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sales@cplsupplies.com www.cplsupplies.com NI: (028) 816 71247 ROI: (048) 816 71247 sales@cplsupplies.com www.cplsupplies.com William McGuckin Mobile: (0)7730 409000 (ROI prefix 0044)
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CPL’s Concealment Frame on a Ferno stretcher
The magazine for Funeral Directors in Ireland
North Down Funeral Directors & Memorials expansion..........4
Doyles Funeral Directors in The Old Rectory......... 38
Contents
North Down Funeral Directors & Memorials expansion........ 4
West Cork ponders Natural burial ground.....................51
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 email: sales@funeraltimes.com
IAFD News.................................................................... 10 Crematorium planned for West of Ireland..................... 15 PEAI News..................................................................... 16 Finlay update.................................................................. 24 BIE News....................................................................... 26 NAFD News................................................................... 35 The Old Rectory - Doyles Funeral Directors................. 38 SAIF News..................................................................... 48 West Cork ponders Natural burial ground.....................51 Word of Mouth as certain as taxes by Nora Murphy..... 52 Karl Wenzel discusses the embalming of CJD cases..... 60 Breaking bad news to children - part 2 by Dr Bill Webster......................................................... 67 Leisure Expo welcomes Alan Slater.............................. 70 Jennifer Muldowney thinks we should be happy to think about death........................................ 72 Mattie Lennon considers the tale of a man who Died once but was buried twice..................................... 74 Classifieds...................................................................... 78
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
Custom-built new premises for North Down Funeral Directors and Memorial Masons 4 | FuneralTimes
2015 was a big year for Bangor-based North Down Funeral Directors and Memorial Masons. The company expanded from a modest memorial showroom with a remote workshop to a fully inclusive company operating from custom-built premises, comprising funeral home with family area, extensive showroom and on-site workshop.
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stablished in 2011, North Down Memorials has expanded and opened in the town centre as a funeral directors and memorial mason. The business has quadrupled in size, with ambitious and exciting plans. They have gone from strength to strength, engaging with the community to serve the local area but also dealing with customers and suppliers from across Europe including ROI, England, Poland and Lithuania. At North Down Funeral Directors and Memorial Masons professionalism and unrivalled service comes as standard. Glen Baxter says, “We put our customers at the heart of what we do – they talk, we listen and then we build them what they ask for – not what we assume they need. And that’s how our business works.” An Integrated Approach Managing different areas of the business
remotely worked fine, but the expansion to house all areas in the same premises has allowed an integrated approach and been a key reason why the business has seen substantial growth. “Cross-departmental communication has always been key and we’re now benefiting from a more lean approach to our communication. It has helped to speed up lead times and allowed us to more effectively manage the different strands of the business. And it doesn’t stop there. Due to the unprecedented demand for our services, further expansion is planned for this year. Currently a deal is underway to convert an existing section of the premises to build a new coffin store and preparation suite. The company are in talks with the contractors about work starting on this in the coming weeks, with work due to be completed and fully-functional by the Spring.” FuneralTimes | 5
Caring is at the heart of our approach Funeral Services Northern Ireland Ltd. The largest funeral business on the island of Ireland continues to expand; if you are interested in joining us in 2016, please write in complete confidence to: Beverley G Brown, General Manager
Funeral Services Northern Ireland Ltd., 300 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1HF
Antrim
Larne
Bangor
Londonderry
Belfast
Newtownabbey
Bairds Funeral Service John Gray & Co. James Brown & Sons Lisburn Road
Newtownards Road Upper Newtownards Road
Houston & Williamson Crumlin Road
Carrickfergus Mulhollands of Carrickfergus
Mulhollands of Larne Adair & Neely
Browns Houston & Williamson Glengormley Whiteabbey
Newtownards Doggarts of Newtownards
Portadown
Poots of Portadown
Coleraine
H Wade & Son
Donaghadee
Shields of Donaghadee
Dungannon
Holmes of Dungannon
Holywood
John Gray & Co.
Ballyclare Dunmurry Knockbreda
phone: (+44) 28 9073 9661 email: mail@fsni.info www.fsni.info Est
1905
Funeral Services Northern Ireland Ltd - A company registered in England No. 03983186. 1 Angel Square, Manchester, M60 0AG. VAT registered 403 3146 04. Part of Co-operative Group Limited.
Dedicated funeral florists F or over 50 years, Belfast florist Flowers Are Us have served funeral directors across the region. Their reliability of service and quality of funeral flowers has won them an ever-growing number of clients, quickly becoming an area of speciality for the firm. The friendly, trained staff are always available on the telephone as well as face to face, to help, advise and take personal pride in every order. Eddie McCormick believes it is crucial that funeral directors have faith that their customers will be delighted with the wreath orders placed. The family run business takes special care in fulfilling every customers unique requirements and understand that choosing the right flowers to mark or commemorate a death or bereavement can be a daunting task. To help clients make the right choice the firm has developed a website to make ordering online easy and secure. “There can be no greater sight than a sea of fresh flowers offered as a tribute to a person's life”, says Eddie McCormick. “Personal
tributes can say more than words when chosen carefully.” Funeral directors throughout and surrounding Belfast rely on Flowers Are Us and the firm has demonstrated its commitment to customers. “Funeral flowers such as funeral wreaths, funeral sprays and name tributes require special attention as they are prepared. They are always hand delivered by us a couple of hours prior to the funeral”, says Eddie, “We will work closely with the funeral director to ensure that every tribute is as vibrant looking at the funeral service as it is when it leaves the shop.” Eddie is keen to work with more funeral directors outside Belfast and would love the opportunity to discuss your requirements. Contact Flowers Are Us on 028 9033 0018 or call in and talk to us at 259 Falls Road, Belfast or visit our website: www. flowersareusbelfast.com
Flowers are us
WE SPECIALISE IN PERSONALISED EVERLASTING FLORAL TRIBUTES.
We offer an extensive range of sympathy flowers including coffin sprays, wreaths, sympathy sprays & posies, crosses and cushions.
- Open 7 Days a Week -
028 9033 0018 web: www.flowersareusbelfast.com Email: info@flowersareusbelfast.com FuneralTimes | 7
IAFD News Dear Members I am honoured to be your President for 2016 and it is my intention to represent you to the best of my ability in the year ahead. Our AGM took place in Ballincollig, Co. Cork on November 21st and was followed by an excellent social event in the evening. The changes to the Board at the AGM were – four Directors retired; Joanne Cooney, Henry Black, James Brown and Graham Gleasure. Edwina Fitzgerald and Andre Thompson were elected to the Board. I welcome Edwina and Andre and congratulate Joanne on her appointment as Director of Education. I wish her well in in her new role. The Board for 2016 is: President, Gerard Clarke; Vice President, John Foley; Immediate Past President, Michael Crowley; Hon. Secretary, Mary Cunniffe; Hon Treasurer, Dermot McCarthy; Chair of Education, Mary O’Shea; Joint Chair of MEC, John Foley & Michael Crowley; PRO, Colm Kieran, Edwina Fitzgerald and Andre Thompson. We held our first Board meeting on December 17th 2015 at which a number of appointments were made to the various Committees, details of which are available on the website. Our PRO, Colm Kieran has also been appointed Chair of the new Communications Committee. One of Colm’s tasks will be to register the IAFD as a Lobbyist Group so as we can lobby our Public Representatives on Oireachtas Committees. In 2016 the Regional meetings will be in the evenings as these proved to be better attended last year. April 28th - Waterford, 23rd June - Donegal and September 22nd – Athlone will each commence at 7pm. I would encourage you to attend as it my intention to arrange speakers but also provide an opportunity for members to give the Board feedback on any issues in their areas. In relation to other general matters, one very important point I want to remind members about is the importance of issuing an estimate to your clients and getting an engagement form signed. This is essential for the client so that they fully understand the costs involved for the Funeral and especially the disbursements We have seen major improvements to our Website and I would encourage you to visit it. I wish to take this opportunity to remind members that the new Embalming Information Leaflet is available to download from the Members Account section of the Website. Also, Initial Waste have agreed to provide members with a 10% discount in respect of the disposal of clinical waste. 10 | FuneralTimes
IAFD News
Recently we were contacted by CareCabs, a Dublin company that offer Assisted Transfer Service for Funeral's mainly for people in wheelchairs. The contact details are, CareCabs Ltd, 14 Dunseverick Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3, www.carecabs.ie, T:01 8535363 I will endeavour to keep members informed of developments during the year and should you wish to contact me please do so at 00353 7191 30700 or email president@iafd.ie Lastly, I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year. Yours sincerely
Gerard Clarke President
Why Join the IAFD? For just a little more than €1cent a day you get: • Professional Indemnity Insurance
• Code of Practice
• Membership of professional organisation recognised by the general public • Unique all island network of funeral directors
• Full access to IAFD Education Programme and wide range of courses
• Representation of members with Government, Local Authorities and Media (IAFD is recognised as first point of contact) • Funeral Directors led organisation for promoting and developing standards of funeral service
• Excellence Programme • Board of Funeral professionals available to assist Members • Complaints Procedure • Dispute Resolution and Mediation • Legal Advisory Service • Links to other trade Associations FuneralTimes | 11
IAFD News Gerard Clarke (President) Gerard Clarke & Sons Funeral Home Main Street, Balisodare, Sligo Ph: 071 – 9130700 Mobile: 087-2565310 Email: gerardclarkeandsons@eircom.net Michael Crowley (Immediate Past President) Crowley Funeral Directors Bothar Saclay, Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Ph: 021 4874777 Email: info@crowleyfuneraldirectors.ie
Colm Kieran (P.R.O.) Kieran Bros. Funeral Directors Kingscourt, Co. Cavan. colmkiernan@gmail.com Mobile: 0876218740, Ph: 0429667309 Email: colmkiernan@gmail.com James Brown Funeral Services Northern Ireland Ltd. 300 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1HF Email: jb@james-brown.info
John Foley (First Vice President) Jennings Funeral Directors 81 Amien Street Dublin 1 Ph: 01- 8555511
Dermot McCarthy McCarthy’s Funeral Home Gurrane, Banteer, Cork. Ph: 029 56044 Email: dermot@mccarthy-auctioneer.com
Dermot McCarthy (Treasurer) McCarthy’s Funeral Home Gurrane, Banteer, Cork. Ph: 029-56044 Email: dermot@mccarthy-auctioneer.com
Edwina Fitzgerald Fitzgerald Funeral Directors Channel Road Rush Co. Dublin Ph: 01-8438772 E-Mail: fitzgeraldfuneraldirectors@gmail.com
Mary Cunniffe (Hon. Secretary) Massey Bros Funeral Home Templeogue Village, Dublin 6W Mobile: 085 8010742, Ph: 014 907601 Email: mary.cunniffe@hotmail.com Mary O’Shea (Education Committee Chairperson) O’Shea’s Funeral Directors New Street, Killarney. Ph: 064 – 6637123 Email: osheatim@eircom.net
Andre Thompson Thompson Funeral Directors 19 Barrack Street Waterford Co. Waterford Ph: 051-874159 E-Mail: info@thompsonfunerals.ie
www.iafd.ie
Regional Meetings April 28th at 7pm, Waterford 23rd June at 7pm, Donegal September 22nd at 7pm, Athlone 12 | FuneralTimes
Patrick McAtee’s new delivery
Patrick McAtee, Fintona with his new Insignia Hearse from Fearghas Quinn Hearse and Limousines
Hearse & Limousines Tel: 028/048 2582 2525 Fax: 028/048 2582 2299
13 Garvaghy Road, Portglenone, County Antrim BT44 8EF
Email: fearghas@fearghasquinn.com or visit our website for more information ** Feel free to call us, with no obligation. Rest assured we will not pester you with phone calls or unsolicited visits **
www.fearghasquinn.com FuneralTimes | 13
H E N R Y PATO N + C o . L t d
14 | FuneralTimes
Crematorium planned for West of Ireland Kevin Tuohy, the developer behind a planned crematorium in County Galway, believes that somewhere in the region of 1,000 funerals from the West of Ireland travelled to Dublin for cremation over the past year, having himself conducted a survey of 135 funeral directors from the region.
