Charity offering to host free funeral services
A CHARITY is offering its services for free to conduct a funeral or memorial service for families who have lost loved ones.
Celebrants from A Quiet Revolution say the coronavirus crisis has meant families have missed out on the chance to fully mourn the loss of relatives and friends.
To try to ease some of the pain felt by people grieving during the pandemic, the charity is offering to support 15 families living in and around Glasgow.
Barbara Chalmers, founder of A Quiet Revolution, said:
“We have a little group of humanist celebrants and we have been fundraising by collecting donations from couples who get married or people who have funerals with us and want to help out others.”
During the pandemic the rituals associated with the cycle of life have been turned on their head with a major issue being limits to the numbers of people who can attend in person.
Barbara added: “There has been a rise in the number of direct cremations, which I think is a good thing as not everyone will want to have a funeral service and we shouldn’t be pressured into that.
“But I would hate to think that there was anyone who would like to have a service
but didn’t because they felt they could not afford it.
“What we are offering as well is to work with families to hold a memorial service for their loved one.
“They could perhaps have a formal cremation but a year later meet at a different place to have an ash scattering.”
Dependent on current restrictions, A Quiet Revolution will provide a celebrant to lead the funeral or memorial, either in person or through Zoom for a wider group to attend.
Those who attend will also have the chance to donate, if they choose, to help other families who are struggling to meet costs.
Applications are requested from those in need, and should be made to: www. aquietrevolution. org/ apply