Magpies 'feel grief and hold funerals'

Magpies feel grief and even hold funeral-type gatherings for their fallen friends and lay grass "wreaths" beside their bodies, an animal behaviour expert has claimed.

Dr Bekoff, of the University of Colorado, said these rituals prove that magpies, usually seen as an aggressive predator, also have a compassionate side.

The discovery raises the debate about whether emotions are solely a human trait or whether they can be found in all animals.

Previous studies have suggested that gorillas also mourn their dead while rats have empathy and cats form friendships.

Dr Bekoff said he studied four magpies alongside a magpie corpse and recorded their behaviour.

"One approached the corpse, gently pecked at it, just as an elephant would nose the carcase of another elephant, and stepped back. Another magpie did the same thing, " he said.

"Next, one of the magpies flew off, brought back some grass and laid it by the corpse. Another magpie did the same. Then all four stood vigil for a few seconds and one by one flew off."

After publishing an account of the funeral he received emails from people who had seen the same ritual in magpies, ravens and crows.

"We can't know what they were actually thinking or feeling, but reading their action there's no reason not to believe these birds were saying a magpie farewell to their friend," he wrote in the journal Emotion, Space and Society.

Those who see emotions in animals have been accused of anthropomorphism – the attribution of human characteristics to animals.

However, Dr Bekoff said emotions evolved in humans and animals because they improve the chances of survival.

"It's bad biology to argue against the existence of animal emotions," he said.

He also claims to have seen emotions in elephants. While watching a herd in Kenya he noticed an injured cow elephant who was only able to walk slowly.

"Despite her disability the rest of the herd walked for a while, stopped to look around and then waited for her to catch up.

"The only obvious conclusion we could see is the other elephants cared and so they adjusted their behaviour," said Dr Bekoff.

New web site!

I've just started putting together a new web site at:-

http://www.funeralchoices.co.uk

I have only hosted the home page so far and would appreciate any advice, ideas and comments. I will be adding more over the next few weeks and I will put a post on here when I feel the site may be worth re-visiting.

More on "Bluehenge"

This is an artists impression provided by the University of Manchester, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, of the Blue Stonehenge in western England. The drawing shows how scientists believe the “Blue Stonehenge” discovered by a team of archaeologists on the west bank of the River Avon in September 2009 may have looked. Researchers say a new find near the famous Stonehenge monument shows the religious significance of the site. The smaller prehistoric site is being called "Bluehenge" because of the color of the stones that were placed there thousands of years ago but have since disappeared. All that is left are the holes made when the stones were put in place. Researchers believe the newly discovered stone circle and the larger Stonehenge circle may mark a "domain of the dead" that was linked to the "domain of the living" by the River Avon. Experts say the stones were incorporated into the circle in about 2,500 B.C

Find: Stonehenge could be part of funeral complex

LONDON — The discovery of a small prehistoric circle of stones near Stonehenge may confirm the theory that the mysterious monument in southwest England was part of a massive funeral complex built around a river, researchers said Tuesday.

The new find shows that the second stone circle — dubbed "Bluehenge" because it was built with bluestones — once stood next to the River Avon about 1.75 miles (2.8 kilometers) from Stonehenge, one of Britain's best loved and least understood landmarks.

The find last month could help prove that the Avon linked a "domain of the dead" — made up of Stonehenge and Bluehenge — with an upstream "domain of the living" known as Durrington Wells, a monument where extensive signs of feasting and other human activity were found, said Professor Julian Thomas, co-director of the Stonehenge Riverside Project.

Project director Mike Parker Pearson said it is possible that Bluehenge was the starting point of a processional walk that began at the river and ended at Stonehenge, the site of a large prehistoric cemetery.

"Not many people know that Stonehenge was Britain's largest burial ground at that time," he said. "Maybe the bluestone circle is where people were cremated before their ashes were buried at Stonehenge itself."

There were very few signs of human life found around Stonehenge and Bluehenge, researchers said, lending credence to the idea that it was used as a funeral site, especially since there were signs that many human beings were cremated there.

A five-university team has been excavating the greater Stonehenge site since 2003 in a bid to unravel its meaning and use.

"This find certainly confirms the idea we've put forward that the river is of fundamental importance and links everything," Thomas said. "Everything is related to the river. That suggests that even before Neolithic time it may have had spiritual or religious significance. This find enhances the idea that all the monuments in this landscape are linked in various ways."

Researchers did not find the actual stones used to mark the smaller circle found by the river, but they did find holes left behind when the stones were removed.

The scientists believe the massive stones used for Bluehenge were dragged from the Welsh mountains roughly 150 miles (240 kilometers) away. There were clear indications that the gigantic stones from the Bluehenge site were later removed whole for use in the construction of Stonehenge, Thomas said.

They hope to use radiocarbon dating techniques to better pinpoint construction dates.

Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a favorite with visitors from throughout the world and has become popular with Druids, neo-Pagans and New Agers who attach mystical significance to the strangely-shaped circle of stones, but there remains great debate about the actual purpose of the structure.

