Last Updated: 12th August
It is a distressing fact that many of us will lose loved ones during the COVID-19 outbreak and that many more people than usual will die in the Congleton area.
We have five companies offering funeral services in the locality. These are
- Co op Congleton Funeralcare
- Alan Finneron Funeral Directors
- John Garside & Son Funeral Directors
- Larvin & Clegg Funeral Care
- Three Shires Independent Funeral Service
All companies have helpful webpages (links above) explaining exactly what you need to do when someone dies, whether that is at home, in care or in hospital.
In addition, Congleton Funeralcare have an excellent resource explaining the impact of Covid 19 on funerals if you are in the sad position of arranging one or attending one.
Currently, there are no restrictions that prevent someone who has died from coronavirus having a funeral whether that’s for a cremation or a burial. If your loved one has died from complications arising from Covid 19 it does not alter what you need to do in reporting the death and arranging a funeral. It does however alter some of the steps a funeral director must take in removing the body and arranging the funeral. They will be following government guidance that has been published for funerals during this pandemic.
Many are rightly concerned that there may be a significant delay in being able to bury or cremate their loved one due to the increase in the deaths of the elderly in the community. These delays are inevitable and although it may be distressing, funeral directors will still be trying to ensure that funerals go ahead in a timely and dignified manner.
It’s highly likely that funerals carried out during this time will not be how you, or the person who’s died, would originally have envisaged them. Unfortunately, there are number of changes that have had to be made:
- The Church of England, Scotland and Wales and Catholic Diocese have stopped taking services or are closed until further notice which means there can no longer be a church service in funeral arrangements.
- To comply with social distancing, the use of limousines is inadvisable and so you may be asked to use your own transport to the funeral.
- Numbers of mourners are to be strictly limited. Ten being the suggested number although guidance has also been issued by our local crematoria.
Government guidance is that all funerals should be planned as small affairs with close family only so that a sad day does not have even greater repercussions for those that are attending. In some circumstances web streaming of the funeral may be possible. Families can also consider having a memorial service or celebration of life at a later date when more normal circumstances allow people to get together and remember their loved one.
Bereavement is a challenging time which will be potentially be made even more difficult by our need to isolate ourselves from each other when we may want, more than ever, to be there for each other in person. Professional organisations such as Cruse have specific advice for dealing with grief during this period. Whilst the NHS Bereavement website contains useful links and resources.
Cruse also have a national Helpline number which you can contact on 0808 808 1677. Our closest local Bereavement Counselling Service is The Macclesfield Bereavement Support Service whose number is 01625 439333 – please note this number is only monitored during working hours.
Supporting End of Life Bereavement Resources for the General Public in Cheshire
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