Why Unique, Personalised Funeral Stationery is More Important than Ever
So many significant, personal events have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and UK funeral services are no exception. The scaling down of funeral arrangements for Prince Philip is a high-profile example of the impact government restrictions are having on the way families say goodbye to lost loved ones.
Whereas thousands of people would normally line the streets to pay their respects on the day of a royal funeral, the public was asked not to gather near the venue, St George’s Chapel in Windsor, on 17 April. Instead of hundreds of dignitaries from around the world being invited to the service, the list of attendees was limited to 30 of Prince Philip’s closest relatives and friends. A socially distanced seating plan was required, as were face coverings. Only four choristers sang.
Government Guidelines for UK Funerals
Whether you’re organising a funeral in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, a number of pandemic-related guidelines govern the proceedings. (While some of the details differ between the UK’s four constituent countries, the key points are comparable.) As a result, although funeral directors are making every effort to fulfil families’ wishes, you may not be able to bid farewell to the deceased in exactly the way you’d envisaged.
As was the case with Prince Philip’s funeral, it’s unlikely to be possible for everyone who wants to take part in the service to do so. Members of different households must always be at least two metres apart, which leads to a considerable reduction in the number of mourners who can be invited. You can give people the option of ‘remote attendance’ instead (i.e. watching the service as it happens from home via a private online broadcast), but of course the experience will feel rather different.
Funerals are traditionally occasions during which people come together and support each other. However, the wearing of face masks, as well as the lack of physical contact (embracing or shaking hands with members of other households isn’t permitted), may mean that even mourners who attend in person feel somewhat disconnected from the proceedings.
Congregations can’t sing indoors, while speeches and readings shouldn’t be delivered in raised voices. What’s more, post-funeral events, such as wakes, aren’t permitted in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland and are limited to 15 attendees in England. All this makes commemorating and celebrating the life of someone dear more challenging than it once was.
The Emotional Impact of Funeral Restrictions
The government’s website acknowledges the potential emotional impact of the current funeral restrictions:
‘You may struggle not just with the bereavement, but with the impact of social distancing measures and the fact that you may not be able to say goodbye in the way that you would have wanted.’
While restrictions may be eased in the coming months if doing so is deemed safe, funeral services are likely to look and feel somewhat unfamiliar for some time to come.
Creating Truly Special, Touching Tributes with Personalised Funeral Stationery
In the current climate, how can you ensure that the funeral you’re planning truly reflects your loved one and helps you to preserve treasured memories?
Having detailed discussions with your chosen funeral director to find out precisely what’s possible in your local area at the present time will help you to give your loved one a fitting funeral service. In addition, many people find comfort in creating unique, personalised funeral stationery to pay tribute to those who’ve passed away, especially when so many aspects of the services themselves are subject to restrictions.
That’s why we sincerely believe our role as a UK funeral stationery supplier is now more important than ever. The changes to funerals have reinforced our commitment to providing a caring, professional, affordable service, including free express delivery, to all of our customers.
For example, you can create beautiful funeral order of service booklets by customising the easy-to-use templates we’ve carefully designed. There’s even a guide to creating the booklets to help you get started. By bringing together specially selected text relevant to the service and photos that mean a lot to you, our order of service booklets make truly unique, tailored tributes. Produced to the highest standards, this personalised funeral stationery will help you to remember someone dear in the way you wish and make touching keepsakes for everyone affected by the loss, including those who are unable to attend the funeral in person.
If you need assistance or advice when creating funeral stationery, simply call our friendly team on 01824 708 804.