralTimes

know that when one of the owners walked into the visitation room as you were positioning the casketed remains for viewing, and he began to make siren noises like a fire truck, that he was letting you know the lip cosmetic appeared to be too red. However, the most valuable lesson I learned, early on, was that the details make the difference. Planning out the details of the funeral, and having time to carry out necessary tasks, helped the business to be successful and families satisfied. One of the owners mentioned to me one time that if you took care of the small details, the big things took care of themselves.

This axiom holds true when we consider the appearance of the deceased. In this article, I’d like to address a few common problems that sometimes get overlooked when the deceased is being made ready for viewing. While none of them are overwhelming issues, each in their own way detracts from the overall pleasant and comfortable image we are trying to restore in the deceased.

The Downward Curving Mouth

Especially when the person has lost weight immediately prior to death, there is a tendency for the corners of the mouth to sag downward due to gravity and the position of the body. This results in a less than pleasant expression on the face. The least we should do when posing

features, is to create a ‘neutral’ expression, where the corners of the mouth lie straight with the line of closure of the lips, and it is preferable to create a ‘pleasant’ expression.

As an experiment, face a mirror and notice the corners of your mouth when you let all of the muscles relax. Then notice the difference when you just begin to form a smile. The angulus oris eminences elevate slightly, and the corners of your mouth align with the line of closure. There is probably a difference of only ¼”, but it significantly changes the expression on your face. This same pleasant expression can be created for the deceased when initially positioning the mouth. Using Inr-Seel works well as it can be molded using finger pressure.

A sufficient amount of mastic is placed into the mouth, and then adjusted so the corners form a straight or slightly upward posture. The same can be done with other filling material such as non-absorbent cotton. Example A shows the mouth completely relaxed. Example B shows the mouth with the corners slightly elevated.

If the corners of the mouth are downturned, and embalming has fixed the tissue in place, some adjustment can be made using Feature Builder. A small amount can be injected into the angulus oris eminences (see arrow in Example

B) to elevate this area. Wax can also be used to eliminate deep downward creases that are seen in more severe cases.

White Ring Around the Mouth

In some cases, when a heavier cosmetic has been used on the face of the deceased, a white ring will appear in the area that borders the mucous membranes of the mouth as it transitions to the surrounding tissue, or the integumentary lip. This tissue does not accept cosmetic in the same manner as the integumentary lip, so it creates the appearance of a white outline. Depending on the complexion color of the individual, a small amount of cosmetic that is darker than the complexion, for example Light Brown Kalchrome for a medium Caucasian complexion, can be sparingly applied in a stippling action to the border area using a ½” sable brush.

The application of the brown cosmetic on the margin will give the appearance of the mucous membrane pigment filtering into the surrounding tissue. This will eliminate the ring and the line of demarcation between the mucous membrane and integumentary lip to produce a more natural appearance.

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Example A

Example B

Small Gaps in the Lip Closure

adolescence and adulthood. Many men develop a purplish-red lip coloration as they reach the later stages of life. So the best potential for success in applying the correct color for male lips lies in the ability to blend cosmetics.

Since there are already many cosmetic colors appropriate for lips, the blending becomes much easier. Lip pigmentation is a combination of the three skin pigments, brown, yellow, and red. Generally when the lip color that we have applied appears too red, it is a result of not having enough of a brown component.

A technique that works well for lips that are too red, is to apply small amounts of a brown cosmetic, such as Light Brown Kalochrome or Dark Suntan Kalon Pigment, intermittently over the previous color using a 1/8” chisel ended lip brush. The cosmetic is then blended into the lip surface by softly stippling with a 3/4” sable brush. This technique will in many cases correct the appearance of the lips. Quite often a cosmetologist will unsuccessfully attempt to tone down lips that are too red with an application of white powder. This generally results in a chalky appearance to the lip surfaces, and doesn’t correct the cause of the problem, which is the lack of brown.

The small, seemingly insignificant fine points that we pay attention to can make a tremendous difference in the overall satisfaction of the families we serve. In the challenging funeral service environment in which we exist, any slight improvement we invest our time and energy in, has the potential to pay great dividends in the future.

Occasionally small gaps or cracks show up in the line of closure of the mouth. They can be caused by the lip surfaces not being completely closed prior to embalming, or slight dehydration afterward causing them to develop. One embalmer I worked with called them ‘whistlers.’ While the option to apply wax to these openings always remains, it can also be eliminated by injecting a small amount of Feature Builder directly into the gap using an insulin syringe. The gauge of the insulin needle is so small that it will not create a noticeable opening in the lip surface. By eliminating the opening using this technique, you avoid the possibility of wax being lifted off by contact, as well as having to cosmetize the waxed surface.

Male Lips Too Red

At the beginning of the article, I mentioned one detail that was not overlooked at the funeral home was male lips appearing too red. This is a common malady in funeral service, and one reason why there are so many variations of lip cosmetics available. I don’t know how many times over the years embalmers have asked me what the best lip color is, or when are we going to produce a better lip color. Unfortunately, there are many, many subtle variations in male lip color, and the chance of one or two cosmetics being able to approximate all of those color variations is negligible. It is also true that the color of a man’s lips has a tendency to change with age. As an infant, lip color has a pinkish-red hue, which darkens during

If you would like to be added to the mailing list for the complementary Dodge Magazine which is printed quarterly or would like to discuss any of the products mentioned in this article, please contact us on the number below: Shepherds Funeral Supplies, Unit 2A Royal Canal Business Park, Athlone Road, Co. Longford.

Ph. 00353 43 33 49702/00353 87 2486668 46 | FuneralTimes

Join the association that’s leading the way.

Representing and promoting the interests of over 1,500 funeral homes.

SAIF is at the forefront of tackling the big industry issues that matter to you.

