Pictured above: Aubrey Kirkham and his daughter Leanne
from Aubrey Kirkham Funeral Directors
A local funeral director is introducing an innovative new
concept to the county, which allows those who know their time is
limited to share a celebration of their life with the family and
friends closest to them.
Shrewsbury, Four Crosses and Welshpool-based Aubrey Kirkham
Funeral Directors are introducing Living Funerals to the people of
Shropshire and Powys. Says Aubrey Kirkham: "Not getting the chance
to say goodbye to someone before it's too late is a devastatingly
common situation. We wanted to try and help people avoid this
problem by allowing them to say goodbye whilst the person is still
with us." Living Funerals, a growing trend, are an opportunity for
the very elderly or terminally ill to say farewell and witness
others celebrating their life before they pass away.
Each Living Funeral is fully personalised to meet the wishes of
who it is for, and so could range from a simple gathering of loved
ones to a lavish all-out party. "They allow the main guest to face
the last stage of their journey with lifted spirits, safe in the
knowledge that they are loved and cared for" explained Aubrey.
Living Funerals are more of a goodbye than just a religious
ceremony. He added: "Last wishes can be fulfilled, any bad feeling
can be resolved and last goodbyes can be exchanged." The memory of
the reaction of the main guest to these last goodbyes is one that
will remain after they are no longer here. Furthermore, he said,
"The memory of the occasion will not be overwhelmed by very recent
grief".
Opting for a Living Funeral has other, more practical
advantages. With conventional funerals, a loved one is often away
and unable to return in time. With a Living Funeral, the event can
arranged to suit all family members and friends, as well as the
person who it has been arranged for.
Of course, many will still opt to leave arrangements to those
left behind, and in many instances a Living Funeral is just not
possible. For others, these occasions are a perfect way to say
goodbye. Aubrey explains: "The main guest can feel secure in
the knowledge that they have said their last goodbyes at an
uplifting and celebratory occasion, surrounded by those that have
touched their life".