Rare excavation work at the actual Stonehenge site was begun last year in a coordinated effort to unearth materials that could be used to establish a firm date for when the first set of bluestones was put in place there.

Edgar Allan Poe finally getting proper funeral

BALTIMORE — For Edgar Allan Poe, 2009 has been a better year than 1849. After dozens of events in several cities to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth, he's about to get the grand funeral that a writer of his stature should have received when he died.

One hundred sixty years ago, the beleaguered, impoverished Poe was found, delirious and in distress outside a Baltimore tavern. He was never coherent enough to explain what had befallen him since leaving Richmond, Va., a week earlier. He spent four days in a hospital before he died at age 40.

Poe's cousin, Neilson Poe, never announced his death publicly. Fewer than 10 people attended the hasty funeral for one of the 19th century's greatest writers. And the injustices piled on. Poe's tombstone was destroyed before it could be installed, when a train derailed and crashed into a stonecutter's yard. Rufus Griswold, a Poe enemy, published a libelous obituary that damaged Poe's reputation for decades.

But on Sunday, Poe's funeral will get an elaborate do-over, with two services expected to draw about 350 people each — the most a former church next to his grave can hold. Actors portraying Poe's contemporaries and other long-dead writers and artists will pay their respects, reading eulogies adapted from their writings about Poe.

"We are following the proper etiquette for funerals. We want to make it as realistic as possible," said Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum.

Advance tickets are sold out, although Jerome will make some seats available at the door to ensure packed houses. Fans are traveling from as far away as Vietnam.

The funeral is arguably the splashiest of a year's worth of events honoring the 200th anniversary of Poe's birth. Along with Baltimore — where he spent some of his leanest years in the mid-1830s — Poe lived in or has strong connections to Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Richmond.

With the funeral angle covered, the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond staged a re-enactment last weekend of his death. Those with a more academic interest in Poe can attend the Poe Studies Association's annual conference from Thursday through Sunday in Philadelphia.

Visitors in Baltimore for the funeral can enjoy a new exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art, "Edgar Allan Poe: A Baltimore Icon," which includes chilling illustrations to "The Raven" by Edouard Manet.

Baltimore has a decided advantage over the other cities that lay claim to Poe, notes BMA director Doreen Bolger. "We have the body," she said.

This week, that's true in more ways than one. Jerome said he's gotten calls from people who thought he was going to exhume Poe's remains and rebury them.

"When they dug up Poe's body in 1875 to move it, it was mostly skeletal remains," Jerome said. "I've seen remains of people who've been in the ground since that time period, and there's hardly anything left."

Instead, Jerome commissioned local special-effects artist Eric Supensky to create an eerily lifelike — or deathlike — mock-up of Poe's corpse.

"I got chills," Jerome said Monday upon seeing the body for the first time. "This is going to freak people out."

The body will lie in state for 12 hours Wednesday at the Poe House, a tiny rowhome in a gritty section of west Baltimore. Visitors are invited to pay their respects.

Following the viewing will be an all-night vigil at Poe's grave at Westminster Burying Ground. Anyone who attends will have the opportunity to deliver a tribute.

On Sunday morning, a horse-drawn carriage will transport the replica of Poe's body from his former home to the graveyard for the funeral.

Actor John Astin, best known as Gomez Addams on TV's "The Addams Family," will serve as master of ceremonies.

"It's sort of a way of saying, 'Well, Eddie, your first funeral wasn't a very good one, but we're going to try to make it up to you, because we have so much respect for you,'" said Astin, who toured as Poe for years in a one-man show.

The service won't be a total lovefest, however. The first eulogy will come from none other than Griswold.

"People are asking me, 'Jeff, why are you inviting him? He hated Poe!'" Jerome said. "The reason is, most of these people defended Poe in response to what he said about Poe's life, so we can't have this service without having old Rufus sitting in the front row, spewing forth his hatred."

Eulogies will follow from actors portraying, among others, Sarah Helen Whitman, a minor poet whom Poe courted after his wife's death, and Walt Whitman, who attended the dedication of Poe's new gravestone in 1875 but didn't feel well enough to speak. Writers and artists influenced by Poe, including Arthur Conan Doyle and Alfred Hitchcock, will also be represented.

Jerome expects to cry — one reason he won't be speaking. Even his rivals are impressed with the scale of the tribute.

"Annoyed as I am with Baltimore sometimes, I have to give them credit," said Philadelphia-based Poe scholar Edward Pettit, who argues his city was of greater importance to Poe's life and literary career. "Baltimore has done an awful lot to maintain the legacy of Poe over the last 100-some years."

Two feet in the grave

I've added the Open University booklet that accompanied the programme on BBC1 with Richard Wilson. It's actually not a bad read!!!!


http://www.funeralhelp.co.uk/Downloads.html

Please have a look.

I have just added something I feel is very important to the following pages on our site.


http://www.funeralhelp.co.uk/Green%20Funerals.html

http://www.funeralhelp.co.uk/eForests.html

Please have a look and sign up if you feel it's worthwhile.