As the united voice of independent funeral directors we have led the way in setting the highest standards of professionalism and conduct within the industry. By joining SAIF you too can demonstrate that you uphold this same commitment.

For over 30 years SAIF has been promoting and protecting the interests and values of independent funeral directors. Supporting our members is at the heart of everything we do, listening, responding and engaging to secure your independent future.

Join SAIF now: visit saif.org.uk or call us on 0345 230 6777 or 01279 726777

Saif News Saif News Meet the Team As we start the new year, it is a good time to reintroduce the team at the SAIF Business Centre.

Many of you may have spoken to the SAIF Business Centre at one time or another providing support and guidance both by phone and by email.

Terry Tennens Claire Day Kara Hanrahan Maria Sherlock Sam Reynolds Angela Camp

Chief Executive Officer Administration Manager SAIF Administrator Membership Administrator (new applications) Standards Administrator (Complaints & Quality Assurance) Digital Administrator

Any of the team can be contacted on 01279 726777, or by email info@saif.org.uk

SAIF Membership SAIF membership continues to grow stronger and if you are not a member then please do not hesitate to visit the SAIF website https://saif.org.uk/why-join-saif/, click on the QR code or call the office on 0345 230 6777 for further information.

Remember if you are a SAIF funeral director then you can also sign up free of charge to SLACK, a messaging application for businesses that connects with others within SAIF membership to share best practice and receive SAIF updates. Please email info@saif.org.uk if you have not yet signed up.

SAIF Annual subscription renewal

T

he Business Centre have started sending out the annual membership subscriptions which must be paid by the 31st January 2024 to ensure that your membership and accompanying benefits continue.

For those who have not signed up for direct debit you will be able to pay electronically by either BACS, debit or credit card or online by https://form.typeform.com/to/ToOKLNkd.

New website and members area - Watch this space!

S

AIF will be launching their new website as well as a new look and feel members area that will provide the usual information but also giving the member more autonomy regarding company information.

48 | FuneralTimes

Saif News Saif News AGM - Notice of Meeting:

The National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) The Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held at 9.30am on Saturday 23rd March 2024 at The Principal Hotel, York, YO24 1AA.

From all at SAIF Business Centre we wish you a Happy New Year for 2024!

NEW DELIVERY

Pierce Coachbuilders

John O’Donoghue from Clonmel, Tipperary pictured with his newly built Ford ambulance from Pierce Coachbuilders.

FuneralTimes | 49

Funeral Video Service at its best When Paul Hughes started trading as Paul Hughes Video in 1999, the aim was to provide the public with high quality video services. This involved everything from pre-production to filming, editing and delivery. Over the years the business has grown substantially and Paul is now a market leader and is in possession of some of the best video production equipment on the market today.

S

ince the Covid-19 pandemic, streaming and filming funerals became ‘normal’. While many churches fitted webcams, not all did. This left a gap in the market which videographers such as Paul Hughes were required to fill. Paul is also one of the few drone pilots certified to fly in both Ireland and the UK and also offers drone footage. DVD and USB copies of the final edit are also available if desired.

Funeral-Video.net was developed to fill the gap in the market and because most streams are not live the website offers several benefits, for example: 1. Link will be provided in advance 2. The stream will be available at an agreed time (usually within a few hours) 3. Flexible filming options 4. Enhanced viewing privacy (while most families opt for public, unlisted listings with or without password protection is available) 5. Editing prior to public viewing (not available with live-streaming) 6. Stream will be available to view at any time on demand Paul has long-standing links with several funeral directors. Here is what two had to say about Paul’s work.

“Paul is an excellent videographer who provides a valuable service to grieving families. He records the funeral services with professionalism and care, and delivers high-quality videos that capture the essence of the event. He also offers editing and customisation options, such as adding music, photos, and captions to create a personalised memorial video. I have worked with Paul on several occasions and I have always been impressed by his work ethic, creativity, and compassion. He is respectful of the families wishes and emotions, he handles sensitive situations with grace and tact. He is not only a great videographer, but also a great partner for funeral directors. I highly recommend him to anyone who needs a funeral video service.” - Damian Smith Undertakers “We have used Paul on numerous occasions to record the funeral services for our clients.

His quality of work and professionalism has been of a consistent high standard.

Paul has time and again assisted us in delivering quality streaming services for the families we help.

We hope to continue to work together” Daniel Mallon, Funeral Director.

Funeral-Video.net is based in Keady, Co. Armagh and covers Co. Louth, Mid, South and East Ulster.

We highly recommend contacting Paul with your needs as he is flexible and will endeavour to meet any requirements.

50 | FuneralTimes

Funeral Hymn Sheets WHAT DOES YOUR ORDER OF SERVICE SAY ABOUT YOU? OUR PROMISE TO YOU IS SIMPLE We will answer your calls, 7 days a week - 52 weeks a year We will deliver on time - EVERY time

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FuneralTimes | 51

Mortuary Services & Training Specialists (BIE Accredited tutor, Cyril Gantley) Professional and very Competitive Repatriation Service.

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James Fox Funeral Directors, Navan collecting their new Passat Hearse from Quinn Hearse and Limousine 52 | FuneralTimes

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FuneralTimes | 53

Let Me Tell You A Story - By Ian Fee -

Lakelands Funeral Home & Crematorium, Cavan

E

very story has its cast of characters. So does every life. From starring roles, to supporting characters, cameos to walk-on bit parts, our lives are filled with so many people. Some are at the very heart of our story, while others move in and out, appearing for a time in the early chapters perhaps, or at the end. For those of us in funeral services, our appearance is usually towards the end of the story, perhaps the final chapter, or even the epilogue.

We may appear to be background characters, coming to the stage in the final pages but as can often be case, those almost anonymous characters can still be instrumental in driving the plot forward, moving the story on and indicating what is happening by their presence, their dress or attitude. As a funeral celebrant, the role is quite different though. We can act as a narrator, offering a framework for the larger story and commenting on the key developments along the way. Sometimes though, our role is that of Storyteller. A family may ask us to speak on their behalf, to share the story of their loved one’s life, to express it in words that might otherwise fail them at that time.

