Blog

Abi Pattenden reflects on the advantages of discussing funeral plans with loved ones in advance – and suggests all is not lost even when they cannot be fulfilled to the letter.

The extent to which people plan their own funeral in advance varies widely. Some people leave very detailed…

Abi Pattenden reflects on the shifting reasons and possibilities for ‘doing something later’

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was significant uncertainty around the extent to which funerals would be able to continue at all. Pandemic planning had mostly focused on practicalities of body disposal rather than…

Jennie Riley reflects on the differences and similarities between the Spanish Flu and Coronavirus. While both pandemics saw significant restrictions on everyday life, and on death, it is harder to compare the ways in which people experienced grief – particularly when family losses are set against a broader backdrop of…

We asked a few members of the team to share ‘something that struck you’ about what they saw in the media of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral. 

Jennie Riley – Choice and Personalisation

I didn’t commit to the full two and a half hours of BBC coverage which preceded the…

We’re a group of researchers, from different disciplines who are working together to try and improve the lived experience of older people. Nearly everyone wants to stay in their own home for as long as they can. But sometimes this isn't possible, and some people have to start thinking about…

Ed Thornton considers what happens to our sense of self when we talk about our grief with others.

As part of this project, we will be interviewing bereaved friends and family members about their experiences of funeral care during the pandemic. In the context of this work, it is useful…

Vikki Entwistle reflects on the value of open team discussions in Care in Funerals project meetings

In our early team meetings, we have been sharing and discussing a broad selection of ‘food for thought’ items relating to funerals: news reports; guidance about regulations and policy changes introduced because of COVID-19;…

Paolo Maccagno considers how limits force us to confront ethical questions and find new ways of connecting with others

What is a proper funeral? This question came up in a recent conversation I had with Abi. I am an anthropologist by training, and she works as a funeral director. We…

Jennie Riley considers choice and variety in British funerals – two important themes which would have been much less familiar even a few decades ago.

We have come quite far from the popularised, potent funeral tableau, with families dressed in black, wearing correspondingly sombre demeanours, gathered in a church or…

Louise Locock reflects on mixed personal experiences of funerals during COVID-19

I have ‘participated’ in three ‘funerals’ since March 2020 and the beginning of lockdown. I say ‘participated’ because in two of the three cases I wasn’t there, and I say ‘funeral’ because in one case it wasn’t a service…