Thanks,

Nick

People's ashes left uncollected for years

The Canterbury Star


City crematoriums and funeral directors are storing the cremated remains of hundreds of people whose relatives fail to collect them.

The macabre reality of uncollected ashes is part of a national trend, with some firms in the country holding the remains of up to 1000 people.

Many funeral directors are now being forced to put measures in place to ensure they are not holding onto ashes for families for long periods of time.

In Christchurch, crematoriums storing ashes include the Canterbury Crematorium in Linwood, which currently stores 545 sets of ashes, and the Harewood Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, which holds 488.

Most funeral directors in the city could also hold anywhere from 10 to 100 sets of ashes they have collected for families at any one time.

Nationally, between 60% and 70% of people are now cremated rather than buried.

Funeral Directors’ Association vice president Tony Garing, from John Rhind Funeral Directors in Christchurch, said the number of ashes left uncollected was astounding.


He said the onus was on the families to make a decision about what to do with the ashes, and many funeral directors would often collect ashes from the crematoriums on the relatives’ behalf.

However, because of the logistics of storing large numbers of ashes, many funeral directors were now not collecting them unless they had clear instructions what to do with them.

Mr Garing said they currently held well over 100 sets of ashes in their storeroom, some dating to the 1960s.

“If you went to any funeral home you would find ashes,” he said. “It’s a very emotive thing, that’s the problem.

“It is also very hard to contact families. Many (contacted) think it was dealt with years ago.”

Cremation Society of Canterbury manager Barbara Terry said common reasons for people failing to collect “cremains” was that it was too traumatising, the deceased had no relatives or friends left, or people may want the ashes to be held until a surviving spouse passed away so the ashes could be buried together.

Some people also waited until the anniversary of a death or a birthday to collect ashes.

Mrs Terry said a couple had come into the Cremation Society earlier this year looking for information on their genealogy, and were horrified to find a grandmother’s ashes had being waiting for collection for nearly 30 years.

“They were horrified,” she said.

Mrs Terry said the “respectful thing” for any deceased was for a decision to be made on what to do with their remains.

“You don’t arrange a burial then leave the casket beside the grave and walk away,” she said.

But the reality was, the decision to collect ashes was up to the families.

“There are no rules. They (the ashes) are in safekeeping. We do take the guardianship of ashes very seriously.”

She said all ashes were meticulously stored in an urn and given an identification number.

“Every five to 10 years, depending how the volumes are looking, we try again to contact families. If we have no success we inter the ashes into a grid in a set location,” she said.

However, these could be retrieved if someone came to collect them.

From Malta.....Horse-drawn hearses back from the dead

The next time you spot a somewhat eerie carriage, being drawn by black horses, clad in black feathers and a cloak, driven by a man in a black suit and top hat, don't be fooled into thinking it's a scene out of Dracula.

The chances are you will spot one on the roads some time soon. Horse-drawn carriage hearses were last seen on our streets some 40 years ago but an undertaker has dug up his collection and is breathing new life into them, following public demand. Louis Borg's resurrection of the horse-drawn hearses comes in the wake of the liberalisation of the motorised market, which led him to diversify, giving him the edge over double the competitors he had before.

But he does not want to create another monopoly and is willing to extend the service of his restored carriages to other undertakers everywhere if their clients ask for it.

In fact, he does not mind if he fails to make money "as long as I revive the tradition," he said, touring his Sliema garages, piled with carriage paraphernalia including papier-mâché angels and equestrian equipment.

All he wants is to unearth that sense of respect for the dead that comes with the carriages. On their first appearance after four decades last week, they commanded much reverence from the man in the street, Mr Borg pointed out.

"Everyone bowed their heads, made the sign of the cross, looked in awe and moved aside. Normally, when we use the cars, it could be any other vehicle on the road. Nobody gives way," he continued.

Mr Borg has been driving the dead for 30 years and had never experienced such a scenario, which he deems fit for a funeral.

Some of his carriages are up to 120 years old and, unlike other undertakers, who sold them overseas and stripped them when they stopped using them in 1970, the Borg family had the foresight to keep theirs in storage.

Now he is bringing back from the dead his first-class carriage (tal-kewba), which was used by "rich Sliema residents"; the prima and sekonda, which are for lower levels of society respectively, but equally elaborate to the fresh eye; and the white version for babies and single women.

The set comprises the priest's carriage, which would also transport the altar boy dressed as he would have back then and carrying the large cross, sticking out of the window as tradition would have it.

In a €60,000 investment, Mr Borg is restoring them to their original state, using nothing but antique items, even down to the bolts and buttons.

In two weeks, a set of four carriages should be rearing to go and the whole project should be complete in nine months, when the undertaker would be able to carry out three funerals of the sort simultaneously. It cost Mr Borg around €5,000 to restore the prima and €3,500 for the priest's carriage, which comes complete with an old bell to function as a horn in case a driver gets distracted.

"This did not exist in the original but at least it is old too," he said, determined to remain in the past. It still has the original number plate - 260 from 1901.

He is even buying rubber tyres from overseas to put round the wheels to reduce the noise and be able to drive into Mdina and Valletta.