To be entrusted with someone’s story is an honour, and to be asked by a family to represent them, to speak for them, to channel their own stories and memories, their feelings and

54 | FuneralTimes

experiences in a way that brings the story to life is both a privilege and a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. Keeping that storyteller image in my mind certainly helps me when celebrating a service and whether it was a seemingly simple life or one of great events and renown, keeping that central to everything, that I am there to tell a story, means that everyone’s tale is told with all the detail, emotion and character it deserves. It is not the simple recitation of dates and times and places; it is a breathing of life and colour and energy into those dates and times and places, the act of remembrance that has brought us together.

The trust that is placed in you so that you can carry out this role is humbling. As some of you know, I was a priest for over twenty years, and each time I was involved in a funeral, the family opened their homes and their lives to me so that I could accompany them and speak of their loved one from the honesty and vibrancy of their memory. It can be just the same for the funeral celebrant.

All of us in funeral services can be asked to wear many different hats, to take on many different roles in the closing chapter of a person’s life, so whatever part we play, we all play our part within the dignity and uniqueness of their story.

Our Crematorium, Facilities and Remembrance Garden are available 7 days a week to accommodate Families and Funeral Directors (no weekend surcharge) Memorial Keepsakes

Lakelands Crematorium, Dublin Rd, Cavan, Co. Cavan Tel: 049 4362200 / mob: 086 2458489 email: info@LakelandsCrematorium.ie www.LakelandsCrematorium.ie

Antrim and Newtownabbey Crematorium

Antrim and Newtownabbey Council donate £14k to Children’s Hospice The Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Councillor Mark Cooper presented a cheque for £14,000 to the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice in January.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Crematorium opened in 2023 and the donation was funded by the sale of recycled metal from hip replacements and other metals left after the cremation process. The families of the bereaved, have given their consent for the recycling of metals.

Senior Trusts, Foundations and Major Donor Fundraising Executive at Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, Leo Donaghy, said: “We are all aware of the need to protect the planet and

what better way to be more environmentally conscious than by recycling metals in this way.

As well as preventing the metals from going to landfill, they can also be turned into essential funds in aid of the specialist palliative care work of Children’s Hospice. It is a double bonus.

“The vital funds raised will enable us to continue providing care to babies, infants and children with life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses in the local community and throughout Northern Ireland. A huge and heartfelt thanks to all those involved in this visionary initiative, your generous support will truly make a tangible difference to those who need our help the most.”

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56 | FuneralTimes

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NAFD News Invest in your team in 2024 through NAFD education and training N AFD Education provides educational pathways to enable funeral sector staff to build their professional knowledge, skills, and confidence, enabling them to step forward and excel when assisting each and every bereaved family your firm cares for. The NAFD works to identify the immediate and future needs of the profession, to create a sustainable programme of training and education, delivery and assessment that can support employees as they develop their careers in funeral service.

The Association partners with a range of education providers and professional specialists to provide a comprehensive suite of accredited professional development programmes, designed to equip the industry with the knowledge and resources to meet future business challenges, professional requirements, and regulatory standards.

Programmes include:

• Online Funeral Service Awareness training: an online training course designed to support anyone considering a career in the funeral profession or anyone who would like a better understanding of the profession 58 | FuneralTimes

• Frontline Funeral Service Operative programme: an introductory qualification ideal for those who are new to the funeral profession, with NAFD members now using the course as part of their own organisational induction programmes.

• One-day mortuary management training workshop: run in conjunction with NHS North Tees and Hartlepool, the NAFD’s oneday mortuary management training workshop ensures that funeral businesses can achieve consistent, quality managed standards and monitoring processes specific to mortuary operations.

• Certificate in Funeral Arranging and Administration: designed for employees working as funeral arrangers and administrators to improve knowledge in the processes and procedures relating to arranging a funeral as well as develop a deeper understanding of sensitive communication, inclusivity, financial awareness and health and safety in the workplace.

• Level 4 Higher Diploma in Funeral Directing: accredited

by AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group as a Level 4 Higher Diploma, equivalent to the first year of a foundation

degree, the Level 4 NAFD Higher Diploma in Funeral Directing recognises students for achieving the higher levels of knowledge and understanding in their work – while still gaining the much valued ‘DipFD’ post-nominal.

Includes a Direct Entry Route - a fast-track option for the NAFD’s funeral directing programme aimed at funeral professionals who have years of experience, but no formal prior qualifications.

Karen Van Richardson, NAFD Director of Education and Development, said: Alongside the Board of Education, we are working on some exciting new projects which will be announced this year, which will enable us to continue supporting everyone across the funeral sector including our DipFD graduates, new entrants, aspiring business leaders and the whole spectrum of occupational groups. The NAFD is working to get its members ahead of the game, to ensure they have everything they need to demonstrate a commitment to delivering the highest standards of care in the funeral sector, providing a real differentiator between them and other funeral firms.”

The Road to Stoneleigh The countdown to NFE 2024 has begun 13-15 June 2024 Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire In less than six months, the National Funeral Exhibition (NFE) 2024 opens its doors and, judging by the number of visitor registrations and appetite for exhibiting space, the industry is ready to do business, learn and be entertained, once again, at one of the world’s leading funeral sector live events.

The show has moved from a Friday to Sunday format to Thursday to Saturday, providing an additional business day for business leaders across the sector to attend the show, but still keeping a weekend day to enable smaller and family businesses, who might not be able to leave the funeral home during the week, to attend too.