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uohy, of BKT Construction, hopes to facilitate local families by having the crematorium for Ballinasloe up and running this year. Planning permission was granted by the old Ballinasloe Town Council to Mr. Tuohy of BKT Construction, Conicare, Clostoken for a singlestorey crematorium on a greenfield site close to the N6 on the Galway side of the town, which will Artists Impression represent an investment of some €3.5 million in the town. At present, people along the western seaboard typically travel to Cork or Dublin for cremation services, thus the facility aims to provide a local solution. The Ballinasloe facility comprises a reflection room, ceremony room, cremator and other ancillary rooms and services, as well as a memorial garden. It is believed the service will equally aid in alleviating pressure from some rural graveyards, which are struggling with space at present. Kevin Tuohy told the Connacht Tribune that the crematorium would be up and running next year at the latest and has received inquiries from undertakers from Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Clare about the facilities that he will be providing.
Wreath Manufacture & Wholesale At Tom Tom Sharkey Sha hark rkey ey & Sons Son onss Ltd. Ltd Lt d
Barrack Street, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon.
We have an extensive stock ready for delivery or collection including: • Circles of Life • Posies • Sprays • Hearts • Crosses • Cushions • Pillows • Gates of Heaven • Footballs and Jerseys • Posies with Candles • Lettering Wreaths All wreaths are created by fully qualified florists, reflecting contemporary design in floral arrangements. All at very competitive prices Discounts apply on scale of your orders. Special requests catered for at shortest notice
n Free next day delivery on orders over €100
n Call or email now to receive our new brochure
Telephone: +00353 (0)94 986 0658 or email: sales@allseasonsflorists.ie FuneralTimes | 15
An action-packed year ahead for PEAI P
EAI is looking forward to a very exciting new year, packed with educational events and programmes for all members. This year the Professional Embalmers’ Association of Ireland will start 2016 with its Educational Event, to be held together with its General Meeting this coming 18th May 2016. This full day event will focus on educational talks from articulate and informative speakers coming from different backgrounds that are all united in the issues facing the modern embalmer. The main talk during this event is on 'Organ and Tissue Donation, From Multiple Perspectives'. This seminar will detail: the social responsibility of the embalmer; organ donation in the United States; use and application of organs, bones and tissue; procurement techniques; restoration by embalmer following procurement; reconstruction and restoration issues; best and worst practices; timing issues; and ethical concerns. 'Every embalmer has a responsibility to be informed and open to the growing need for organ and tissue donation'. Using a combination of discussion, graphic slides and audience participation, our speaker will help you understand and convey the importance of tissue and organ donation and detail the procurement process, embalming and technical skills necessary to ensure that donor families receive the memorialisation they ask for. “Typically one organ donor saves the lives of eight people and one tissue donor improves the quality of life of up to fifty people.” We are expecting another large attendance from the members, together with some representatives from invited associations and private and scholastic bodies. This is another event that cannot be missed by anyone interested in increasing their awareness and depth of knowledge in relation to the growing need for and 16 | FuneralTimes
practice of organ and tissue donation and its implication in relation to embalming. The day is set to conclude in a guided tour of the museum within the Foley & McGowan Building, showcasing collections and artefacts dating back to the early 20th century. The museum also houses a thatched cottage depicting the traditional funeral wake. Last but not least is the vintage car and hearse collection which includes a 1920 Ford Model-T. PEAI 2016 Following a very successful year, we reaffirm our commitments to the Families, Care of the Deceased, Public, Government and the Association. “Every member of the PEAI has a moral commitment to promote, participate and support the Professional Embalmers’ Association of Ireland in its mission to help all members enhance the quality of the embalming service to families.” The Professional Embalmers’ Association of Ireland are leaders and standard bearers in the embalming practice within Ireland and beyond. We wish to share skills and knowledge with other embalming practitioners and extend it to everyone working in areas where death and funeral rituals and traditions impact people’s lives. We invest a lot of effort into research and connections in order to bring members the most recent advancements and issues arising within the industry, not only in Ireland but also around Europe and the U.S. This year, we therefore wish to encourage all our members and interested individuals to avail of this opportunity to be a part the PEAI’s pursuit to continuous education and standardisation of professional embalming practice. If you wish to receive information in relation to PEAI membership and other related enquiries, please visit our website www.professionalembalmers.ie or email us at info@professionalembalmers.ie.
Professional Embalmers’ Embalme ers Association As of Ireland nd
Date: 18th May 2016 Time: 10:00 am
Venue: Foley & McGowan’s Bldg. Union Road Business Park Collooney, Co. Sligo
Please contact the secretary for further details. www.professionalembalmers.ie
info@professionalembalmers.ie
Ecocoffinsdirect launch LifeArt coffin range for 2016 E
cocoffinsdirect is proud to announce the launch of its new LifeArt coffin range. This environmentally friendly range is supplied in partnership with LifeArt International, offering funeral homes a product range which research shows families want. Independent research conducted by ‘Instinct and Reason’ show: • Over 50% of people would like their coffin to be environmentally friendly • More than 33% of people surveyed want a personalised design option for their coffin, with another 26% open to it if shown the options • One in three people believe funeral directors are not offering enough personalised options, with a large percentage remaining unaware of what 'personalised' could actually mean Managing Director, Desy Stephenson, said “I believe LifeArt offers the funeral industry a product that functions the same as any other coffin but is environmentally friendly. When you choose LifeArt you are choosing a quality product which has met all the requirements of rigorous and certified testing procedures and in recent days has gone through stringent testing by FCBA Laboratories in Paris, France.
18 | FuneralTimes
I am happy to announce that LifeArt enviroboard coffins are the only printed cardboard coffin to have ever passed the testings.” LifeArt coffins come with all the environmental benefits of being made from recycled materials and produce 60% less emissions both in the manufacturing process and when used for cremation. It produces cleaner, purer ash. • Suitable for burial, suitable for our climate (wet weather) • Weighs only 26lbs and can carry up to 600lbs • Can be refrigerated. • Comes fully assembled or flat pack. • Every LifeArt coffin comes with handles and drapery
Coming Soon! New design celebrating Dublin GAA for Dublin funeral directors We are taking pre-orders.
LifeArt have designed a coffin with three things in mind: 1. Funeral directors: Health and safety. Our coffins weigh only 26lbs. Our designer range helps Funeral homes advertise, focusing on the design more than the coffin 2. Families: A reflection of a life lived. LifeArt offers families a coffin designed to be memorable, offering many designs which suit more traditional families, who want a beautiful design, reflective of their loved one and people who value individuality and personality. 3. Environment: LifeArt helps lower our carbon footprint. Made from patient enviroboard technology, 97% of which is recycled wood fibre. LifeArt coffins lower CO2 gases during cremation 60% lower than normal chipboard/MDF coffins.
Our new range LifeArt coffins are available and in stock! “We at Ecocoffinsdirect would like to take this opportunity to welcome to our team Mr Glen Stephenson. Glen will be our Business Development Manager. To help support our customers who wish to offer our new range we can supply our new brochure(s), designed to be family facing and any digital images for web sites.” For further information contact Glen on T:+44 (0)7707 271600, email: glens@lifeart.com or Desy T:+44(0)7811 398741, email: desys@lifeart. com or visit: www.ecocoffinsdirect.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
SUPPLYING ECO FRIENDLY WILLOW COFFINS AT COMPETITIVE PRICES
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T: 0800 5429 299 M (R.O.I): +44 (0) 78 11398741 E: LQIR#HFRFRIĆQVGLUHFW FRP We ONLY sell to the Funeral Industry!
SITUATED NEAR NEWRY PROMPT DELIVERY NORTH AND SOUTH IRELAND
ial, cremation or green sites Suitable for bur
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Expanding range with Treasured Keepsakes Treasured Keepsakes are constantly expanding their range of urns and jewellery, meeting funeral director needs and client’s requests. They have recently introduced two new Eco & Biodegradable Urns to their collection.
