Harwood Park celebrates 25 years
This year marks 25 years since Harwood Park Crematorium & Memorial Gardens opened its doors to families across Hertfordshire and beyond. The tranquil chapel is surrounded by beautiful 25-acre gardens including woodland areas, rose-filled trellises, an avenue lined with pretty cherry trees and a secret lake. It’s a very special place with fascinating origins and […]
No one deserves to die alone: The Anne Robson Trust is our 2022 Charity of the Year
We’re delighted to announce that our 2022 Charity of the Year is the Anne Robson Trust; a cause close to our own hearts. Since the Austin’s charitable fund was set up by the Austin family in 2002, we have raised over £236,676 for charities. These funds help them to continue to do the amazing work that […]
A little canine comfort
As you have probably seen on social media, pet therapy is becoming increasingly common in care homes, hospitals, schools and even universities around the UK. Just last week the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met adorable therapy puppy, Alfie the Cockapoo, at a Lancashire hospital. Pet therapy, sometimes called animal assisted therapy (AAT), is the […]
Looking Back at 2021
2021 seems to have flown by. After the loss and grief of 2020, this year has had its fair share of difficulties. But, just as we did last year, we’ve all pulled together and negotiated our way through another uncertain year, with lots to celebrate as well. We started the year with Harwood Park being […]
A journey back through the history of funerals
Funeral rites are as old as human culture itself, dated to at least 300,000 years ago, but how have funerals evolved more recently and how are they changing going forward? Not just an undertaker Austin and Sons Limited, as we were formerly known, was originally established in 1700 in Graveley, Herts, when the firm then […]
The Bucket List
Bucket lists. We’ve all heard of them, but how many of us have made one and how successful is it proving? The dictionary definition of a bucket list is; ‘a list of the things you want to do before you reach a certain age, or before you die’. It comes from the phrase, ‘to kick […]
Looking Back on 2020
As 2020 draws to a close, it’s a good time to sit and reflect on everything that has happened. No one could have predicted how this year would play out. No one could have been prepared for the loss, the heartache, the grief. Here at Austin’s we have done our utmost to assure you of […]
Funeral customs from around the world
The way we view death is often influenced by the society and culture in which we are brought up. Here in the UK, death remains quite a taboo subject in many communities, with fairly traditional customs surrounding it. We’ve talked about this taboo lots of times on our blog, as well as how to tackle […]
Overcoming your fear of funerals
OVERCOMING YOUR FEAR OF FUNERALS If you’ve ever felt anxious at a funeral, you’re not alone. This post will provide you with essential advice on how to get through a funeral. There are many different reasons why people might feel stressed or nervous in the lead up to the funeral of a loved one, friend […]
Coping with grief around anniversaries
While there are certain recognised stages of grief, there is no right or wrong way to grieve the loss of a loved one; everyone is different. There are lots of resources online for bereavement support, which some of us may reach for soon after losing a loved one. However, we can of course experience feelings […]