Market sectors as diverse as vehicle fleets, coffins, caskets, professional equipment suppliers, printing and stationery companies, online memorial services, charities, and business advisory firms are already submitting bold and eye-catching plans for their stands, which will see them demonstrating their equipment, products, services and skills – and providing refreshments for thirsty visitors! There’s a firm focus on creating a great visitor experience at the show – with seminar theatres, plenty of options for lunch and several networking areas planned – to 60 | FuneralTimes

make sure a trip to the NFE is enjoyable and productive from start to finish.

Register to attend at: www.nationalfuneral exhibition.co.uk.

Call for speakers Speakers interested in presenting a CPD session in the NFE lecture theatre during NFE 2024 are invited to submit a short proposal,

outlining their proposed topic, to events@nafd.org.uk.

A small number of product

launch slots are also available. Please email the same address or details.

Espionage and the Royal family – Professor Rory Cormac to give keynote address at NAFD Conference

I

n addition to an agenda packed with business speakers and debates focused on key funeral sector issues, including a session from Conference principal partner Ecclesiastical, there will also be a rare opportunity for NAFD Conference delegates to enjoy an insight into the camouflage and secrecy of statecraft and spying – with a distinctly Royal connection - as Professor Rory Cormac, author of ‘How to Stage a Coup and Ten Other Lessons from the World of Secret Statecraft’ and other books on espionage, rounds off the Saturday Education Day with a keynote address.

Professor of International Relations at Nottingham

Professor Rory Cormac University, specialising in the study of Covert Action and Secret Statecraft, Rory

Cormac is also well known for researching and presenting three documentaries for Channel 4: Spying on the Royals (2017), D-Day: The King who Fooled Hitler (2019) and The Queen and the Coup (2020) – key insights from which he will be covering in his speech to Conference, after lunch, on Saturday 11 May. Professor Cormac is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and has held Leverhulme and AHRC fellowships. He has appeared at the Hay, Cheltenham, and Edinburgh Literary Festivals, regularly features in national and international media coverage, and has also spoken FuneralTimes | 61

at the UK Cabinet Office, Home Office, Number 10, and Ministry of Defence, as well as the US State Department and Pentagon.

Secure your tickets and accommodation for Conference 2024 today to make sure you don’t miss out! A range of packages

and options are available, including paying by instalments through direct debit. www.nafd.org.uk/ annual_conference

NAFD Westerleigh Group partnership offers NAFD member benefits A new partnership between Westerleigh Group and NAFD offers members a greater choice of competitively priced direct and limited attended cremation services for NAFD members – and, during January, members can also take advantage of further special discounts on both services.

Andrew Judd, NAFD Chief Executive, welcomed the new partnership: “Direct and limited attendance cremations

now represent a small but significant number of funerals taking place in the UK. We know from our consumer research that the public wants to be able to talk to their local funeral director if they are considering one – and to have the flexibility to include other services and options to make even the simplest of funerals a meaningful one.

“I am delighted that we have been able to develop this new Westerleigh Group Direct Cremation benefit and would like to thank the Westerleigh team for their proactive partnership approach, which enable members right across the UK to offer their clients a really strong set of options, no matter what kind of funeral they wish to arrange.

NAFD supplier members like

Westerleigh bring so much to the Association, and I am keen to grow partnership relationships, like this one, that benefit member firms and their employees and support the delivery of high-quality services to bereaved families.

Ed Lane, Operations Director at Westerleigh Group said: “We are delighted to be partnering with NAFD to provide its members with access to a selection of direct cremation packages, all delivered with exceptional care by our dedicated colleagues across 40 Westerleigh Group crematoria.

By working together, we can offer greater choice of services to the bereaved locally, yet never compromising on the quality of our care, especially at the time of ongoing economic challenges.”

Showcase your brand in 2024 through NAFD major event sponsorship

A

cross the NAFD’s two major national events in 2024, NAFD Conference and AGM in May, and the National Funeral Exhibition in June, There are a wealth of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure your brand is visible to business decision makers in the funeral sector.

We have designed a range of packages to

62 | FuneralTimes

provide diverse and effective promotional opportunities, at a range of price points, whether you’re a major international business – or a brand-new start-up.

You can download our major event sponsorship brochure from the NAFD website or request a copy from events@nafd.org.uk.

NAFD points out that Theos research misses the point: funerals are for the living as well as the dead Research produced by the think tank Theos in November, reported that only half of the respondents to their survey (47%) said they wanted a funeral for themselves. The NAFD responded to point out that there was an important perspective missing from the Theo research: that of the bereaved family and friends of the person who has died.

In its response, the NAFD noted that funerals are as much (if not more) for the living as for the dead, and research has consistently demonstrated that people can hold an inconsistent view: even if they don’t want a funeral for themselves, they would want to be able to arrange one for someone they loved: “Funerals are a chance to say goodbye and the coming together of a community to support those who are grieving; we know from the pandemic restrictions just how devastating it can be when this is taken away. That’s why it is vitally important that there are good conversations amongst families; funeral plans

should include more than just the wishes of the person who is going to die, they should also reflect the needs of the people who will miss them when they are gone.”

The response was briefed out to the press and posted on social channels. Over subsequent days a number of national newspaper columnists, including in the Times, Telegraph, Mail and Jeremy Clarkson for The Sun, published articles pointing out the important value of funeral service to the grieving process, with Clarkson concluding: “Never think your death doesn’t matter, it does.”

More than 50% of NAFD members have taken steps to address the growth of direct cremation A lmost 70 percent of NAFD members (66%) have reported an increase in request from clients for information about direct cremation.

As a result, half of members have made changes to how they promote direct/unattended cremations over the past year. The findings were gathered across the autumn by Funeral Solution Expert, working with research provider Trajectory Partnership on behalf of the NAFD in a survey with members for the third year in a

row. As a result of the participation of members in the study, Funeral Solution Expert donated £500 to Hospice UK in October.