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he Journey Earthurn is designed for biodegradable placement of cremated remains in water. These urns are hand crafted from sustainably produced and biodegradable paper. When placed in water they will float briefly and sink to the bottom where they will break down naturally over time. The Journey urn is available in two colours, either Aqua or Natural. The Unity Earthurn is designed for biodegradable placement of cremated remains in the earth. These urns are produced from the bark of the mulberry tree, using an ancient technique that allows the bark of the tree to be harvested without destroying the tree. The resulting textured paper is dried in the sun before being used to create the urns. The Unity urn is heart shaped and is inlaid with fresh flower petals to create a beautiful finish. Earthurns are supplied with a water soluble bag into which the cremated
Unity Earthurn 20 | FuneralTimes
Journey Earthurn remains must be placed. They contain no metal or plastic components. The urns are durable, dignified, and simple to use. Both the Journey and the Unity Earthurn are available in a large urn and mini-size urn. For more information on any of our products or on how Treasured Keepsakes can work alongside your company contact Liza Webster or Edward Foley on Tel: 01 8254579. From NI: 00353 1 8254579 or email:info@treasuredkeepsakes.ie or visit: www.treasuredkeepsakes.ie
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 FuneralTimes | 21
Creative Binding’s Branded Bags shine at Funeral Times Trade Show Coming off the back of a strong 2015, Damian Flynn of Creative Binding Ltd. reflects on the hugely positive responses received from his stand at the Funeral Times Trade Show, at which “we generated some new business ... and it’s always great to meet current customers”
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amian notes that through conversation with show attendees of all professions and requirements, he discovered how, “apart from our Condolence books, Branded bags were of great interest. They seem to be a lot more practical than Mass Card Holders and cost a lot less”
22 | FuneralTimes
Creative Binding Ltd currently offer bags in 3 different sizes. The most popular size is the 400mm x 300m x 100mm, which can be supplied for €275 + vat (including branding & design). Any logo or slogan can be easily reproduced, or assistance given in creating something special. “Our aim is to provide an affordable solution. In the past, it was only possible to get a printed bag in large quantities and bags can be quite bulky to store. Our books also continue to be very popular and are available in 2 sizes. We can also design a book to your specific needs. Following on from plenty of enquiries, we are also delighted to announce we’ll be supplying windproof umbrellas in the next couple of months.” For any enquiries, please contact Damian at Creative Binding Solutions Tel/Fax: (01) 6251924 or Mob: 087 9861352 or via www.creativebinder.com www.condolencebooks.ie
FuneralTimes | 23
Finlay update January 2 As the evenings begin to lengthen work continues apace at Finlay’s new site in Ardee.
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Finlay’s ‘Welcome’ stone
24 | FuneralTimes 24 | FuneralTimes
he preparation and fit out of the new site is the largest scheme of works ever undertaken by the company and the project, managed personally by Colman, is in keeping with our Finlay Green Coffins philosophy, dedicated to using environmentally sustainable systems including waste to heat recovery, rainwater harvesting and the greening of the site through the planting of hedging and lawns. In September and October, site clearance and tree felling were undertaken, with a large area of the site previously left unmanaged being cleared in preparation for an imminent return to lawns and working yard space. The trees felled ranged in size from c. 50 feet up to three large Poplar trees, standing in excess of 100 feet. In November, a new dust extraction system was positioned by crane, poised to be ducted and cabled into the factory. Once operational, this extraction unit will convert the waste dust into pressurised briquettes, subsequently used to heat both the main factory and the finishing buildings. In December, focus turned to the electricity supply and saw the onsite electricity substation upgraded along with the addition of a new electrical switch room. In January a brand new CNC machining centre arrived onsite, this machine will be one of two machining centres which will operate together on the factory coffin sets machining line. Also installed in January was our “Welcome Stone”, an eight foot high block of grey granite which was machined
2016 in house by Finlay Memorial Services and which stands inside our site gate to welcome all visitors. Our plan is to have the site operational by mid-year and eventually all staff from both our Tierney Street and Darver sites will transfer to the new Kells Road site. We feel very confident that our new site will allow us to better serve our customers for many years to come and with all the work that’s scheduled to take place it certainly looks like being a very busy Spring and Summer.
John McArdle Commercial Manager
New dust extraction system
Site clearance and tree felling in progress
FuneralTimes | 25
BIE News Southern Division
I
t’s hard to believe 2015 has come and gone and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy new year and also to all our colleagues in The Northern Ireland Divison. By the time you read this, our AGM and first quarterly meeting will have taken place. We are currently working on organizing an educational day, the venue and date to be decided at the AGM. Perhaps some members and students might like to further their education and attend other courses at The Fountain Academy, Springfield, Missouri. Embalmers from all over the world have attended the courses there. Some of the topics are Soft Tissues Injuries, Waxing and Airbrush Cosmetics or Advanced Postmortem Reconstructive Surgery. For more information on these contact Glyn Tallon, MBIE, who lectures at the Academy. John Hawe
Northern Division
T
he Annual General Meeting and First Divisional Meeting of 2016 were held recently at James Brown and Sons Funeral Home, Newtownards Road, Belfast. The Division were delighted to welcome National President Craig Caldwell. A healthy attendance of members were present on the evening and it was very encouraging to have 8 embalming students attend also. A moments silence was taken in respect of the recent passing of past member Lukas McLaughlin and Mrs Driver (wife of Mr Anthony Driver – Dignity Funeral Services). Election of Officers was undertaken for the ensuing year with Michael Og McKiernan being reinstated as Chairman and Laurence O’Neill Vice Chairman for 2016. Craig Caldwell addressed members, raising current BIE issues and reassuring members of his personal endeavour to challenge these, as well as outlining the plans for positive moves for the future. He also highlighted the importance of working together as an organisation in order to make necessary changes.
26 | FuneralTimes
There was good membership participation in response to issues discussed. Dates and venues were confirmed for forthcoming meetings and suggestions for education accepted. The Division also look forward to a joint meeting with colleagues from the Irish Division. Members expressed the positive aspects of such an arrangement in sharing education sessions and networking with other professional colleagues, and wish the Irish Division every success for the forthcoming year. The National President delivered a personal invite to members to attend the Annual General Meeting, held from 22nd – 24th April 2016 at Worsley Park Marriott Hotel and Country Club, Manchester, to include an American-style barbeque and an evening banquet with entertainment. A Memorial Service for passed BIE members will also be held over the weekend in respecting the contribution that these members have made to the profession over the years. The AGM was followed by the 1st Meeting of 2016. BIE business was carried out as usual with Chairman Michael Og McKiernan encouraging members and students to maintain their attendance at planned Craig Caldwell with Michael Og McKiernan meetings and education sessions in supporting the Division. The Division wish to thank James Brown and Sons Funeral Home for their hospitality on the evening, in providing their premises and a very generous supper for members. The Division also wish to thank the team at Funeral Times for their ongoing support for our Institute.
Chairman
Next meeting is being held on:
Wednesday 13th April 2016 at 7.30pm, McKiernans Funeral Home, Kilrea FuneralTimes | 27
List of BIE Officers and appointed representatives for 2015/2016 National President: Mr Craig Caldwell (North American Division) Imm. Past President: Mr Graeme Easton (Scottish Division) National PRO & National General Secretary: Mrs Karen Caney FBIE White Meadow Cottage, Brailsford, Derby DE6 3DA Tel: 01332 349035(BIE) Mobile: 07786 432014 karencaney@btopenworld.com National Treasurer: Michael Liddle MBIE 10 Yew Tree Close, Silsoe MK45 4EQ Business Tel: 01582 490005 Home Tel: 01525 860117 michael@silsloe.wanadoo.co.uk Editor: Gwen Schofield MBIE 9 Seymour Walk, Meltham, Holmfirth HD9 4BP Home Tel: 01484 851994 Mobile: 07778 279100 gwen.schofield@ntlworld.com Master Fellow: Ken Morgan FBIE “Evergreens”, 36 Coley Road, Little Haywood, Stafford ST18 0UW Home Tel: 01889 881223 Business Tel: 01902 878425 Mobile: 07970 831760 k.m.morgan@virgin.net Student Liaison Officer: Timothy Cain MBIE Hillcrest, 38 Main Street, Ashby de la Launde LN4 3JG Home Tel: 01526 321396 jackie@lymn.co.uk
28 | FuneralTimes
Irish Division Chairperson and 1st National Council Representative: Mr John Hawe MBIE 12 Meadow Vale, Smith’s Road, Charleville, Co. Cork Home Tel: 00353 6389280 Mobile: 087 6390087 jmhawe@eircom.net
Northern Ireland Division Chairman Michael Og McKiernan MBIE 51 Agivey Road, Kilrea, Co. Londonderry BT51 5UU Mobile: 07515 746541 Michael-ogmckiernan@hotmail.co.uk
2nd National Council Representative and Past Chairperson: Mr Aidan Walsh MBIE Cappoquin, Co. Waterford Mobile: 00353 87 2847831
Vice Chairman Laurence O'Neill 98 Stewartstown Road Belfast BT11 9JP Tele: 028 90 620099 Email: oneill8210@hotmail.com
National Council Rep & Secretary: Ms Barbara Fowley MBIE Killakee, Rathfarnham Dublin 16 Mobile: 086 191 1022
Secretary Margaret Davis MBIE 4 Back Road, Cargycreevy, Lisburn BT27 6TL Mobile: 07841 100249 Margaretdavis4@me.com
Assistant Secretary: Susan Moran MBIE Maydown House, Aughraboura, Athy, Co. Kildare Mobile: 086 0619500
Treasurer Andrew McMullan MBIE 22 High Street, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim BT53 6AQ Andrew@mcmullanfuneral.com
National Education Representative: Glyn Tallon Mortuary Specialist 14 Academy Street Navan Co Meath Tel:046 9029134 Mobile: 086 826 8876
1st National Council Representative Ellison Sloan MBIE Telephone: 02838 336175 poots@fsni.info
Treasurer: Mrs A O’Reilly MBIE Church Street, Newmarket, Co. Cork Telephone: 029 60142 annaoreilly4@hotmail.com Vice Chairman: Mr Ger O’Sullivan MBIE Mobile: 086 021 5075
2nd National Council Representative Marshall Lindsay MBIE 4 Beechgrove, Kilrea, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry BT51 5RW Telephone: 028 29 540945 marshalllindsay4@gmail.com 1st National Educational Committee Representative Pat Harley MBIE 67 Creggan Road, Londonderry BT48 9DA Mobile: 077128 99137 Phschoolofembalming@hotmail.com
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Looking forward to the year ahead! W
hat a busy and successful year 2015 was for DJ Mac Neice! We attended the National Funeral Exhibition in Coventry and The Funeral Times Trade Show in Citywest, Dublin, both of which were roaring successes. But now it’s time to look forward to 2016. At DJ Mac Neice we continue a long tradition of supplying high quality, competitively priced funeral and mortuary products to funeral directors and embalmers all over the country. Originally based in Dublin city centre, the business moved to its current premises in Glasnevin in 2002. Here we serve as a one stop shop for all your funeral and mortuary needs. The door is always open should you wish to pay us a visit, as many customers do. Here you can browse our extensive range of products which include coffin mountings and linings, funeral accessories such as grave markers, traffic cones and condolence books, all the way to cardboard coffins. We offer a customising service for condolence books and umbrellas. Just provide your business details and we can print them on condolence books and umbrellas in gold or silver. This is a great way to get your business name out there. Our full range of PCS registered embalming chemicals; the first PCS registered embalming chemicals in the country, are displayed in our show room. This is a must see for any embalmer! As well as embalming chemicals we supply a full range of embalming products such as instruments, personal protective equipment and mortuary airbrush make-up kits. Our fully trained sales team will be on hand should you have any questions regarding any products. We are constantly updating our range to bring you the latest innovations in the industry. If there is something we don’t 32 | FuneralTimes
stock that you require, we are more than happy to source it for you. If you can’t personally call we have many other ways for you to place an order with us. We are always contactable by phone so you may call in an order at anytime. This comes with the benefit of next day delivery, so you can be confident you will have the products you need, when you need them. Alternatively, our extensive range of products is available to view on our website. You can place your quote request online and a friendly member of our sales team will contact you about your order. We can also arrange for our representative on the road to call to your business with samples of our products. They will be on hand to show you all that DJ Mac Neice has to offer. DJ Mac Neice has a long history in the funeral industry but our aim has always stayed the same-to provide products of the highest quality at a competitive price while delivering excellent customer service. We look forward to doing business with you in the future. DJ Mac Neice & Co. Ltd, 37a Barrow Road, Dublin Industrial Estate, Glasnevin, Dublin 11. T: 01-8828731 or email: sales@ djmacneice.com or visit our website: www.djmacneice.com
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STRONGER BY ASSOCIATION
Representing the needs of almost 4,000 funeral homes, the National Association of Funeral Directors is the “Voice of the Funeral Profession”, supporting members and assuring the public of high standards for more than 100 years.
