Caring for Loved One’s Place of Rest

Caring for the departed and remembering them at a special place is a tradition as old as the human race itself. It is also a tradition to make regular visits to the burial site, leaving flowers and on special occasions, other items of remembrance.

However, for various reasons it is not always possible for relations and friends to make the trip, either to place new tributes or to tidy up around the grave, which is exactly the service now on offer from Lochaber Grave Tending Services.

Founded and operated by local women Nicola MacIsaac and Patricia Rodger, they came up with the idea after discussing how often they both visited Glen Nevis and other cemeteries to tend their own family graves and noticed how others had been in need of attention for extended periods.

Having been asked on previous occasions by local elderly people no longer able make the journey to place flowers on graves and give it a ‘wee tidy up’ the pair are very much aware of the comfort it gave by just knowing that the grave of a loved one was not being neglected or forgotten.

On carrying out research they discovered that Grave Tending businesses are well established in other areas, especially in cities, although virtually unknown in Scotland or the Highlands. They contacted some current operators who were very helpful in offering advice on how to set things up. They also intend to join the official body, the Association of Grave Tenders to gain further knowledge and as a further demonstration of quality of service.

Lochaber Grave Tending Services will be covering all cemeteries in the area offering a wide range of options from cleaning the headstone, tidying up the area of the grave, removing withered flowers or objects which have been damaged or no longer required, to placing new flowers or other items of remembrance at the specific times required by their client. They will also provide before and after pictures to show what has been done.

Nicola said: “Many people want to make regular visits to the grave side but just can’t manage for a number of reasons. Other than not being physically able, they may live far away or even just not feel that they are emotionally not up to it.

“The services we are offering are well recognised and welcomed in other areas. We both have experience in dealing with vulnerable people and will handle every client with care and sensitivity”.

Rejoice! This year April brings Easter. A chocfest maybe just second to Christmas. At that season, kind people gave our children chocolate selection boxes. For the sake of their teeth, I would ration them. Sometimes ‘rations’ lasted almost until aunties and grans donated chocolate Easter eggs. That tradition persisted until last year, when the oldest auntie died.

They rolled them down the slope in the back garden on Easter Sunday after lunch.

This ancient tradition symbolised the stone being rolled from Jesus’ tomb. In our youth we celebrated it with hens eggs, hard boiled with onion skins to colour the shells, (and perhaps a Creme egg).

Traditions change. When did chocolate Easter bunnies enter the scene? This year shops are stocked with chocolate shapes, from rockets (eggsplorers?) to dogs. Who would want to roll the facsimile of a loved family pet down even a gentle grass slope? How would that symbolize anything to do with Easter?

Even the tradition of new Easter bonnets for church is out of fashion. We only wear woolly bonnets now to keep our heads warm. How many people still bake traditional Simnel cakes?

One tradition hasn’t changed. For over two thousand years Christians all over the world, who believe that Jesus died on a cross on Good Friday and three days later rose again, will celebrate at Easter. Not only in churches, but in hospitals, prisons, war and disaster zones (although probably without chocolate!) Please remember to pray for such suffering Christians and others helping in His name.

As St Paul wrote to the ancient Hebrews, before he too was killed by the Romans:

“God is there, ready to help, I’m fearless no matter what.

Who or what can get to me?

[The Message]

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Heb13.8)

Glory to his name!