In fact, he plans to drive the carriages everywhere, according to requests. "We can go from any church in the area to the cemetery but would probably drive by car from Mater Dei Hospital to avoid the hills," he said.

His first carriage funeral from Msida to the Naxxar cemetery took 25 minutes - only 10 minutes more than it would have by car - and ran smoothly, he said.

"I am using traffic police each time," he said. "But anyway, everyone just moves out of the way."

Between 1959 and 1970, the public had the option of the motorised and horse hearses but then the latter were buried because it was more comfortable for undertakers to turn the key in the ignition and drive off.

"I have been receiving requests for these carriages for the last 15 years, particularly from the elderly in the villages. Mercedes and Rolls Royce are nothing next to them in their view," Mr Borg said.

Despite the added hassles, the carriage funerals are expected to cost "only a bit more" than the common cars.

Mr Borg already has six horses in his extensive fleet and is buying more from overseas. Now, all he needs is the government to provide him with a hangar in the Marsa area, where he can display all the options for clients to make their death wish.

Modern memorial art

Many people wish to mark the death of a loved one with a beautiful and personal memorial, but don't know how to go about it. A new exhibition, Art and Memory, brings together the first national collection of modern memorial art. Artists were commissioned to create fitting memorials, from a circle of rugged stones, to a triptych in green slate, or a simple engraved pebble. The Memorial Arts Charity helps the public to work directly with artists to create individual memorials.

The collection is at West Dean, Sussex, until November. From spring 2010 the works will be divided between six permanent sites, with four pieces remaining at West Dean. They will be found at University Botanic Gardens, Birmingham; the Memorial Garden, Canterbury Cathedral; Grimsthorpe Castle Memorial Garden, Lincolnshire; Blair Castle, Scotland; and the Monnow Valley Art Centre, Herefordshire

Guitarist Quits Heavy Metal Band To Become A Funeral Director

Quinn Lukas leaves Icarus Witch...



Guitarist Quinn Lukas has announced he's quitting heavy metal band Icarus Witch to become a funeral director.

A statement from the Pennsylvania rockers' says Quinn will leave the band on September 17 following his last ever live show in their native state.


Quinn had already started training in mortuary science before joining Icarus Witch but will now finish his studies.

The statement reads: "When Quinn joined the band in 2006, he put his mortuary science schooling on hold.

“Now Quinn's going back to school to become a funeral director, and Icarus Witch will enter the next chapter in our twisted tale as we prepare to release our fourth CD in time for a full U.S. tour this winter."

Icarus Witch formed in 2004 and despite numerous line-up changes have released two cult albums – 2005's Capture The Magic and 2007's Songs For The Lost.

A date for the diary …………

By Royna Hill, West Suffolk Crematorium Manager.

West Suffolk Crematorium has been open for 20 years in August and to mark this special occasion we will be holding a Funeral Fayre” on Saturday 1st August from 10.30am onwards. This event is intended to be a friendly and informative day, at which members of the public can learn about all aspects of the funeral business, from a wide range of professionals who will be attending.

We will have exhibits of funeral transport – from the past and present – along with a variety of coffins and caskets, showing the latest styles and trends. There will be professional advice from, for example, CRUSE Bereavement Care, St Nicholas Hospice, along with many of our local Funeral Directors.

But we want the day to be informal and uplifting, and will therefore have displays of woodcarving, calligraphy and masonry as well as a display from a local Falconer. There will be refreshments available throughout the day.

During the day we will run small informal tours of the crematory, where you will be able to see what happens once the curtains have closed – this will help to allay fears and dispel the myths.

Weather permitting, we also plan to hold a series of small, informal memorial services in our gardens where we can remember those we have lost, and these services will be lead by a number of our local ministers and officiants.

We hope to see you there!

Funeral Fayre at The West Suffolk Crematorium

The West Suffolk Crematorium will be holding a funeral fayre on Saturday August 1st.

Details from Royna Hill (manager) to follow but with my insider info :-) I can reveal that amongst other things there will be stands from various funeral directors, horse drawn hearses, coffin displays (both traditional and alternative) floral tribute displays and demonstrations.......and "behind the scenes" tours!

More info to come!!!

Graveyard etiquette - from the BBC

Claims that tourists have been picnicking on a war grave in Scotland have prompted a hostile reaction from some. But what are the rules for behaviour at a burial ground?

How should you act where the dead are under foot?

When it comes to visiting burial grounds, many people are unsure exactly what is suitable behaviour. While some attend to pay their respects or remember lost loved ones, many visit cemeteries and churchyards for less profound reasons - a leisurely walk, to take in the view or just out of curiosity.

There are codes of conduct - it's just not always clear what these are.

When, last month, a church in Wimbledon, south London, invited motorists to park in its grounds, pictures of cars tightly packed next to headstones prompted outrage in the press. This week, visitors to Culloden Battlefield, near Inverness, were criticised for picnicking where soldiers had died in the 18th Century.



Burial ground etiquette is governed by a combination of convention, common sense and the law - both local and national.