The NAFD is influential • Consulted by Government on legislative issues • First call for the media on funeral/ bereavement issues • Established cross party groups in all four UK Parliaments/Assemblies • Universally endorsed professional qualifications The NAFD is inclusive • We are financially independent of any other organisation • We campaign on issues affecting all members equally • Members range from small independent firms to groups and Co-operatives • We are totally democratic with one member, one vote - irrespective of the number of funeral homes
The NAFD is supportive • Best benefits package within the sector, saving up to £5,000 a year on essential business costs • Free helplines for financial, legal and employment law, HR, public relations and repatriation issues • Free £5m professional indemnity insurance per UK funeral home member - unique within the sector • Free insurance against tribunal claims, health and safety and tax prosecutions The NAFD is Trusted • NAFD members are trusted by consumers to deliver our Funeral Promise: • A funeral that is a fitting farewell, at a price they are comfortable with • Treating bereaved families with respect and acting with integrity • Fulfilling any special wishes and requests • The right to independent redress if the need should arise
Your business will be Stronger by Association with the NAFD. Apply to join today and start taking advantage of the benefits of membership. Call Su Lewis on 0121 711 1343 ext. 20.
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NAFD News Five steps to success T
he National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) appeared before the Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry into Bereavement Benefits on Wednesday 6th January 2016 to highlight five simple steps it believes are necessary to ensure that the current system become fairer, more effective and easier to access. In its role as the leading trade association for the funeral profession, the NAFD has campaigned consistently for a review of the Social Fund funeral payment to ensure it works properly for both bereaved families and funeral directors. Only 62% of the 52,000 people who applied in 2014 were successful. Under the current process, applicants can wait up to 21 days to find they receive nothing or very little, leaving them with a large, often unexpected debt, that they must settle. This debt is often passed onto the funeral director, unless the bereaved can arrange an alternative source of finance. Often, applicants don’t even know that their claim has failed until after the window for appealing the outcome has closed. In written evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee, the NAFD highlights the changing nature of funerals and how those unable to afford the costs of a simple funeral are no longer effectively supported by government. The NAFD believes that the current Social Fund Funeral Payment no longer provides an adequate contribution to those on a low income who are faced with the often unplanned costs of a funeral, as the £700 maximum award for ‘other funeral expenses’, which covers essentials such as a coffin, memorial and the services of a funeral director, has not been reviewed since 2003 and now
generally covers less than half of the average funeral costs incurred. In its evidence the NAFD highlights five key steps which would improve Government support for bereaved families and ensure funeral directors are treated fairly: 1. The Government must start collecting at least basic information about funerals. The Government does not collect any data about funerals and the full costs of the current Social Fund funeral payment which makes it impossible to deliver effective change. For example in recent responses to Parliament DWP ministers have said: • “The Government does not collect data on total numbers of people unable to afford a low-cost funeral.” (23rd June 2015) • “My department does not hold information on the average cost of a funeral.” (25th February 2015) • “My department does not collect data to monitor the types of funerals people choose.” (3rd February 2015) • “What estimate he has made of the number of people who went into debt in order to pay for a funeral in the last period for which figures are available…my department does not collect this information.” (20th January 2015) • “My department does not collect data on the number of Local Authority funerals.” (2nd December 2014) 2. Bring the payment up to date through index-linking. Local authority costs (such as a burial plot or cremation) are paid in full. However the element of the payment which covers costs such as a coffin, memorial, a minister or celebrant and the funeral FuneralTimes | 35
directors’ fees for arranging and conducting the funeral, has not been reviewed for thirteen years and has fallen out of step with inflation. The NAFD calls on Government to index link the payment as a first step to delivering a fairer system. 3. Introduce a pre-eligibility check and claims tracking system to help the bereaved understand their position much quicker in the process. The current process – awarding a Funeral Payment only after the funeral ceremony has taken place with no prior indication over whether the social fund application is likely to be successful – creates huge difficulties for the bereaved. 4. Reduce the length of the application form. It is overly long and complex (23+pages) and incorrectly completing even just one section can result in the claim failing. The form should be redrafted to make it more straightforward for recently bereaved people, who are likely to be distressed. 5. Improve Government signposting and support to bereaved families. The NAFD would also like to see better signposting from the Government so the bereaved can
discuss their financial situation, either with a funeral director or organisation like Cruse Bereavement Care, as early in the process as possible and can be directed to sources of financial assistance. Registry offices, hospital bereavement offices and the Coroner’s service should all be involved in providing information about sources of support. Nigel Lymn Rose, a funeral director with more than 45 years’ experience who is representing the NAFD in the evidence session, said: “The NAFD remains committed to working with the Government to ensure that all those without the means to fund even the most basic of funerals can access financial support so they can say a proper farewell to their loved one. However it is also important to recognise that the vast majority of funeral directors in this country (more than 90% of our members) are small businesses and they deserve to be treated fairly too and not left to swallow the debts of those unable to pay. “The NAFD is calling on the Government to act fairly in the interests of both bereaved families and the funeral firms who care for them.�
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he Old Rectory at Rosbercon, New Ross, Co Wexford was first constructed in 1812 and renovated and refurbished by Jamie and Denise Doyle of Doyle's Funeral Directors just over 200 years later in 2014. The picturesque building stands on an impressive 2.4 acres with mature trees and lawns. Ample private parking for over 80 cars is provided on the grounds. 38 | FuneralTimes
The Old Rectory FuneralTimes | 39
The Old Rectory John Roche, Jamie Doyle, Denise Doyle and Dermot Saunders
T
he building has been converted to offer spacious viewing rooms, common family areas, an ample coffin showroom, state of the art prep room, office and a double bay garage as well as funerary storage. Jamie has completed the IAFD course of education and training in the IAFD code of practice, Certificate in Funeral Practice, a FETAC level 5 course, both designed and delivered by the IAFD. Already possessing many years experience in the funeral industry, he is himself a second generation funeral director. Denise Doyle has trained under the
direction of the much-renowned Tallon Mortuary Specialists School of Embalming, recently gaining her diploma of embalming in conjunction with the British Institute of Embalmers in 2014. Doyle's Funeral Home offer a fully-personalised funeral service, tailored to meet the most specific of needs and demands of families who require their services, striving to provide the highest level of care and compassion For more information please visit doylesfuneralhome.ie (please note site is currently under construction and shall be live again imminently!)
Jamie and Denise Doyle
Glyn Tallon with Denise Doyle and BIE National President Craig Caldwell
40 | FuneralTimes
Winning funeral plan Congratulations to Mr Henry O’Neill from East Belfast for winning the £100 Tesco Voucher when he purchased a prepaid funeral plan from Willowfield Private Funeral Home. The competition ran in the local press and on Facebook during October and November. Well done Henry!
Stephen Love and Elaine Barr with Henry O’Neill
FuneralTimes | 41
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SAIF news ... SAIF news ... SAIF AGM Banquet weekend 2016
W
hilst the main hotel for the SAIF Banquet Weekend on the 11-13th March this year is booked to capacity, there are still several hotels nearby that are able to accommodate should you wish to attend this, obviously, very popular weekend. To start the activities, we are delighted to have secured the presence of Simon Weston CBE who will be the main guest speaker on Friday afternoon. Many of you will remember Simon as being severely burnt when the ship Sir Galahad, was destroyed in Bluff Cove during the 1982 Falkland war Following his injuries, Simon’s road to physical, spiritual and mental recovery saw him active in a number of highly successful ventures. His message is one of achievement, of triumph over adversity, of seizing the moment and succeeding. Most recently, in the 2016 New Year`s Honours Simon was awarded the CBE for
his charitable work. Simon has, over the years, developed a great deal of strength and encouragement with the ability to portray this in his inspirational talks, so we are delighted that he is able to attend and certainly hope you are able to join us. Booking form and details of other nearby hotels are available on the SAIF website or of course, please don’t hesitate to call the Business Centre 0345 230 6777.
