Community given insight into mindfulness by funeral firm

Funeral Directors organised an introduction to mindfulness to offer mental wellbeing support in their local community.

James

Brown & Sons in Dunmurry teamed up with local charity Inspire Wellbeing and their Change Your Mind campaign for the starter session.

Mindfulness is a technique which helps bring people’s attention into the present, clearing negative thoughts and allowing them to focus on the here and now.

James Brown & Sons is part of the Funeral Partners network. Funeral Arranger Lisa Hutchinson said she was delighted with how the debut event went at Dunmurry Community Centre.

“We support our communities in a variety of ways in addition to our role as Funeral Directors,” Lisa said.

“One of my special interests is mental health and wellbeing, I wanted to provide an opportunity for people to learn about a tool they can use to help care for themselves.

“The response was extremely positive and the people who came said they were able to take something useful away from the session.

“We are so pleased with the reaction that we are looking at the possibility of continuing our support by delivering a fuller mindfulness programme in the future.”

Funeral Partners Regional Support Manager Emma-Jayne McClure, attended the session and is now using the techniques to help her in everyday life.

She said: “I learnt some valuable mindfulness techniques and realised that you don’t need a lot of time in a busy day to allow for selfcare and some small activities can make a big difference.

“I gained a lot which I am very grateful for both in my work and personal life and remembering to take a few moments out to look after me.” jamesbrownfuneraldirectors.com/news

For more information or to find out about future sessions visit www.

Amateur photographers showcase the best of their hometowns in popular competition run by Funeral Directors

Bairds of Antrim and Mulhollands of Carrickfergus reached out to their community to share what they love about their hometowns

Talented amateur photographers showcased what is great about their communities in a competition run by local Funeral Directors.

Bairds of Antrim and Mulhollands of Carrickfergus received dozens of entries during the contest. The chosen theme was ‘My Hometown’ which reflects how proud both Funeral Directors are at being embedded in the heart of their communities.

Johnpaul Gnanadhas was selected as the winner for Antrim after he captured a stunning sunset.

He has received £200 worth of photography equipment so he can continue to take spectacular images.

Johnpaul, who heard about the competition on Facebook, said: “It gave me the opportunity to show my work and creativity to others.

“Antrim is a town where the light cannot be hidden – it just shines everywhere and to everyone.

“I think the picture reflects how beautiful it is.

“I’ve been taking pictures since 2009 and photography is one of my biggest hobbies – it’s all about capturing a moment at the right time.

“Photography is also a great opportunity to socialise with my friends and other people who enjoy taking pictures.”

Business Principal Jon Baird said: “We had some fantastic entries into this year’s competition – I was really blown away by what people captured, but we all agreed that Johnpaul’s picture was outstanding and really encapsulated our wonderful Antrim.

“Congratulations to him, and a big thank you to everyone who entered.”

Cecil Owens was chosen as the winner in Carrickfergus for his beautiful image which included the town’s most famous landmark –

Carrickfergus Castle. He will also walk away with his prize, £200 worth of new equipment so he can continue to hone his craft.

Cecil said: “I entered the photo because it represented my hometown with Carrickfergus castle, the seafront and historic church. The sunset added that glowing red sky to the scene.

“I have been taking pictures for a very long time - I travelled the world with my job and visited many places that most people don’t get a chance to see but I didn’t have the time to capture the beauty or culture.

“I got really interested after I retired and wish now that I had taken more interest in the past.”

Peter Mulholland, from Mulhollands of Carrickfergus said: “I was really pleased at the large number and the high quality of all the entries again this year.

“I found it very interesting to see how each photographer had interpreted the competition theme and judging wasn’t easy.

“However, after lengthy discussions and appraisal we agreed Cecil was a worthy winner.

“I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to submit a photograph and congratulate Cecil on being the overall winner.”

To see some of the entrants follow Bairds of Antrim and Mulhollands of Carrickfergus on Facebook.

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, celebrating 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 125 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