The results revealed that the numbers of direct/unattended cremations carried out by NAFD members remain reasonably consistent at 11 percent. Other reputable sources put the figure at closer to 12%, but with no fixed definition agreed across the sector as to what a direct/unattended cremation includes, it is FuneralTimes | 63

possible that some reported direct cremations are cremations without a committal service, but with another type of funeral service that has been arranged separately elsewhere.

In a significant change to the market, two thirds of respondents report they now offer a flexible ‘direct cremation+’ style service, enabling families to add additional services and options to a basic unattended cremation, while a third offer a fixed direct cremation with no extras. Just under half of all funeral firms that responded to the survey said they had added to/changed how they provide direct cremations during 2023. For many firms, these steps have been designed to address growing public awareness, with 66 percent of respondents noting an increase in requests from clients.

However, the NAFD’s consumer research report has also sparked changes too, with 42% of medium to larger businesses and 24% of smaller businesses confirming they have made changes as a result of the Association’s research report and resources.

Deborah Smith, NAFD Communications Lead, who led the research project and has worked with members to tailor a range of marketing and promotional resources, said: “The research was designed to ask members to think about direct cremation in relation to their business, changes to the market – and the evolving views and needs of consumers. It’s encouraging to see that so many members have made good use of the research resources. Whatever steps they have taken in response are those that are right for their businesses – for some it has been proactively engaging their communities in conversation, while others have used the data to examine their service offering. There’s never any one right answer to tackling changes in the marketplace and the NAFD will be there to support its members in whatever they need, going forward. I would like to thank Simon Cox and the team at Funeral Solution Expert/ Trajectory Partnership for their continued support in tracking these important market developments.”

GerryWreath McDermot Manufacturer Circular Road, Roscommon

Mob: 086 2544126 or Mob: 086 8205215 64 | FuneralTimes

FuneralTimes | 65

Jennifer Muldowney is an event planner for memorials in the United States of America and Ireland and is currently partnered with the prestigious Frank E. Campbell - The Funeral Chapel in NYC as their in-house event planner.

Jennifer is also notable as author of Say Farewell Your Way, Tedx speaker of ‘Grief as Unique as your Heartbeat’ and host of ‘The Glam Reaper Podcast’.

Check out Muldowney Memorials (.com) to learn more.

By Jennifer Muldowney

Navigating Change: A Digital Journey for Funeral Directors In a world characterized by constant evolution, the funeral industry is gradually embracing technology, marking the beginning of a digital age for some funeral homes.

Despite this shift, many funeral homes still operate without a website, relying on traditional word-of-mouth and community referrals.

Reflecting on the changes since the early 2000s paints a vivid picture of the industry’s transformation: • Websites were non-existent, and digital marketing was yet to emerge.

• Traditional advertising methods like phonebooks, pens, and combs were the norm.

• Families moved farther from their core homes, leading to increased distance and dysfunction.

• A decline in faith and religion resulted in a rise in secular services.

• Services were delayed more than a few days.

• Employees gained more influence, shifting the dynamic in favour of the workforce.

• Families began to expect heightened communication and transparency.

• The cremation rate witnessed a significant increase.

To put it into perspective, Google and SEO activity exploded approximately 20 years ago.

Recently, at the ReCon tech conference, Tribute Technology’s CEO, Charlie Cole, shared the company’s vision. Supporting over 9,000 funeral homes, cemeteries, and cremation 66 | FuneralTimes

businesses in the U.S., Tribute Tech focuses on the digital customer journey – a pivotal aspect from awareness to advocacy. Charlie emphasized the importance of funeral directors understanding and leveraging this journey.

While a landing page is crucial for advertising, the obituary page is hailed as a goldmine. In the U.S., an obituary garners an average of 200 views, with 60% of viewers aged 45 or older, 60% female, and the majority within 15 miles.

This demographic becomes a prime audience

for both current and future at-need and preneed services.

Encouraging funeral directors to embrace AI, Tribute Tech highlighted its potential to simplify management processes, personalize family interactions, and foster community engagement.

AI, including obituary writing tools introduced

by Tribute’s CTO, Matt Powell, emerges as a versatile solution with applications ranging from efficient obituary creation to developing training materials.

Key advice for managing obituary pages included posting content quickly, sharing it through social channels, and updating it for additional content when possible. Tribute also stressed the importance of SEO and unique content creation for organic traffic, with AI playing a role in content generation and idea creation.

In a convention that urged funeral directors to adapt to the evolving landscape, embrace technology, and leverage data-driven strategies,

the message was clear: staying informed and incorporating innovative solutions will empower funeral homes to meet the changing needs of grieving families in today’s digital era.

New Delivery - Quinn Hearse and Limousine

H.C. Townsend & Son, Harrogate display an E Class limo as their latest fleet addition by Quinn Hearse and Limousine FuneralTimes | 67

Meet the Humanist Ceremonies celebrants!

The fourth in a series of profiles on Humanist Ceremonies trained and accredited celebrants in Northern Ireland, we meet three of the network. in Snowdonia; a Volunteer Counsellor in Lurgan; and a self-employed Registered Childminder working from home when her own three children were small.

She is happiest outside at the beach, in a forest or half-way up a mountain.

Sheena Bradley (Dromore) Sheena has recently returned to working full-time in the health service as a Biomedical Scientist.

She trained as a humanist funeral celebrant back in 2017 and has since also trained to conduct weddings and naming ceremonies. She is a regular contributor to Radio Ulster’s Thought for the Day and the owner of a little dog called Hendrix (the guitarist, not the gin!).

After she left school, she studied Biochemistry at Queens and then went on to have various roles including being a Volunteer Social Worker in a Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Andover; a Biomedical Scientist in Haematology in Basingstoke; a Cook and Housekeeper at an Outdoor Pursuits Centre 68 | FuneralTimes

whose family were unaware that a non-religious funeral was an option.

