Together At A Distance
Final preparations for Freeman Brothers Funeral Directors’ first Online Remembrance Service are in full swing.
The event takes place via YouTube on Wednesday 2nd December at 7pm: to view the Service live, go to youtube.com/freemanbrothers. The event will last for approximately 30 minutes and it will be available to view at any time you choose once it has concluded.
As Manager Abi Pattenden explains, there’s still time to join in. ‘The team and I have been busy organising the service, and are very excited to be bringing this uplifting event to as many people as possible,’ Abi tells us. ‘We hope that, particularly with England having been placed under tighter restrictions again this month, a digital event will help people to feel connected to their loved ones during this time of
physical distancing.’
In collaboration with local company, Silvertip Films, the broadcast aims to reach as many people as possible. ‘This is the first time we’ve broadcast an event, and we’re excited to share the occasion in this way,’ Community Co-Ordinator
Becky states. ‘More funeral services than ever before have been livestreamed or recorded and shared online, and our customers have told us that this has helped them when they haven’t been able to attend in the usual numbers.’
The event is also taking place during the second annual
National Grief Awareness Week, something that Freeman
Brothers is keen to support. ‘Bereavement is a common experience, but despite everything that has happened this year, for many it is still difficult to discuss, and can be an isolating experience,’ Becky says. ‘By highlighting the topic via events which are still possible during an awareness week, we hope that people will continue to check on their friends,
family and neighbours as best as they can.’
To further support the needs of the bereaved via this event,
Freeman Brothers is organising a collection for local charity
Jigsaw South East. ‘Were we having an in-person event, there would be a collection for charity, so it felt right to do the same thing digitally,’ Abi adds. ‘Many charities are in a serious deficit this year, due to fundraising events being cancelled and other economic impacts, so we want to do what we can to help. Thanks to our existing partnership with MuchLoved, who provide our online donation service for funerals, we are able to have a page for events we host – funds go directly to the charity, rather than via ourselves.’ ‘This is also a chance for us to recognise a charity which is aligned with the values of our event,’ Becky continues. ‘Jigsaw supports bereaved children in our region – statistics show that more than 100 children and young people are bereaved of a parent every single day in the UK. This means that unfortunately bereavement impacts far more families than many might think, and this charity really needs our help.’
Those who would like to donate may do so via freemanbrothers.dedicationpage.org/remembrance.
There is the facility to leave a message in memory of a loved one, free of charge, and donations are also eligible for Gift
Aid, so please remember to provide details in order for this to be claimed. ‘As this is our first online event, we’re looking forward to hearing what our viewers think,’ Becky concludes. ‘If you watch the Service, please do let us know how you find it.
We hope that we will be able to organise an in-person event in future, but would like to be prepared to run other online ones if this isn’t possible.’ To get in touch with Freeman
Brothers, email community@freemanbrothers.co.uk, call 01403 254590, or use #FBRemembrance on
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