The 1977 Local Authority Cemeteries' Order, which applies to England, Scotland and Wales, sets down some basic laws of conduct. Creating a disturbance in a churchyard, committing a nuisance, wilfully interfering with burials or graves, or playing games or sports, are all finable offences.

But the public are rarely aware of the order and, to complicate matters further, other rules are set out in bye-laws - locals laws that vary from place to place.

Even so, there has always been an underlying understanding - whether you're a mourning relative or just a visitor, says Peter Francis, spokesperson for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

Unruly children

"The correct behaviour almost dictates itself - most of it is common sense. Visitors are expected to be responsible, dignified and have a respectful manner," says Mr Francis.

The CWGC cares for hundreds of thousands of graves and encourages the act of remembrance. Mr Francis lumps playing football and having a picnic together as "inappropriate" behaviour when at a CWGC site. Whether "everyone knows" these rules, as he claims, could be up for debate.

Certainly, not everyone adheres to the unspoken guidelines. And the CWGC's current efforts to host school visits has not pleased everyone.

One recent letter to the commission complained: "[The children] ran about shouting and chasing each other around the graves and climbed all over the monument… I fear before long the cemeteries will become some sort of theme park for children's war games."

While games and dining are out - touching headstones and plaques is acceptable, says Mr Francis.

"[They] were made to be read and looked at - to commemorate lives. It is just a case of knowing when to draw the line."

But Lee Snashfold, director of Kensal Green Cemetery, in London, says the line between what is inappropriate or not changes with society's shifting values.

'Outrageous behaviour'

"There are three types of rules. Firstly the bye-laws, secondly the cemetery regulations at each site," explains Mr Snashfold. "Then there are the rules of etiquette - common sense - that's anything that is an inconvenience to the people using the services."

He cites the example of how changes to shop opening hours have had a knock-on effect on how people remember the deceased. Shops used to close mid-week, and families would take the time to visit dead relatives, says Mr Snashfold.

"I suppose there's been a shift away from the tradition, but the underlying expectations and respect is there. It may have eroded over the years, but it will always be there."

Sometimes, though, decorum has clearly been forgotten.

"I've seen some outrageous behaviour," says Mr Snashfold. "There was once a photographer and model who were taking photos without permission. He was clicking away as a service was going on."

Even those who might be expected to know the customs inside-out, can find they have misjudged society's views. When, in June, St Mary's church, in Wimbledon Village, charged tennis fans £20 a day to park in its burial ground, it justified the decision by saying the graves were 200 years old or more. No living relatives would be offended, it said. It also gave the money to charities.



But faced with public distaste, the church called a swift halt to the scheme.

No matter how much has time has elapsed it should not affect conduct, says Canon Tim Barker.

"Churchyards are still special places - consecrated ground - whether a grave is a year old or from the 1840s, whether there are living relatives or not."

Some churchyards do fall into a state of disrepair, in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, a town church has become an antiques centre. The surrounding graveyard is now used as a public area, so the accepted conduct is more lenient.

"If a churchyard is closed for burials it may affect the public's view," says Canon Barker, "But most people know it is still somewhere to be respected and naturally adapt their behaviour."

Fundraising at West Suffolk Crematorium

Fundraising at West Suffolk Crematorium – by Royna Hill (Manager)


About a month ago I came across a leaflet describing the Tea Parties that are held every year to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care. As they do such a fantastic job, and we were in the middle of a heatwave, I thought it would be a good idea to have a Garden Tea Party at my home and invite family, friends and colleagues.

We started with a nice donation from my Managing Director and invested in some items to sell to raise funds. I visited Risby Fruit Farm, where Dave very kindly sold me around 40 mixed hardy fuschias at a very discounted rate. I found some little galvanised-type pots from my daughter’s wedding to put the plants in and they were ready to sell.

I then visited Westley Fruit Farms and explained about the Tea Party and they sold me some punnets of strawberries at a knock-down price – all ready for strawberries and cream at the party.

Nick Armstrong, from Armstrongs Funeral Service, gave us a donation, which I used to buy items for a couple of hampers that I could then raffle.

Philip Fuller, from Southgates of Newmarket, lent me a gazebo to create our cake tent.

Myself, Vicky and Jacqui at the crematorium baked cakes, as did my sister.

Sunday came and the weather stayed fine. We guessed how many sweets were in the jar, sold raffle tickets, had a bring and buy sale and served Afternoon Tea to our guests. The cakes and plants that weren’t sold were brought into work the next day and were sold for a donation. My sister took cakes to her work also and raised money from donations.

I have had a call today from Pat at L. Fulcher who are also giving us a donation.

So I am pleased to say, that from a very small idea, we have raised £300 to date. It is worth doing and if everyone did something similar each year, lots of money could be raised.

Hindu healer loses funeral pyre court battle

For more on the story please scroll down to our previous posts starting on 31st March.

A devout Hindu today lost his high court battle for the legal right to be cremated on a traditional open-air funeral pyre.

Davender Ghai, 70, told a judge at a recent hearing that a pyre was essential to "a good death" and the release of his spirit into the afterlife.