SAIF Member Helpline SAIF members have clearly utilised the SAIF Helpline as the following graph demonstrates. Members are getting value from the policy cover in the shape of legal advice. Employment is clearly an issue with many Total No of Calls (to September) 179 members and we would therefore remind Annualised 238 you of the discounted service that can be obtained by joining the Forum of Private Business which helps with employment and many other business related issues. Further information can be found on the Forum of Private Business Website www.fpb.org or telephone 0845 130 1722. The FPB also supply various free templates so it is well worth checking out their website. Any SAIF member wishing to use the services of the Legal Helpline should call 0330 900 1977 - please remember to have your membership details to hand. 48 | FuneralTimes
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Possible Natural Burial Ground in the West of Cork A
first public meeting was held on Thursday 14th of January in the Westlodge Hotel in Bantry, West Cork by a community based group focused on establishing a Natural Burial Ground in West Cork. The groups intention was: · To inform people about the Natural Burial Ground Concept · Encourage people to become involved with the group – with a view to develop a site as part of the group · To encourage a landowner in the area who may have been thinking about the possibility of establishing a Natural Burial Ground in the area. 200 + people had been in touch with the main organisers Tim Rowe and Martin O’Flynn prior to the meeting giving their support and expressing their interest in a Natural Burial option in the area. In total 26 people (including a number of local funeral directors) attended this first meeting with was hampered in many ways by the in climate weather on the evening. What was clear is that those in attendance were there for the right reasons. The meeting was chaired by Tim Rowe a well known environmental business owner in the area. Tim spoke first and was followed by Colin Mc Ateer (owner of the Green Graveyard Company which operates Woodbrook Natural Burial Ground, in Killanne, Co.
Wexford) who was an invited attendee to outline his experiences in opening a Natural Burial Ground, the planning process involved, the business model etc Theresa O Mahony, an accountant in the area, spoke next outlining the possible structures that could be used by the group, Last to speak was Tom Weld, a palliative care nurse, who brought the human side of what the group was trying to achieve to light. This was followed by questions and answers from the floor which lasted for over an hour. At the end people were asked to make contact with the group afterwards if they were keen to help with the development. Since the meeting there has been an added influx of interest in the group. The ball has started to roll and we will definitely hear more from this group. Anyone wishing to get involved can contact Tim on: timrowe@eircom.net. FuneralTimes | 51
Word of Mouth: Is it as Certain as Death and Taxes? By Nora Murphy, MBIE Tallon Mortuary Specialists, Navan During some stage of our individual lives I am sure we have all heard similar variations of the old saying, “nothing is certain but death and taxes”. Sure, if you wanted to get technical (while it would NOT be advisable) you could avoid taxes, leaving death as the only unavoidable facet of life you are guaranteed to confront. There are no if ’s, and’s, but’s or even when’s about it; every living being that enters into this world will in FACT exit it by death. So, why does death and its surrounding circumstances remain such a taboo subject to a vast majority of the world? Leaving us with the big question to ask ourselves: Are we, the professionals in the death care profession, generating more of a restricted sense of death not only to the general public, but convincing ourselves as well that it should remain a taboo and ‘secretive’ subject? Recently I stumbled across a post from a somewhat controversial funeral blogger that caught my eye and slightly infuriated me, particularly as an embalmer. For the sake of avoiding name-calling and finger-pointing, I am choosing to leave the author of the article anonymous. Please bear in mind, these posts by this particular individual are made available on social networks not only to the professionals in our industry, but open to anyone in the general public. Consequently, this leads to misdirection and false information being conveyed to those who are not familiar with death, including what is entailed in the funeral process, planning, and what we as the professionals are capable of. The aforementioned post was that of a 52 | FuneralTimes
random picture of a closed casket with indication of what a family had expressed to the funeral director and/or embalmer in quotes, “What do you mean you can’t show him to us? I’m sure you can make him look fine!” Underneath the photo read a caption in large bold font: Dead 4 weeks in the August heat. This was followed by: I heard this from a fellow student. At 4 weeks, they are not only unrecognizable, but unembalmable, unrestorable, and the stench would gag a fly. The stench would gag a fly! Unembalmable?! First off, let’s assume that any or all of the above comments were in fact true; this was a post on a public forum that the general public has access to. Individuals viewing this remark may have lost their loved one to these circumstances and are now reading that the stench of them would gag a fly! What kind of negative notions and imagery is voluntarily being implanted into their minds and imagination? Posts and comments like these are disheartening particularly because the individual making the claim is a death care practitioner themselves and the only factual statement was that of the family’s, “I’m sure you can make him look fine!” One of my biggest concerns with this piece is that the author stated that a fellow student was
"However, even with our uncertainties, we should embrace the opportunity to better ourselves, broaden our understanding and learn to swallow our pride"
providing the information, indicating the author was a student themselves. Not that we weren’t all students once, and in a sense we still are, meaning we should be continuously learning every day. We may not always know the correct answer and may need to seek out advice from other professionals and colleagues that potentially would. There are, without a doubt, moments of uncertainty I am sure the majority of us have encountered at some point in our careers, even after progressing forward from the status of a ‘student’ or beginner in the field. However, even with our uncertainties, we should embrace the opportunity to better ourselves, broaden our understanding and learn to swallow our pride. Continuing to absorb information by inquiring whether something IS possible and/ or how to perform a particular task rather than making silly assumptions, which in turn leads to misinforming families and the public as well as up and coming funeral directors, embalmers and other death care professionals that could acquire this information from their predecessors, will prove quite beneficial in the long run. The circumstances surrounding a death
of remains that been decomposing for four weeks, regardless of the environmental conditions, are most likely going to be in a fairly poor condition. However, in the vast majority of these types of cases, embalming would certainly be possible and the probability of viewing for recognisability and identifiability equally as likely. This holds true for a great number of deaths resulting from tragic circumstances; nearly all with the exception of skeletal remains and severely charred remains. I can confidently back this declaration on account of I have been witness to the end results. Unfortunately, more often than not, families are deprived of their opportunity to properly say goodbye to their loved one and for no more than the reason of uneducated judgements made by personnel not even tied to our profession. Embalmers certainly do not fall short of realising the pressure that can be placed on funeral directors by the families either. In the short time that I have been in Ireland, I have seen the urgency from families to have their loved one’s home yesterday, even if it means that they will not be viewing the remains. On the other hand, I have also witnessed the unequivocal and raw gratitude to the funeral directors that directed and advised restoration was readily available if the proper time was granted, along with the benefits of viewing their loved one. Grief is comparable to a snowflake; no two people grieve alike beyond the similarity that grief can often affect someone’s use of their best judgement; instead leading their actions with their emotions. With that said, delicately explaining an appropriate avenue, what is an extra day to be FuneralTimes | 53
"When remains require a high level of attention and restorative work, the circumstances surrounding the death itself are usually quite sudden, unexpected and tragic." able to see and say goodbye versus a lifetime of possibly never knowing and/or accepting the death? Commonly there are circumstances where post-mortems will not be performed over a weekend or holiday often resulting in a 2-3 day delay in the release of the remains. How come these particular occurrences can be explained and accepted by the family, but the time needed for restoration where the majority of embalmers work around the clock cannot be? When remains require a high level of attention and restorative work, the circumstances surrounding the death itself are usually quite sudden, unexpected and tragic. Imagine seeing your loved one leave for work one morning and unanticipatedly that is it, gone forever. How could one every truly accept that person is dead and no longer in existence if the opportunity to see them and say goodbye was not presented. The same concept holds true for natural deaths as well. I can relate back to when my Grandmother died 15 years ago this January. I still have tendencies of unnatural grief and unresolved anger because I never got to see her or say goodbye. She was just gone in an instant and that was that; no goodbye, no last kiss, just missing forever. Closed coffins can sometimes be a case of “remembering them as they were”, as was the case with my Grandmother, but they can be a potentially fast road to unhealthy grief, resentment, gossip, rumours and “I heard this…” as well. Families should be encouraged to view their loved ones in all circumstances, even when they state, “I’d like to remember them the way they were”. This phrase is often said due to an unawareness towards the embalming process and what obligation embalmers actually hold in caring for the dead. There was a time I was a funeral director in addition to being an embalmer and I would often suggest to 54 | FuneralTimes
families who would say that dreadful line, that we move forward with the preparation of their loved one, allowing them the opportunity to privately view the remains as a family prior to closing the lid for the public. 99.99% of the time, not only did the casket remain open for the public, the sincerity of their gratitude for granting them this option rather than what they thought they knew they wanted is a feeling beyond what words can express. The power of being able to physically see, touch and feel a loved one plays an imperative role in the grieving process. Death care providers being properly educated and continuing to progress as professionals is invaluable to the families being served. A family being denied their request to view their loved one is often the result of ignorance, egotism and selfishness, which in turn further distils the “unknowns” and secrecy of death amongst the general public. Subsequently, are these circumstances consequencing families with an injustice because funeral directors and embalmers alike may be afraid of losing control, their “grip”, of the funeral by consulting with someone that may be more knowledgeable on the particular situation? On the other hand, are some cases merely being pushed off due to funeral directors feeling inconvenienced by the time frame that may be required not suiting their own schedule or agenda; or even more often funeral arrangements have been prematurely arranged prior to the condition of the remains being examined by the embalmer and/or specialist? People honestly do not know; if they are told no, they believe it, regardless of what grounds they were denied that privilege. Word of mouth can either be for you or against you, with genuine truth and knowledge always to your advantage. Prime example: XYZ Funeral Directors suggests to
"Anyone has the ability to hire a hearse, purchase a coffin and put on a black tie; so funeral directors should be taking serious deliberation when representing the value of their services and what can be provided for the families they are serving" a family that restoration cannot be done for the mere fact they do not know, do not have the time, do not care enough or do not want to outsource to other individuals that do know. Meanwhile John Doe Funeral Home across town informs a family, if not the same family from XYZ, it can be done, I can do it or says ‘I know someone that can perform the task’ – where do you think the family or community that hears of the two outcomes will take their business when requiring your services in a time of need? This is a monumental opportunity for funeral directors to demonstrate the value of their services. Anyone has the ability to hire a hearse, purchase a coffin and put on a black tie; so funeral directors should be taking serious deliberation when representing the value of their services and what can be provided for the families they are serving. When the finished remains are handed over to the funeral director by their embalmer, whether one they utilise as a third party or that is employed as part of their staff, in most cases this is the moment of control being handed back over to the funeral director. It now becomes their responsibility to present the family with their loved one. This not only adds substance and value to your capabilities as the funeral director, it leaves the family with a lasting memory picture of their loved one as well as your reputation as a great funeral director. If anything is to be taken from this article beyond the power of viewing, it is to be careful as to what information, if any, that you divulge. Word of mouth can spread like wildfire. Positive/educated information versus inappropriate/false information: You never know who is within earshot that may know someone that has experienced a similar circumstance that you could be speaking of, if not the individual involved themselves. Be
wise with your words and wiser with your actions. It is similar to the game telephone we all played as children, particularly when it comes to negative information and gossip. The further the words spread, the more extravagant the story becomes going from ‘fact’ to 'fiction' in a matter of mouths. On the contrary, word of mouth can also be used to our advantage by positively educating the general public that viewing of remains, particularly from tragic deaths, is absolutely possible and highly encouraged. If we are going to gab about our jobs and what is entailed, let’s do it in a constructive way and begin to educate those within our communities along with the families we serve. When a community hears of a tragic death and has been advised by fire, police or any other personnel outside of a trained embalmer or reconstruction specialist that there is no chance of viewing those particular remains, they will most likely listen and spread the word the same. At that point, if not prior, it becomes our job, particularly funeral directors, to suggest and guide the family otherwise. Once that reality hits and an opportunity to say goodbye is achieved, none other than yourself will become trusted and respected as the funeral director that comforted and directed their family in a time of need. I cannot reiterate the following enough; It is up to us, our duty as death care professionals, to positively educate our communities and the laypersons within about death and the level of care that can be provided to properly serve them when the time arises. Otherwise people will eventually shy away from the idea of death and funerals completely due to hear say and poor representation of who we actually are, leaving us with what? It is your calling and our business to keep death alive. FuneralTimes | 55
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Making anything possible I
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Embalming CJD cases: The Facts By Karl Wenzel, CFSP, MBIE Karl is the Coordinator of Technical Education and Training for Dodge as of September 2013. He worked for the Arbor Group (largest independent funeral service chain in Canada) for six years as their Manager of Decedent Care and Preparational Development. Karl has been a licensed embalmer since 1997 and is licensed in Ontario. He is the Fountain National Academy Canadian Ambassador.
