A Bristol funeral directors is going the extra mile to enable people to pay their respects while there are restrictions on attending funeral services due to Covid-19.

Routes to cemeteries and crematoriums are being planned by MW Funeral Directors so that those prevented from attending a service or self-isolating can pay their respects. 

Hearses are able to stop at significant points where family members live, social clubs or sports grounds with mourners able to socially distance while paying their respects, and often applauding. 

MW Funeral Directors cover the whole of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and further afield, planning and directing burials and cremations to the individual requirements of families. 

Ella Abbott, funeral director, said: “It seems certain that sadly the restriction of a maximum of 30 people at a funeral is going to be with us well into 2021. We have always arranged funerals in a truly bespoke way, to allow for personalisation and to meet the needs of the family and friends of the person who has died.

“It is proving very difficult for some families to decide who should come to the service and how it will be organised and we have been working with them to find ways to ensure that the whole funeral and service honours the person who has passed away.

“One solution is webcasting of the service, which is now very common, but even that can feel lonely and remote to someone who was very close to an individual.

“One solution we have found is to put some more time into the journey to the service and work with families so that there is a timed route, often with pauses and stopping places where people can stand at the roadside or in a special place – such as a sports club – and pay their respects.

“It is proving very comforting for families and makes more of an event before then they go to their laptop or computer to watch the service.”

MW Funeral Directors say it is important to work alongside families and friends of the deceased to put together a memorial that will live on in the hearts of guests for many years and this should not be curbed by the current restrictions.

The team have organised funerals themed for special interest groups, such as bikers, environmentalists or animal lovers and for those of all faiths and of none.

Said Ella Abbott: “There is a lot of flexibility around funerals. Sometimes cost can be an issue for a family so we keep our basic packages for a funeral early in the day when crematorium fees are low at £1,995 and there are even options for unattended funerals. 

“But in these difficult days it seems to be more important than ever for families to mark the event in a memorable way and we work with them to ensure that happens despite all the restrictions we all now face.”