The spiritual healer, from Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, challenged Newcastle city council's refusal to permit him to be cremated according to his Hindu beliefs.

Mr Justice Cranston, sitting in London, dismissed the challenge, saying pyres were prohibited by law and the prohibition was "justified". He gave Ghai permission to take the case to the court of appeal, but warned: "I don't think there is a real prospect of success."

In his ruling, the judge said: "The Cremation Act 1902 and its attendant 2008 regulations are clear in their effect: the burning of human remains, other than in a crematorium, is a criminal offence. This effectively prohibits open-air funeral pyres."

Ghai is currently in India receiving medical treatment. In a statement after the ruling, he said: "I respect the decision of the court but, for me, this is quite literally a matter of life and death. I shall appeal until the very end, in the faith that my dying wish will not go unheard. This is the beginning, not the end.

"I have been pitted against the might of the ministry of justice and Newcastle city council – but I take solace from the fact that, with faith, a David like me can ultimately overcome the Goliath of state machinery."

Ghai brought the challenge under article 9 of the European convention on human rights, which protects religious freedom, and article 8, which covers the right to private and family life.

The justice secretary, Jack Straw, who had resisted Ghai's challenge, argued that others in the community would be "upset and offended" by pyres and would "find it abhorrent that human remains were being burned in this way".

Ghai's lawyers said that "with time, education and publicity" the public would recognise that open-air funeral pyres were "a practice worthy of respect".

However, the judge said those in favour of pyres would have to engage with the political process and attempt to change "the present balance of interests".

He ruled that article 8 did not apply to the case because an open-air pyre would not only affect family and private life but have "a public character".

Protesters stage mock funeral march

Protesters staged a mock funeral, to demonstrate against the possible loss of a cemetery should a third runway be built at Heathrow Airport.

Around 150 campaigners followed an empty hearse from Trafalgar Square in central London down Whitehall to the Houses of Parliament.

Cherry Lane Cemetery near the M4 in Hayes is under threat from a proposed access road which is part of plans for the third runway.

The History Of Gravestones

Scots 'bucking funeral pop trend'

Scottish mourners are bucking a trend for pop music at funerals with more and more choosing traditional hymns, a study by a funeral director suggests.

In Scotland the number of funerals with hymns rose from 54% to 56% last year, according to Co-operative Funeralcare.

But its survey of 242 funeral homes and 30,000 services showed 58% of people in England and Wales chose pop music.

Frank Sinatra's My Way was most played song at funerals last year and The Lord Is My Shepherd the top hymn.

The Co-operative Funeralcare survey found that since its last study four years ago, the number of people in England and Wales choosing hymns to be played at funerals dropped by 6%, from 41% to 35%, while the number opting for pop music rose from 55% to 58%.

In Scotland the number of funerals accompanied by hymns rose from 54% to 56% and those with pop music fell from 37% to 36%.

The funeral top 10 was headed by Frank Sinatra and included My Heart Will Go On, sung by Celine Dion, I Will Always Love You, by Whitney Houston and You'll Never Walk Alone, sung by Gerry and the Pacemakers.

Alexandra Burke's chart-topping cover version of Hallelujah appears at number 26, two months after it first aired on television.

More than a quarter of funeral homes surveyed received unusual requests during the year, including television themes from Emmerdale, Top Gear and Only Fools and Horses; Doctor and the Medics' Spirit in the Sky, AC/DC's Highway to Hell and So Long, Farewell, from The Sound of Music.

The study also revealed about one in every 10 requests for pieces of music were rejected because clergy conducting the funeral felt the choice was inappropriate.


The Co-operative Funeralcare's Lorinda Sheasby said the study reaffirmed that trends in funerals were changing.

"Today's tear-jerking chart topper is extremely unlikely to be tomorrow's funeral classic, but it's quite possible it will figure highly in the months or even years to come," she said.

"As more people choose non-religious funerals, so they incline towards contemporary songs with which they closely identify," she added.

"Our aim is to make more people aware of the options and choices open to them, so that ultimately the funeral service reflects the life of the individual, which is of great benefit to the bereaved."

The History Of Hearses

Who's Who?

Hi, Nick here.
I've just added a handy who's who to our downloads page

http://www.funeralhelp.co.uk/Downloads.html

This is a list of some of the people who will be helping you after the death of a loved one.....its not a glossary but its similar....i think! Have a look :-)

A tough crowd? Comic turn at funeral!

A FAMILY said goodbye to their mum with smiles on their faces — after booking comic Dominic Collins for her funeral.

Stuart Hargreaves asked the singing postman from Droylsden to perform at his mum Norma’s wake . . . in front of dozens of mourners.

After the service at Dukinfield crematorium, relatives gathered at Stalybridge Labour Club where Dominic was waiting with a guitar and a bagful of gags.

The songwriting funnyman admitted he was stunned by the request, but was happy to oblige. And he soon turned the tears of sadness into joy.