From this point on funerals have become very important to Micky who notes that, while we need to mourn the loss of a loved one, we also need to remember and celebrate the wonderful life they have lived and the joy they brought to everyone who knew them.

He works with families to create a funeral ceremony that does just that, ensuring that their loved one receives a send-off which is reflective of their life and personality.

Michael McAlinden (Bangor) Michael (aka Micky) is very much a ‘people’ person having worked in the voluntary and statutory youth service in N. Ireland for the past 30 years.

Having worked with children and young people all his professional life, he always has a keen sense of service to the community so becoming a celebrant was a natural progression for him.

He trained in 2019 to become a funeral celebrant following the death of a close friend who was non-religious but

Lisa Wilkinson (Ballymena) Having been to one too many funerals which felt cold and impersonal Lisa knew there had to be a better way to say goodbye to the deceased, and to hear what family and

friends really wanted to say in All our celebrants are trained and accredited by Humanists their grief.

UK, have a DBS check and insurance cover. As part of our As a humanist the answer was quality assurance, there is regular peer review and a transparent to train as a funeral celebrant complaints process for families and our professional partners. with Humanists UK and Lisa Full contact details of all our celebrants can be found on says it is a privilege to share in the inside front cover of this magazine or you can search the act of remembering with for someone close to you at https://humanists.uk/ those who knew the deceased ceremonies/find-a-celebrant/funerals/ best.

With a background in the kitchen table with family overwhelming responsibility mediation, mental health and and friends or being by the felt when we are bereaved, support work Lisa’s experience and aims to lighten that load in sea. adds to what she offers in her her funeral celebrant role. celebrant role.

Non-religious Lisa’s favouritefuneral way to spend She understands grief, her free time is ceremonies laughing round family dynamics and the and memorial Meaningful and memorable ceremonies

Non-religious funera and memorial cerem

The funeral director who invented the automatic telephone exchange Meaningful and bespo Humanist funerals and memorials are non-religious ceremonies which focus on the person who has died, the life they led, and the relationships they forged. They are based on the humanist perspective that every life is valuable and unique.

A humanist funeral or memorial is the perfect option for families and friends who want a sincere, personal commemoration of their loved one, without religion.

Humanist funerals and memorials are non-religious ceremonies that focus on the person who has died, Each funeral and memorial ceremony is tailored the life they led, and the relationships to the person who has died, and the wishes of they forged. They are based on the humanist perspective that every life is the people who love them, in the most fitting way valuable and unique. possible. That may be an upbeat celebration of a human intermediary.

It is a little known fact that the invention of the automatic telephone exchange came about through the urgent need of a funeral director.

E is a th p c m

In the late 1880s Almon Strowger was of life or a ceremony with a more traditional tone.

Strowger was not the firstortomemorial have is the A humanist funeral A the only undertaker in a small option for and friends re Humanist funerals are inclusive and welcoming tothis idea.perfect Thousands offamilies patents town in Missouri, and ran quite a who want a sincere, personal reflection T people of all backgrounds and faiths. They often include for such machines had been on the life of their loved ones – without b profitable business. He noticed time for reflection on the person who has died, when those religion. This can be especially important b submitted, however, Strowger, with religious beliefs can say a silent prayer, if they wish. his work had suddenly if the person who died was not religious. a livingby inour Kansas City, Missouri, trained dropped off considerably, Humanist funerals and memorial ceremonies are conducted and accredited celebrants. at Find the timeyour of the local patent celebra and that there was a Our funeral and memorial ceremonies are c application, was the first new undertaker in town.

Contact one of our celebrants today to find toand create a working Curious as to why so manyFIND YOUR LOCAL CELEBRANT personal farewell. model.

In 1892 Strowger patented were going to this new BALLYMENA BELFAST BELFAST NEWTOWNABBEY BALLYCASTLE BELFAST B his automatic telephone undertaker instead of him, Lisa Wilkinson Máire De Buitléar Michael ConlonJohn Foley Avril Hawthorne Richard Lavery M exchange and left07802 the 839543 Strowger found out it was 07759 514139 07841 860276 07494 505033 436914 0794907854 114455 0 undertaking business to because the telephone BANBRIDGE BELFAST DERRY NEWTOWNABBEY BALLYMENA BELFAST B Lisa Wilkinson Maire De Buitlear M Maggie Smith Julie Hassellmass-produce Stewart Holden operator was married to Joan Davis his new 07759 514139 07841 860276 0 07546 954222 07858 373888 07510 851612 07971 634098 this other undertaker. When invention.

BANBRIDGE BELFAST D DROMORE Teaming NORTH DOWN BELFAST anyone called for Stowger’sBANGOR up with family Joan Davis Cathy Graham J Michael Sheena Bradley07546Trevor Molloy 07595 927494 Rachel Smith 954222 0 business, she would direct McAlinden members and friends, he 07957 474643 07732 143183 07549 946622 them to her husband. At that BELFAST 07305 892201 createdBANGOR the Strowger Automatic D DUNMURRY Michael BELFAST Humanist Ceremonies™ McAlinden Rachel Smith S is part of Humanists UK, time when anyone placed aBELFAST call Telephone Exchange Company, Janni Knox MaryLou 07305 0 a 892201 registered charity in 07957 474643 England and Wales (no.

285987) Richard Lavery McShane they had to first call in an operator 07890 installed 861690 the first working system which and company limited by 07802to 839543 07962 906236 guarantee (no. 228781) who would then connect them their into La Porte, Indiana, in 1892.

In 1898 Strowger Humanist Ceremonies™ is part intended party. Strowger found this system Wales (no. 285987) and company sold his patent and shares of the company For more information visit humanist.uk/ceremonies > entirely unnecessary, and worked to come up and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. There he with an invention that would allow callers to returned to the undertaker business until his contact one another directly, without the need death in 1902.

