What the month of May has taught us about mental health and talking about death
May is the month of both Dying Matters Awareness Week and Mental Health Awareness Week. While we acknowledge these important events every year, this year, of course, is quite different. Are we closer to talking about death now that we are living through a global pandemic and faced with devastating figures every day? Are we […]
Clearing the Possessions of a Loved One
When a loved one dies, one of the most difficult tasks you may have to take on is clearing out their home. It can be a difficult and emotional time, but it’s also an important step in the grieving process and there are ways to make it easier to handle. The art of death […]
How to write an obituary
An obituary gives notice of a person’s death along with details of the funeral service and memorial information. You might want to write a short obituary for the local paper and a longer version to be read as a eulogy at the service. This can celebrate the deceased by including more about their personality, their […]
5 A Day
We were stunned when this amazing floral display arrived a few weeks ago. It’s certainly different and we’ve never seen anything quite like it! Becky from Aura Floral Design based in Stevenage was approached by the family who said they were looking for something a bit different. Michael loved his fruit and veg and asked […]
Let’s talk about the ‘D’ word
Death and dying are not something most people naturally want to talk about. In fact, one research study found that people would rather discuss money or politics with family and friends. So it’s often not until a loved one dies that our thoughts turn to their wishes concerning their funeral. Unfortunately, according to the study, […]
Personalising a Funeral
Over the years, funeral services have begun to change and personalisation has become increasingly popular. These days when you attend a funeral you may see a display of personal items or mementos that were connected to the deceased or perhaps a collage of photographs. Many people choose to include personal touches like this in the […]
Should you take children to a funeral?
Should you take children to a funeral? When a child attends a funeral or cremation, it can help them to understand that death is final and gives them the chance to be with their family and friends to say goodbye. This can be an important part of the healing process. The first thing to do […]
Funeral traditions around the world
We take a look at some of the weird and wonderful funeral customs around the world… Madagascar’s turning of the bones In Madagascar, the Malagasy people perform a ritual known as ‘famadihana’ or ‘the turning of the bones’. It involves exhuming the bodies of the deceased, re-wrapping them in fresh scarves or matting then spending […]
How to write a eulogy
When a loved one dies, you might be asked to give a eulogy at their funeral. This is a poignant way to say goodbye to the deceased and to commemorate their life. While it’s an honour to give a eulogy, it can feel like a daunting task so we’ve put together some tips that we […]
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 […]