C
ontinual growth professionally, as well as personally, is extremely important for an embalmer, or funeral director. Added knowledge will allow you to make good, educated decisions, and to distinguish between fact and fiction. As we grow in life and in our chosen profession, we learn that fear of the unknown is always intimidating. When faced with something in the preparation room like Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), it’s best to go with the facts and educate yourself enough to stay away from fiction. Although CJD cases are not overly common, it does affect approximately one in every million people per year. It is, important to know the truth regarding CJD, when cases infected with this prion disease enter your facility. Over the years I have seen and heard of too many funeral establishments and embalmers leaning on the side of fiction. As a young student I recall entering the funeral home in which my friend was doing his apprenticeship, and being told a CJD body was arriving and that it was “highly contagious” and “must not enter the funeral home.” The older licensed directors
60 | FuneralTimes
perceived this to be a case where even breathing the air around the remains would put them in great risk of infection. Embalming and handling of these remains were forbidden, and certainly no service with viewing could be provided. In fact, the remains were not even allowed to enter any further than the garage of the funeral home. The service was to be immediate and the remains had to be buried in a sealed container. Employees were not allowed to open the body bag to even verify if they had transported the correct remains from the morgue. Naive and inexperienced in the world of funeral service, I took this information and treated it as fact. In truth, this was nothing but misinformation and complete fiction. CJD is a rare and fatal form of dementia caused by an infectious prion disease that is a neurodegenerative disorder. The name comes from the two German physicians who first described the condition in the 1920’s. CJD is classified as a “transmissible spongiform encephalopathy” and it is here that the fear and the myths about the disease arise. Often when we hear the diagnoses of CJD the thought of Mad Cow Disease
comes to mind. This is, in fact, false, as only cows can acquire Mad Cow Disease and not people. CJD is generally characterized by symptoms associated with muscular coordination and personality changes. This is followed by the rapid progression of memory loss with severe brain impairment. There are three main types of CJD: sporadic, familial, and acquired. Sporadic is the most common, affecting 85% of all CJD cases, and is commonly seen in individuals over the age of 50. Familial, or inherited, is associated with a gene mutation and accounts for 5% to 10% of cases. Acquired CJD cases form less than 5% and are a result of medical transmission such as contaminated human growth hormone, or tissue grafts of dura mater from cadavers pre-1987. Due to the long incubation of this disease, cases are still seen today which have been infected in this way. Although CJD is transmissible, it is not contagious like a common cold. In 30 years of research, no transmission has ever been found in everyday living. Family members, nurses, doctors, coroners, funeral directors, or embalmers are at no greater risk of contracting the disease than the general public. The truth is, no pathologist has ever contracted CJD through research or autopsy. “Although it is a transmissible disease, it is not, in the commonly accepted sense of the word, an infectious disease. And that is an important distinction,” states expert Dr. Paul Brown of the National Institute of Health. The fear of the unknown is powerful, and, unfortunately, poor and misleading information on caring for CJD cases is even more powerful. Many years ago I took part in the formation of a seminar that spoke to embalmers on “How to Prepare CJD Cases.” It was an informative and helpful seminar that shared valuable information on the proper handling of these cases. What was unfortunate about the seminar was that it almost never happened. A call from a misinformed funeral director to the organizer nearly halted this important discussion. The misinformation passed on by the funeral director had the organizer concerned that
embalming a CJD case was unlawful. Once again, fictional information prevented the factual information from being passed on. According to the Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease Foundation there is no state in the USA that forbids embalming a CJD case, and the World Health Organization states that unautopsied and autopsied remains can be embalmed safely. Fortunately, the seminar was held and important truthful information was shared with all in attendance. Let’s take a look at important things to remember when embalming these cases. As in any embalming, we must always weigh in on the side of personal precautions and safety. We all know these precautions can be something of a nuisance in the flow of our busy schedules. However, it is important to you, the embalmer, to protect yourself from any potential health risks when embalming. Since CJD is only truly confirmed by way of an autopsy following death, we must think of the cases that may be undiagnosed and their potential risks. This is why protective attire and good work practice is so important to everyday embalming. Protective attire should include fluid resistant coveralls, a full facial shield with a disposable surgical mask, hair and shoe covers, and good quality disposable surgical gloves that you may even “double glove” (cut proof gloves are recommended when using sharps). The use of disposable embalming instruments is also recommended. If using nondisposable instruments, disinfection by way of soaking the instruments in undiluted bleach for a period of one hour (minimum) is recommended. Dodge also offers a HiRisk Disposable Instrument Kit (Cat. No. 700199) which would work well for this situation. It is important to remember when handling remains, both in the transferal from the place of death and in the transferal to the preparation table, that we control and contain the leakage of bodily fluids. These remains should always be transferred in a sealed body bag with absorbent material placed around the head of the individual to contain any possible leakage. It has even been recommended by some that if FuneralTimes | 61
the remains have been autopsied then a plastic bag be sealed around the head before transferal. When positioning the remains on the preparation table, the surrounding floor area should be lined with plastic with absorbent sheets to collect any possible spillage. The body bag and other soiled material should carefully be removed and placed into a biohazard bag for incineration. The entire body should be disinfected using a liberal amount of Dis-Spray. If the body is autopsied, the entire area should also be wiped down with undiluted bleach soaked towels and allowed to stand for a 15 minute period. When the embalming site has been selected, the appropriate vessels should be injected with a waterless solution of equal parts of Introfiant, Rectifiant, and Metaflow. A waterless solution is recommended to achieve maximum preservation with minimal drainage. Remember that formaldehyde and other embalming chemicals will not kill the CJD prion and should be considered a preservation method ONLY, and not a disinfection. All blood drainage should be drained using a drainage tube. Here is where I have found the greatest controversy in my research of handling CJD cases. What do we do with the waste from both arterial drainage and aspiration? Do we even aspirate these cases? If we look at what goes into our local sewer systems on a daily basis and the large amounts of dangerous pathogens and human waste containing E.coli, the small amount of known CJD cases fails to even compare. Funeral homes have been disposing waste into the sewer systems for generations, and that would include undiagnosed CJD cases. “Although physicians are certainly suspecting the disease (CJD) more frequently, they are not taking the steps necessary to confirm it. Therefore, they are not communicating their suspicions to you, the embalmer. The large majority of CJD cases are unconfirmed,” states Kim Collison, clinical manager of the Immunochemistry and Advanced Technology Laboratories at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids. Let’s look at two possible options for disposing 62 | FuneralTimes
bodily waste during embalming CJD cases. First, we could collect the arterial drainage into a separate container, like a pail or a sink, then treat it with a volume of undiluted bleach and allow it to sit for a period of no less than one hour before disposal. The second method would be to simply allow your drain tube to enter the drain immediately. This method is more practical and would certainly reduce the embalmer’s exposure level and risk. When we discuss aspiration of CJD cases I think we should emphasize precaution. Aspiration can be done, if care is used to avoid the spinal area, and a disposable trocar is used. I would recommend that you forgo aspiration and orally pack the nasal and throat passages with cotton soaked in bleach, followed by the use of DodgeSeal to seal the nasal and throat passages. This product will harden and reduce the risk of unwanted purge. Another option would be to introduce a cavity chemical like PermaCav 50 orally, using a nasal tube into the esophagus and bronchi to assist in slowing down the migration of bacteria. DodgeSeal would again be used to close off the throat and nasal openings. In autopsied cases the viscera should be treated with 32 oz. of Dri Cav and double bagged. Dry packing of viscera is forbidden. Upon completion of the arterial injection, the cavity should be dried and the viscera bag placed inside the cavity, along with embalming powders, and sutured closed. The cranium may be treated using Syn Gel, and the cranial floor sealed with Inr-Seel and closed. Caution should always be used to avoid sharps (bone fragments, needles) and punctures when closing the incisions and the use of cyanoacrylates is preferred. Upon completion, the entire body should again be wiped down using undiluted bleach and allowed to stand for a minimum of 15 minutes. The remains may then be washed using a disinfecting soap. The causative agent that surrounds CJD is difficult to kill, therefore the entire work area must be washed and wiped down with undiluted bleach and left for a minimum of an hour before rinsing with water. As an embalmer we face a lot of diverse
problems and unknowns in our daily mission to assist the families who have lost a loved one. In deaths caused by CJD we know that good techniques and good practice is required to keep us safe. All embalmings hold potential dangers for us, the embalmers. Good, factual information is the key to our personal safety. Here are some facts regarding CJD: • Diagnosis may not be made before death. • Autopsy is the only true way of confirming CJD. • There is no treatment/cure – the disease is 100% fatal. • Embalming an autopsy CJD case is possible. • Embalming CJD cases is not against the law. In some states it is required unless religious reasons say not to embalm. • Open casket viewing is possible. • Effective Disinfectants against CJD prion are: - Sodium Hydroxide (1N for 1 hr – viable results) - Sodium Hypochrite (5000ppm for 15 mins) - Guandine thiocynante (4 mins) - Phenolic (LPH) (0.9% for 30 mins)
• There is no evidence of transmission from environmental surfaces if contaminated with blood or body fluids. For further information on CJD, please contact the CJD Foundation at http://www.cjdfoundation.org References Used: CJD Information For Funeral Directors and Embalmers – CJD Foundation Inc., Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - Fact and Fiction: Pts 1 & 2 – Kim Collison 9-01, Dodge Magazine, CreutzfeldtJakob Disease (CJD) and the Importance of Infection Prevention – Beau Ances, MD, PHD,MSc, Washington University Saint Louis; Deana M. Simpson, RN, St. John Providence Health System and Founder/Director CJD Insight, CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – www.cdc.gov
If you wish to order the Dodge Magazine or if you wish to place an order you can do so by contacting: Shepherds Mortuary & Funeral Supplies, Unit 2A Royal Canal Business Park, Athlone Road, Co. Longford. Ph. 00353 43 33 49702/00353 87 2486668
Frank Barrett’s new delivery
Frank Barrett from Manchester with his new insignia limousine from Fearghas Quinn Hearse and Limousines FuneralTimes | 63
LJ Tregunna receive Jaguar Hearse Kevin and Sue Tregunna recently took receipt of their new 3.0 diesel Jaguar Hearse and Limousine, meeting with Malcolm Brooks from Wilcox limousines. Kevin Tregunna, who runs the third generation family firm in Truro, Cornwall with his wife Sue, said “The Jags are quintessentially British, synonymous with elegance and luxury. They are a highly specified and reliable vehicle. It’s ultimately
Kevin and Sue Tregunna accepting their keys from Malcolm Brook, Wilcox limousines
their quality and style which led me to choose Jaguar, befitting the service that we always strive to deliver”. Our Jaguars come as standard with a very high specification, including reversing sensors, leather interior, Sat Nav, and Bluetooth, all the doors also feature a soft close mechanism. Wilcox limousines would like to take this opportunity to thank Kevin and Sue for their business and wish them a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Wilcox Vauxhall Insignia Hearse for Andrew Anderson Funeral Directors A ndrew Anderson Funeral Directors is located in Callander, having served the families of Callander and Stirling (and the surrounding areas) for over 45 years. It is now in its 3rd Generation with Grandson, Ross, as the new owner. Professional family funeral directors, they are members of SAIF. Ross has been running the business for over one year now. During that time he has refurbished the funeral home in Callander, improving the arrangement rooms, mortuary and viewing room. He has also acquired offices and garaging not far from the funeral home. Ross opted for the latest model Vauxhall Insignia ‘Traditional’ style hearse to replace his current Vauxhall Vectra. Tailored to his own requirements, Ross chose a 3 bearer bench seat format. The car arrived with a high specification including satellite
64 | FuneralTimes
Ross Anderson standing alongside his Vauxhall Insignia ‘Traditional’ hearse supplied by Wilcox & Co (Limousines) Ltd.