FuneralTimes | 69

Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke

Donations in Lieu of Flowers Remembering a loved one in a special way Donating to a charity in memory of a loved one, rather than sending flowers, is a special way to create an ongoing legacy for the deceased, whilst offering much-needed support to those still living with life-limiting illnesses such as chest, heart and stroke conditions.

By assisting Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke to receive donations in lieu of flowers from families you will be helping us: • Invest in life-saving research • Provide care services and run support groups • Educate schoolchildren, community groups and people in the workplace to make healthier lifestyle choices • Deliver vital health checks • Campaign and lobby for policy changes to health-related legislation

HOW TO DONATE

Supporting us through gifts in lieu of flowers is very straightforward, and our Supporter Care Team is always on hand if you want to ask any questions. We know there are many other difficult decisions to make at this time, so we are here to make sure donating is as easy as possible for families.

Post: Donations can be sent to us at: FREEPOST, RSYK-LUTK-GTKJ, Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke, 21 Dublin Road, Belfast, BT2 7HB. Online: Make a donation safely and securely via our website at: nichs.org.uk/make-a-donation Telephone: Contact our Supporter Care Team on 028 9026 6743 to make a credit card payment or for help and advice.

Create A Tribute Page: An NICHS Always In My Heart tribute page is free to set up at: nichs. org.uk/tribute It can be used to share funeral arrangements, receive donations in memory and send the family thoughts and messages of support.

QR Code: If families would like to include a QR code on their loved one’s order of service for online donations it can be downloaded from our website at: nichs.org.uk/resources

A THANK YOU FOR EVERY GIFT

We are always overwhelmed by the generosity shown by families who choose to support us at a time of deep personal loss and sadness. It is therefore incredibly important to us to be able to thank them for their kindness and let them know how much we appreciate their support.

Everyone who makes a donation to us in memory of their loved one will receive a personal thank you gift from us, as long as we have their contact details. We will also send the nextof-kin, or family representative, a monthly update on the total amount received. All the money we receive is used to support people in Northern Ireland.

Thank you for your continued support.

Through our own personal experience we received the inspiration to set up Treasured Keepsakes, to give people a wide variety of options upon a loved one’s passing should they choose to keep a lock of hair, cremated remains, a piece of jewellery, a photograph or anything that is a personal reminder of their loved one in a small keepsake, keepsake pendant or urn.

Funeral directors we are currently working with have tailored our service to suit their needs. We have two options of how our service can work for you. If you wish you can buy our products from us at a wholesale price and sell them directly to your clients. Alternatively we can offer this service to your clients directly.

We would hope that by recommending our service we will enhance and add value to your business at no extra cost to you.

For more information contact us or visit our website Tel: 01 825 4579 From NI: 00353 1 825 4579 info@treasuredkeepsakes.ie www.treasuredkeepsakes.ie

Contact: +353 85 814 2906 Email: info@cullenfuneralcare.com

FANCY BEING COMPOSTED?

By Mattie Lennon Would you consider being turned into compost when you die?

That question was asked in a survey and here is the result; Definitely/probably would: 44% Definitely/probably would not: 32% I have no idea what the other 24% think. Perhaps they don’t think of death.

What exactly is human composting?

The body-composting process that has been legalised in Washington, New York, California, Colorado, Oregon and Vermont is called natural organic reduction or terramation.

Corpses are placed in airtight vessels and surrounded by a bulking mixture of the alfalfa plant and sawdust. These organics quickly gather and retain heat naturally, avoiding the costly fossil fuel expenditure of conventional crematoriums.

The heat speeds up the microbial activity and after about 30-50 days, the body is transformed into organic matter. Bones and teeth do not break down in this process and are ground down separately using specialised equipment and then mixed in with the

rest of the soil.

The new soil is then left for around another 30 days to allow it to stabilise and dry before it is given to the family of the loved one.

According to Katrina Spade, Founder and CEO, “Recompose developed human composting (aka natural organic reduction) over years of rigorous research and design. The process utilizes the principles of nature to return bodies to the land, sequestering carbon and improving the health of our natural surroundings.

The Recompose team is excited to see this green funeral option spread in the U.S. and all over the globe in the coming years.” According to one media report “The Church of England is considering allowing “human composting” at funerals as a greener alternative to burials and cremations.”

I have used every known form of communication, other than CarrierPidgeon, in my efforts to contact the Church of England to ask for clarification but up to the time of writing I have been unsuccessful.

5 Ma y 2024

SUPPORT

#TeamNIKidney at the Belfast City Marathon FREE ENTRY for the first 10 relay teams!

For more information Email Susan Kee (NIKRF Chair) susannikrf@outlook.com

Terms and conditions apply - please see website for more details. https://nikidneyresearch.org/latest-articles/belfast-marathon-24/

www.nikidneyresearch.org

Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke

A WARM INVITATION TO ALL INTERESTED IN KIDNEY DISEASE TO ATTEND OUR INFORMATIVE MEETINGS WEDNESDAY 21ST FEBRUARY AT 8:00 PM Seminar Room, Level 11 Belfast City Hospital Speaker: Miceal Cole, Principle Biomedical Scientist Lab Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (H&I) THERE ARE OVER 100 PEOPLE INVOLVED IN EVERY TRANSPLANT. HEAR HOW THE H&I LAB ARE ESSENTIAL IN THIS PROCESS.

WEDNESDAY 17TH APRIL AT 7.30 PM OUTREACH, Ballymoney Health Centre, Lecture Theatre, 21 Newal Road, Ballymoney Dr Clare McKeaveney, Post Doc Research Fellow at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, QUB – ‘Carers’ role for Kidney patients’.

Dr Ruth Fergie, Renal Specialist Registrar, Belfast – ‘Frailty in Kidney Patients’.

Ms Elaine Boyle, NHS Laboratory Service Manager at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust – ‘H & I Lab’.

Meet Coleraine’s very own ‘Caring Caretaker,’ Mr David Boyle MBE Refreshments served, all welcome.

