Going green with eco-friendly funerals
We live in a world where sustainability and ‘being green’ are finally at the forefront of many conversations and ways of living. But while most of us do what we can to live our lives in the most environmentally friendly way possible, how many of us have thought about continuing to be green even after […]
Coffin History
If you think about funerals, one of the first things that comes to mind is no doubt a coffin. Coffins have been around for thousands of years and nowadays they are available in various different materials and styles – from the traditional wood to the more eco-friendly willow or even cardboard. In fact, coffins have […]
Cremation Caskets
With people opting for cremation services more than ever, there are now many different ways to keep a loved one’s ashes. We look at some of the options… Interment and burial The traditional storage for cremation ashes is an urn or casket that can be buried in a cemetery or perhaps in a natural burial […]
Remembering those we have lost
Every year on the second Sunday in November, people around the country remember those who lost their lives in the First World War. The annual Remembrance Sunday is a time to remind ourselves of the sacrifice they made for us and to honour their memory. In London, a National Service of Remembrance takes place at […]
Eco Friendly Funerals
At Austin’s we’re always interested to hear about eco-friendly alternatives to funerals so we were fascinated to learn about a novel new way of sending off loved ones. One company in America take the deceased’s ashes and make special ‘reef balls’, which are then placed on the sea floor to mimic natural coral reef. It’s […]
Claire Finds Out More About Vietnamese burial rituals
Last October, Austin’s managing director Claire Austin, travelled to Vietnam to work on a community project to help build a dam in Hanoi. While taking a break from mixing concrete and moving rocks she had a look around the local villages and came across some wooden coffins. When she asked about them, she was told […]