He said: "I’ve done some tough gigs in my time, but that takes the biscuit. I must admit I was really apprehensive beforehand. Everyone came in looking really sombre. But they left grinning and laughing, thank goodness. They left looking a lot happier than when they came in, at least."

Norma, 66, of Newton, Hyde was a huge fan of Dominic, according to son Stuart, 43.

"We wanted the wake to be a celebration of her life. Mum would have absolutely loved it. She had all his CDs and used to collapse in laughter listening to them. We’ve been to a few of his shows and he’s even staged one of his trademark living room gigs in my house. He’s very funny"

Can Britain accept funeral pyres? Pt 3 of 3

'Complex issues'

In 2006, Mr Ghai and the AAFS escaped prosecution after cremating the body of a 31-year-old Sikh man at a secret location in Stamfordham, Northumberland.

Northumbria Police raised no objections to the service at the time, but subsequently said it may have been illegal. The Crown Prosecution Service decided proceedings against Mr Ghai would not be in the public interest.

When Mr Ghai first lodged his application for a judicial review, opinion among the more than 500,000 Hindus in the UK was divided.

Since then, the influential UK Hindu Council organisation, as well as some Sikh temples, have backed him.

The Hindu Council recently stated it recognised that the "individual choice of those Hindus who follow the directives of Hindu scriptures and wish to have open air funerals, should be honoured".

As a "priority" it is also pressing for existing rules to be changed so that the "performance of a small fire ceremony in an open coffin" could take place at crematoriums.

However, some Hindus see the AAFS's approach as a backwards step.

Jay Lakhani, from Hindu Academy educational body said: "Hindu scriptures should be interpreted judiciously and teaching does allow interpretation in a modern way."

He said he could not understand why UK Hindus would want to dispose of bodies in an "antiquated" manner although he would not object to outdoor cremations taking place if legally permitted.

Newcastle City Council is not commenting ahead of Tuesday's case.

The government said it had no plans to change the law on cremations.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "There are inevitably competing views on the appropriate arrangements for disposing of bodies stemming from different views about religion, morals and decency.

"The current law requires that cremations must take place in a crematorium and open air funeral pyres are not allowed. The government considers that this requirement is justified, taking into account the complex social and political issues raised."

At his Gosforth council house, Mr Ghai has been preparing for the High Court hearing.

He has described the case as "provocative, least of all in a nation as notoriously squeamish towards death as our own".

"I fully respect that many Hindu-origin people will prefer the speed and convenience of crematoria but for practicing Hindus like me, receiving last rites is quite literally a matter of life and death," he said.

"Far beyond my own death, I hope my struggle will provide a legacy for those who would not be in a position to undertake such an enormous challenge."

Can Britain accapt funeral pyres? Pt 2 of 3

'Tokenistic symbolism'

Under the Cremation Act, the burning of bodies in England and Wales is restricted to designated crematoriums. Similar acts are in force in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This has resulted in some UK Hindus sending the bodies of deceased relatives to India for a ceremony which dates back some 4,000 years.

In South Asia, most cremations for Hindus and Sikhs are held outdoors, often on the banks of a river regarded as holy. Hindus in particular see open-air cremations as the best way to liberate the soul from the body.

At the High Court, lawyers for Mr Ghai intend to argue that open-air cremations are not "necessarily unlawful".
The funeral pyre of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Allahabad, India , February 2008
The rituals at a Hindu cremation date back some 4,000 years

They will cite past cases that were not subject to prosecution, including the 1934 open air cremation of the Nepalese ambassador's wife in Surrey.

According to Andrew Singh Bogan, the AAFS's legal adviser, parts of the 1998 Human Rights Act covering freedom to practise religious beliefs could also be relied on.

At a Hindu cremation, the corpse is bathed, usually dressed in traditional white clothes and decorated with sandalwood and flowers.

"There can be some tokenistic symbolism at a crematorium but really it's just disposal of a body," Mr Bogan said.

So what are the objections to open-air cremations?

According to the AAFS, past opposition on health and environmental grounds no longer applies.

Mr Bogan said government tests after the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak and an AAFS-commissioned report found no harm to health or the environment from pyres.

The AAFS is proposing open-air cremations take place in designated sites in rural or semi-rural locations away from public areas.

Mr Bogan said Hindu cremations were only now becoming an issue as the immigrants of the 1960s and 1970s reached old age.

But he expects lawyers for Newcastle City Council and the government to portray the practices as "abhorrent".

"In the end this case could come down to the nebulous issue of whether this is seen as 'British' or not," he said.

Can Britain accept funeral pyres? Pt 1 of 3

The High Court is being asked to rule on the legality of open air funeral pyres.

If Davender Ghai gets his way in the case due to be heard on Tuesday, traditional Hindu cremations could become commonplace across England and Wales.

In 2006, Newcastle City Council blocked Davender Ghai's attempt to establish the UK's first approved site for open-air funeral pyres.

It maintained the burning of human remains anywhere outside a crematorium was prohibited under the 1930 Cremation Act - a ruling the Ministry of Justice agrees was correct.

Now Mr Ghai, a Hindu campaigner and founder of the Anglo Asian Friendship Society charity, is seeking a judicial review of the decision.