navigation, heated seats, leather interior, Bluetooth® and alloy wheels. Wilcox Limousines would like to thank Ross for his continued custom and wish him every success with his new vehicle.
Helping to bring a civil ceremony to rural parts... I
t was a quiet and very wet November afternoon when I received a phone call from a lady enquiring about funeral planning. Her father was nearing 90 and wanted to put his affairs in order. I sensed there was some urgency so I arranged to see the gentleman a couple of days later at his home. Finding his home was quite a task as the man lived in the depth of the country and had a large orchard where he had lived for 55 years since coming to Ireland from Germany. I sat down with the gentleman and his family and we had a long chat about his life, his work, and all the things he enjoyed. Gradually, as he spoke, I could feel the service coming together. When it came to deciding where the service would be held he was adamant, it was to be held in the courtyard of his orchard where he had worked for so long and had felt so happy. As I left that day, going back into the wet and the cold, I felt that man was very satisfied with our meeting and content within himself. Two weeks later I got the call to say he had died in the night. At once his family were able to put his plan into place and all the decisions that have to be made around
a funeral service were taken care of, and a huge burden was lifted from them. The service was held in the courtyard surrounded by stables where the horses banged on the stable doors and whinnied throughout the service. It was a cold, cold day but the service was warm and full of love and the family were surrounded by all their neighbours and friends and as ever with a civil service, the content was personal and in this case had been chosen by the deceased himself and so was truly right. For me it was lovely to be part of something so special and in spite of the cold and the wind I was very happy with my days work and to be able to bring a Civil Service to a very rural part of the country.
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Dr Bill Webster Breaking bad news to children (Part 2) N
o parent or grandparent ever wants to have to face breaking bad news, especially to children. But sadly these situations do arise in many families. How we share bad news is something to consider before we find ourselves in the situation, so that children especially fully understand what you’re sharing, and how it will affect them. In my last article, which we will augment in this one, I suggested the following guidelines for telling children bad news: 1. Wait till you have a Complete Story 2. Faith and Fibs 3. Use Age-Appropriate Language 4. Allow Time for Grief For many children especially, dealing with grief can be a new emotion. The feelings of sadness, anger, frustration and despondency that come with bad news take time to process. The child who isn’t used to feeling sad or angry might need extra time to handle and work through these strange emotions. No matter how ready you might be to move on, don’t rush your child. He/she may need more time and assistance in expressing their emotions. While focusing on a child’s grief, be sure they fully understand that it is okay to feel the ways they are feeling. Anger is just as normal as sadness. Helping them express, work through and cry about these various emotions will allow the child to process them correctly. If you’re
concerned about your child’s coping during a difficult time, often manifested in behavioral issues or plunging grades in school, strongly consider getting help. Children’s support groups and therapists are experienced in helping children deal with tough problems and emotions. They are also a handy third-person to help your child if they have been working hard to not upset you or other family members with their emotions. Indeed, it is often the “quiet” child who seems to have “adjusted immediately” who may need the most help in letting go of grief and other emotions. 5. Share Bad News Together When possible tell bad news together with your partner or other family members. Being surrounded by people who love you is always comforting when news is bad, and telling your children together also ensures everyone gets the same message at the same time. If your news is followed by a question and answer opportunity, all children can benefit from the additional information as well. The most important time to tell children news together is when the news is related to the family, such as a death, but even if a separation or divorce in the works. 6. Choose the Right Moment When you tell bad news is just as important as how you tell it. Ideally, if possible, you should share bad news with children toward the end of the day after FuneralTimes | 67
most of the day’s events are done. The dinner table or in the living room after dinner are good times to do this. Share the information; discuss it as a family as much as possible and then your children will have a shorter time to dwell on the information before bedtime. As the family winds down for bed, make it a point to spend time with each child in the quiet before they fall asleep. He/ she might have more questions when on their own, or simply need a bit more personal reassurance that everything will be alright for them or that you’re not leaving too. Talk to them a while, answer their questions and as they are sleeping, their brain will work hard to organize all the new information into the right order to help them understand and process it. Unless it is absolutely unavoidable, try not to share news with children in the morning. Learning something bad early
68 | FuneralTimes
in the day will taint the whole day and give your child more time to brood over the news and think of it in different lights. While this might seem like a good thing on a higher level, most children allow their imaginations to re-create the situation or scenario, often making it seem even worse than it might actually is (as bad as that might be!) Telling bad news in the morning before school or a big event can also create lasting negative effects for children. 7. Consider the Child’s Perspective When you have to share bad news with any child, it is safe to assume that you yourself will also be hurting on some level. In fact, sharing the news of a death often hurts a parent twice as much. We hurt from the loss itself, and then we hurt knowing the news will hurt our child or grandchild as well. When sharing the news, consider your child’s perspective. In
the event of the death of a grandparent, for example, the child might not have had more than a few years with their grandfather before he died, but focus on their happy memories of these times. Don’t dismiss any of the worries or concerns they discuss them with you as “silly or nonsensical.” It might not make sense to you that the child is worried about Grandpa’s watch at a time like this, but they themselves might be recalling that Grandpa’s watch had “died” not too long ago… and that it was fixed with a new battery. They might be wondering if there is a solution to his death, much like there was a solution to the watch’s “death.” Listen carefully to your children and have them explain their thoughts until the reasoning makes sense. Admittedly, there is always a possibility that your child’s sense of logic and reason will never truly make sense to you. But at least you are listening and trying to find out what sort of things they’re asking – even if you can never quite figure out why. Remember that teenagers are also going through an interesting time of development and can be just as creative in their questions and reasoning as young children. The teenage girl who is suddenly more concerned with her appearance after grandma dies might be mourning her by doing the things her grandmother always wanted her to do. Or she might be trying to look her best so she would be proud of her. Don’t dismiss behaviours as being callous or self-centered until you have a chance to really try to understand them. Remember, there is a reason for every reaction, and we need to find out the “Why” of a person’s behaviour before deciding “how” we can help. 8. Leave the Conversation Open No matter how painful it might be to keep discussing the situation, leave the conversation open to additional questions, comments or concerns. Your child might come back in an hour with additional questions or they might return in a week. Be sure they know that you are willing to talk about it anytime… and be sure you really mean it when you say it.