If you are interested in kidney disease, we would like to invite you along to hear these inspirational people.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE EVENTS CONTACT US AT TEL: 07907 714556 FuneralTimes | 75

The New Mercedes 214

Order Book Now Open

E214 Order Book Now Open

Orders are now being taken for the new E-Class Hearse and Limousine, for delivery in 2024. visit: coleman-milne.co.uk call: +44 (0)1942 815600

Orders are now being taken for the new E-Class Hearse and Limousine, for delivery in 2024.

Available in Petrol, and Hybrid, thisE-Class is the Available in Petrol, Diesel andDiesel Hybrid, this is the very last ICE model to be manufactured

by Mercedes, following incredible 40 year reign. by very last ICE E-Class model toanbe manufactured Mercedes, following an incredible 40 year reign.

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To be, or not to be?

By Dr Bill Webster

I

’m getting to that time in life when I’m realizing “Too soon old, too late smart.” But, for me, the question for this New Year has become “To be, or not to be”?

Shakespeare’s famous soliloquy is about life and death for Hamlet. But the real question for most of us is not just about death or how many difficulties or struggles we have in life; the actual issue is what we should do about them.

Do we, in Hamlet’s words, “suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” OR “take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing, end them.”

This is the choice that confronts us as we all look for reasons and resources to live our lives.

It’s about deciding to give up or to go on. It’s whether to make the best of life in whatever the situation we find ourselves, or whether to submissively surrender to an inevitable fate.

It’s tempting to think that the question is “What do I have to do to make life successful or even worth living?” But that’s not the real issue.

What do I have to be (or not to be) to make life work? That is indeed the question!

1. BE CREATIVE Whether in the workplace or at home, one of the secrets of breathing life into business, personal relationships, or indeed any situation is creativity.

Many businesses these days are “suffering slings and arrows” by hanging on to the idea that “this is the way we’ve always done it” known as the “same old, same old” syndrome.

If you haven’t noticed, technology has changed our world. Whether it’s shopping on Amazon, or buying a ticket for a concert or a sports event, the only way is doing it on my computer or phone. For a generation not used to technology, it means constantly having to ask

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our grandchildren how to do it or having them do it for us.

Whether we like it or not, technology is revolutionizing the funeral industry. Soon, funerals will be arranged and funeral plans marketed with the use of AI and avatars. Even grief support will be distributed by email and other internet solutions. Imagine how you could enhance your reputation in the community by simply having a series of 5-6 minute grief support videos sent to your families on their own computers, in their own homes, accessible at any time of the day or night.

This technology is already here, because I’m currently involved in helping produce such an innovative programme of support.

What could you do to “Be Creative” in this New Year? What can you do to help you stand out from the crowd? To be, or not to be?

2. BE A COMMUNICATOR Good communication always involves two elements. The message, or the substance of what we want to say, and the method, referring to the ways in which the content of that message is conveyed. The greatest thing in connecting with people is not just what you say, it is the impression you leave with them afterwards. Unfortunately, this is not an innate skill, but a learned behaviour.

There is a huge difference between sympathy and empathy. Mere sympathy doesn’t help you build deep connections with other people because it only offers surface-level understanding. Sometimes sympathy is just our relief in not having the same problems.

Empathy, on the other hand, lets you walk in someone else’s shoes. It is our ability to understand how someone feels, allowing you to see and feel the situation from the other’s

perspective. If you were ill, had experienced bereavement, or needed help, what response would you want, need, and long for in a situation like that?

A nursing friend of mine made the following insightful statement: “It was a gigantic day for me when I decided not to question or resent the bell that summoned me to the sick room, but to simply answer it. It was one small way I could live in compassionate service to another human being. This realization came about when I put myself in my patient’s shoes - or in their sick bed, to be more specific! What if I could not get up without help? What if I needed some water, food or just some companionship? But I was the one who was there for them.”

Communicate your desire to provide that level of experience every time you answer the call.

“To BE or not to be?”

3. BE CONTENT After any loss, grieving people find themselves asking, ‘To BE or NOT to be.” Every day we all

have to find answers to the questions death raises and the challenges of survival.

A good life is not just about positive outcomes, but is determined by the way we allow ourselves to be affected by whatever life brings. The assessment of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ should not depend on circumstances. The real heroes are the people who seem to face all kinds of adversity, but never lose the spirit of determination linked closely to an attitude of gratitude.

In light of my own life losses I have had to come to the place where I say, “It is what it is,” and then find ways to make the most of what I have left and to be content with that.

And when we do, we discover that death is not the ultimate defeat. A life that is unlived is truly the greatest disaster.

It’s never too late to get smart. So, take a look at your life today, your relationships, your involvements and your plans for a New Year, and ask yourself, “To be … or not to be.”

Only you can decide what your answer to that question will be.

First you hurt, then you heal Dr. Bill Webster understands grief not just in theory, but also from personal experience. In his book, “First you Hurt, Then you Heal”, Dr. Bill outlines a road map for the grief journey in a series of articles that take us through the process .

He begins with a chapter entitled “I Didn’t Plan for This” that gives people an understanding of what they may experience in the early days after a loss. The book then goes on to give us an understanding of grief, some insights into various situations of loss, and some strategies to help us work through the process.

This book will be a helpful resource for those who are going through a grief process as well as containing much relevant and practical information for those who would like to know what they can say and how they can help someone who has experienced a significant loss. It will also serve as a basic knowledge and layman’s guide for those in the helping professions such as nurses, teachers, funeral directors and those who seek to support grieving people, young and old, through their work. “First you Hurt, Then you Heal” provides practical, down to earth and effective insight into one of the most difficult topics and most misunderstood experiences of life.

First you Hurt, Then you Heal: A Road Map for the Grief Journey (Kindle Edition) is available to buy on Amazon.

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