"I believe a person should live and die according to his own religion," said the Uganda-born 70-year-old, who has been living in the UK since the 1970s.

"Local authorities routinely provide separate Muslim and Jewish burial grounds and out-of-hours registration and immediate or weekend burials.

"Hindus should cremate before the following sunset too and yet we, along with the general public, wait for up to a week."

The Co-op on the telly!!

Has anyone seen the ad yet?

To be honest its not bad really but............

It must have cost a fortune..and we know who ultimately pays for that don't we!

Oh and........Why have they used and paid for actors and not used actual staff??? Mmm
I think they may have made a mistake there.!

What a send off..........ashes in a firework!!!

HEAVENS ABOVE FIREWORKS



Heavens Above Fireworks provides a truly memorable event where friends and family can celebrate the life of someone special to them by dispersing their funeral ashes within a spectacular fireworks display or through our other services.

Traditionally a wake provided an opportunity for a vigil, often more of a party, before the burial service. Increasingly people are choosing to have their remains cremated, often leaving friends and family with the question of how best to disperse the ashes. Importantly, research shows most people now wish to make their passing more of a ‘celebration of life’, and a happier occasion where family and friends can remember someone special to them.

We believe it is most important to respect the wishes both of the person and the family and friends to create an event which the person would have wished for themselves; as a great way to celebrate their life and to say goodbye.

If you would like to learn more about a Heavens Above Fireworks celebration we can send you more information together with a complimentary DVD. This film contains the special piece about us shown on Channel 4’s ‘Richard and Judy’ TV program.

For more information, or to request a copy of the complimentary DVD, please visit our ‘Contact Us’ page.

I was only moaning the other day that motorists don't stop for the funeral cortege anymore.....then I read this!! It Just gets worse doesn't it.

Thief grabs charity cash at funeral
Sue Carr
14/ 1/2009

A CHARITY collection was stolen from a church — while the funeral was still taking place.

The box had been put out so mourners, instead of buying flowers, could donate money to Willow Wood Hospice and Christie Hospital.



But hundreds who had gathered to pay their respects were left horrified when they discovered it had been taken in a ‘heartbreaking’ burglary at Christ Church in Ashton.

The service took place on Saturday for the 36-year-old woman, a member of the Hindu community.

A family member, who did not wish to be named, said: "Does this person realise how much people have lost, how much this has hurt people? We wanted to raise money for Willow Wood and Christie’s because that’s where she spent a lot of her time. We saw how good they were, how much they made her feel at home, and we wanted to give something back. That extra bit of money is now not going to go there and I think that’s really sad."

The box, which was at the back of church close to the door, is thought to have contained hundreds of pounds and the culprit is now being urged to return the money.

Information is also being sought about an unknown male who was seen acting suspiciously.

Ray Mistry, who organised the funeral, said: "It’s terrible, it’s upsetting for everyone. We would say to the thief, if you have a conscience, please go and give it back."

The Reverend Lee Longden, of the Oldham Road church, said: "I find it heartbreaking that a funeral service has been targeted in this way and I appeal to whoever has done this to return the money."

Hospice head of fundraising John Fellowes added: "We are distressed and shocked to learn of the theft. This is a very sad time for the family and to cope with this incident on top of their recent loss is something they shouldn’t have to experience. Obviously, we join with others in urging those responsible to examine their consciences and return the money."

Ashes Into Glass

James Watts and Bill Rhodes have been glassblowers for the whole of their working lives. They have thrived in their profession for the past 20 years by providing the very best quality products and service to their customers.

In 1996, they founded Barleylands Glassworks in Billericay, Essex. In 2006, they founded Ashes into Glass, based at Barleylands Glassworks



James explains, "When a client asked if we could add her mother's cremated ashes to glass as a memorial to her life, we knew straight away that it was possible. We also thought that it was a wonderful idea that others could benefit from. We just wondered how they would look - ashes don't exactly look like something you would want to display!"

After going through their polished process of design and prototyping, they finalized on three stunning designs. The ashes can be seen within the glass as a soft white powder rather like snow. They have certainly achieved their aim of making the ashes look beautiful.



Bill is very clear about why clients come to them; "Ours is not just a product, it is a bespoke service. Clients commission us to make their loved one's ashes into glass because they trust in us. From first seeing our mini-brochures and website, to receiving our Ordering Pack, to knowing where they have sent the ashes, to the attention we give our clients throughout the whole process, to the finest quality finished product, beautifully packaged. Clients know exactly what happens to the ashes, where they are kept and how and by whom pieces are made. We are very open about our service and families have the option to come along to our workshop to see their glass being made. We do these things because we want clients to talk positively about their experience with us. In this way, word will spread."



Ashes into Glass has won awards for this unique service.
In 2007, they won The Basildon Business Awards for Manufacturing.
In May 2008, they were Winners at The Essex Countywide Business Awards.

A judge commented, "When I visited Bill & James at the Glass works, it was very clear for me to see that they deliver a very worthwhile service with great passion and a real commitment to quality."