I understand that blocking off memories and feelings is easier for some adults than talking about it; and when a child wants to discuss it constantly and repeatedly, it can be challenging. Yet, being able to discuss the situation at any point is extremely valuable for children and will help allow them to process information. 9. Go Ahead and Cry When sharing bad news, your expressing your emotions gives the other person permission to grieve also. Crying while you talk about the death or the divorce is perfectly acceptable. Children should see that you have emotions in the same way they do. Your being upset allows them to be upset. Children watch how the adults in their lives deal with their emotions and learn from what they observe how to cope in difficult situations and build up something positive following the loss. Once the initial grief is spent, however, do make an effort to avoid getting upset time and time again in front of your children. Seeing you cry over the news once makes a statement to them about acceptable emotions. But if you’re languishing and crying every day, you might not be able to properly care for your children and they might become concerned that you aren’t able to give them the proper amount of attention or care through the tears. Save additional crying for times that you are with adult friends or in the safe environment of a support group or with a counsellor. 10. Apply Distraction Carefully There is a lot to be said for the art of distraction. It can soften news and help a child deal with the news in a less obtrusive way than they might be able to otherwise. But limit distractions to ensure your children still have a healthy balance of emotional processing time. Keeping children busy during times of grief will help them to not wallow or allow those over active imaginations to work overtime. But don’t keep children so busy they don’t have a chance to discuss or even grieve over the loss. FuneralTimes | 69
Alan Slater MBE joins Leisure Expo Ltd as NFE Ambassador I
t is with great pleasure that Leisure Expo Ltd, organisers of the National Funeral Exhibition, welcomes Alan Slater as an associate director. Alan, who led the National Association of Funeral Directors for 16 years as CEO, was instrumental in the establishment of the NFE. His foresight helped produce an exhibition which is now one of the most successful international funeral exhibitions and arguably presents more variety of funeral related products than any other exhibition in the world. David Hyde, Managing Director of Leisure Expo says, “We have worked closely with Alan for over 10 years and his help and guidance have been invaluable. Alan, who is highly respected throughout the sector, Alan Slater will take an ambassadorial role at home and overseas to further the development of the exhibition. He was recognised in 2012 with an MBE for outstanding service to the British Funeral Industry. He was also recognised by both the National Funeral Directors Association of America and FIAT/IFTA, the world funeral body, on his retirement from the NAFD, where he is now an honorary member.” Alan’s appointment commenced on January 1st, 2016, alongside his other commitments both in and outside the industry. Alan said, “The NFE is a very special project for me and I am more than pleased to continue my involvement. David and I have developed an excellent business relationship over many years and I am delighted that this will continue.” For more information contact David Hyde on 01926 815597 or email: david_hyde@ btconnect.com or email Alan Slater on: slats1917@outlook.com
70 | FuneralTimes
All systems “Go!” at Coleman Milne for new vehicles
F
ollowing the successful launch of the Norwood Classic at the 2015 National Funeral Exhibition, Coleman Milne are proud to announce that their latest range of funeral vehicles is now available for demonstrations. The eagerly-awaited range is comprised of the Norwood Hearse with its contemporary styling, the more traditional Norwood Classic Hearse, and the luxurious Rosedale Limousine. Developed in-house at Coleman Milne’s headquarters and working closely with Ford, the unique range is based on the new shape Mondeo, building on this core-vehicle’s impressive reputation for innovation, quality and reliability. All the vehicles in the new range have been CAD designed and constructed from the outset rather than the usual practice of reverse-engineering an existing vehicle. This non-compromising, design-driven approach creates a more structurally efficient vehicle. Consider a reduced build time and a significant decrease in the potential for quality control issues and it is easy to see why expectations have been so high. Combined with a robust and reliable after-sales support service, the high design and technical specifications of the range ensure a stylish, efficient, problem-free fleet for the busy funeral director. All vehicles
are available with 2.0 Ecoboost petrol or diesel engines and are available at extremely competitive prices, representing exceptional value for money. Coleman Milne has long enjoyed an enviably close working relationship with Ford which has borne fruit on this project with the recent confirmation of European Type Approval for all three vehicles in the new range. A first for Coleman Milne, the awarding of approval in these demanding and stringent tests opens up the vast European market to the Norwood and Rosedale. Coleman Milne Managing Director, Geoff Hudson said, “There has been a tangible “buzz” about these vehicles and both customer and industry anticipation has been at an unprecedented high as we developed the range. Now, the time to launch has arrived and we are extremely confident that the funeral industry will embrace our new vehicles with as much enthusiasm as we have had throughout the design and build process. With a full order book for the new range up to Summer 2016, the future of Coleman Milne is in great shape thanks to the team behind Norwood and Rosedale.” To find out more visit: discover.colemanmilne.co.uk FuneralTimes | 71
Be happy… think about death! By Jennifer Muldowney WANT a better 2016? Try thinking more about your every day. I don’t mean your routine or your eating habits or lack of exercise or business financials, but about your work - why you do what you do.
M
editating death is a key to better living. Contemplating our own demise forces us into considering the present and future. Knowing that one day it will all come to an end (depending on your beliefs) allows the brain to acknowledge the present, and living, and the countless opportunities that await us. The future depends on what you do now, today. Death will surely come knocking - as a professional in the funeral industry you know this, but are you ready for it? Have you fulfilled your Bucket List? If by some miracle you have, then create a new one for 2016. If you have procrastinated on your Bucket List until now then make 2016 the year you complete the list. To make this easier and more achievable when planning always try to vividly visualize the activity when is it happening, where and how? Sometimes we can become so engulfed in our work day to day that we lose sight of why we do what we do until we lose someone ourselves and then it is often too late. So if you are planning a summer holiday this year - if this was to be the last one ever - with whom would you go and spend some time? Where would you go? What would you do when there? How long would you go for? If this year were your last, would you spend the next hour mindlessly checking your social media, or would you call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while? Would you spend the day with your family, or spend the day helping other families? Some of our choices are not easy, or fair, and sometimes it takes looking death directly in the eye before we realize the
72 | FuneralTimes
real choices we want to and should make. Although his name is now forever associated with drug allegations in sport, some would say that it took a potentially fatal cancer diagnosis to send Lance Armstrong on to make history and win seven consecutive Tour de France championships. What will your Tour de France be? There’s still time to rethink your resolutions. Forget losing weight, giving up cigarettes (although you should try!) and saving money. Those are New Year’s resolutions for regular joe soaps but you’re a funeral director. You live, breathe and sleep death, so why not apply it to your own life and this year, improve your outlook: Be fully alive now by thinking about your demise. Have a Happy and Healthy 2016! Steve Jobs: “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet, death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it, and that is how it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.”
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Died once but buried twice By Mattie Lennon
For the last edition I submitted a long(ish) piece, detailing stories that I had heard at the Funeral Times Trade Show on 29th September 2015. However the editor, having reminded me that I won’t ever “use one word where ten will do” guillotined it and the following story ended up on the cutting-room floor. At our table was an undertaker/raconteur from the north-west of this island. He revealed that he always buries the coffinlowering webbing with the coffin. He wasn’t very forthcoming with the reason, so guesses were offered from all around the table. There was consensus among the more erudite that the clue was in the word “webbing.” Scott’s “Tangled webs we weave” was quoted as was, “The magic in the web of it” from the Bard of Avon. One of them thought that it was a play on the word “Graves’s” but Robert’s, “There’s a cool web of language winds us in” was nowhere near solving the riddle of why a funeral director would leave two straps of a tightly woven fabric in the ground. Then one pedantic individual pointed out that it had a connection with the Last Day. But I felt that this tenuous and long drawn-out reference was so that he could inform us that “Resurrection is from the Latin noun resurrectio-onis, from the verb rego, “to make straight,” ...literally, a straightening from 74 | FuneralTimes
under again”. A suggestion that it was a local superstition or tradition also drew a blank. Later when I was alone with the man he explained his reluctance to share the full story. Here are his own words, “You see, I carried out an exhumation without a licence.” On seeing my raised eyebrow he went on, “Under Section 46 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act 1948 as amended by Section 4(2) and the Second Schedule of the Local Government Act, 1994, it is necessary to have a licence to exhume a body, and it must be carried out in the presence of an Environmental Health Officer, which it wasn’t. This is how it happened. Paddy Doherty left strict instructions that he was to be buried beside his sister in the local graveyard. When the bold Paddy passed away I was engaged to do the funeral. I went to the caretaker of the cemetery, one Shamsey Gallagher, who held the records of all grave plots. Shamsey went to the graveyard, stuck a spade into the plot that needed to be dug, as a marker, located the gravediggers, and gave them their instructions. They dug the grave and a nice neat job they did on it too. Next morning Paddy Doherty’s coffin, followed by about two hundred mourners, moved slowly and respectfully towards the open grave. I was approached by a niece of the deceased who uttered the dreaded words, ‘That’s the wrong grave. My aunt is
buried over by the wall.’ As far as I know Paddy Doherty wasn’t a schizophrenic but Shamsey Gallagher had him down for two graves, and of course, as luck would have it, wasn’t the wrong one opened. I did a bit of quick thinking and put my plan to Paddy’s niece. Surprisingly she agreed to it. The coffin was lowered, the Priest said the final prayers, the green matting was put in position and the mourners dispersed. However, Paddy wasn’t (in the words of Lord Byron) “without a grave, unknelled.” The gravediggers were hastily re-assembled and the correct grave was excavated. It was relatively easy to “exhume” the deceased since I had taken the precaution of leaving the straps on the coffin. In Dermot Healy’s poem The Funeral, there’s a line, “... shovels work like oars, rowing the dead man from this world”. This is a reference to how, in the past, neighbours would fill in the grave while the mourners were present. For once I was glad that that tradition had died out. If it happened once it could happen again. And
that is why, ever since I buried the same man twice in the one day, for every funeral I am obliged to purchase new coffin-lowering straps.”
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A.J. Gascoigne & Son take delivery of new Volvo fleet A.J. Gascoigne & Son was commenced in 1986 by Alan and Hazel Gascoigne. Alan retired in 2013 and sadly passed away in 2014. His son, Jeff, has carried on running the family business alongside Hazel. The funeral home is located in Woodhorn Village, Ashington, Tyne and Wear. The business has been serving the families of Woodhorn, Ashington, and the surrounding areas for almost 30 years. A.J. Gascoigne & Son is one of very few funeral directors in the UK to open its own cemetery (Woodhorn Cemetery), which occurred in 1995. Professional family funeral directors, they are members of NAFD, SAIF, BIFD and BIE. Jeff chose the new style ‘Traditional’ Volvo hearse and matching limousine. Both come with a high specification, including leather
New Nilsson Volvo hearse and limousine supplied to A.J. Gascoigne & Son by Wilcox Limousines Ltd., the second fleet of new Volvos that they have purchased interior, satellite navigation, alloy wheels, Bluetooth and economical diesel engines. Wilcox Limousines would like to thank Hazel and Jeff for their continued business and wish them every success with their new fleet.
Another Jaguar Limousine for Alan Greenwood
Alan Greenwood with his fleet of limousines and hearses
W
ilcox Hearse & Limousine have delivered another new Jaguar limousine for Alan Greenwood, taking his fleet up to five. Alan utilises a fleet programme and is replacing his Mercedes with new Jaguars. Alan said “We and our customers have been impressed with the Jaguars and they are certainly the pinnacle of funeral vehicles. The comments and looks we get in cortege are something we have not been used to previously.” Louis Wilcox would like to thank Alan for his continued support and kind words. 76 | FuneralTimes
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