LONDON
Funeral director Hasina Zaman recently helped a family say goodbye to a young man in his 30s who had died from COVID-19, on the same day she was planning a service for a husband and wife, both also lost to the virus infection.
Since the pandemic struck, Zaman’s phone has rarely stopped ringing, with bereaved people seeking help that she is not always able to provide.
“Every week I think I don’t have what it takes,” said Zaman, whose company Compassionate Funerals serves a multicultural, multi-faith community in east London. The small firm normally arranges about five funerals a week, but COVID-19 has driven the number as high as 20.
Funeral home staff are under pressure in many places, but the burden is especially intense in Britain, where more than 115,000 people with the virus have died
Funeral home staff are under pressure in many places, but the burden is especially intense in Britain, where more than 115,000 people with the virus have died, one of the highest per capita death tolls in the world.
Death and funeral notices in Coventry - week commencing February 1
We re bidding a fond farewell to a number of Coventry residents
We have gathered the messages posted over the week commencing February 1 in one place here.
The messages are submitted by friends, family and loved ones as a way of saying goodbye to those they have lost.
These provide comfort to the nearest and dearest of those who have passed away.
You can also post your own announcements and notices to us through this website.
Monday, February 1
Chris Coleman
Dearly loved Father, Grandfather and Husband, sadly passed away at home on January 14th. The funeral will be held at Corpus Christi Church on 19th February at 10.30, sadly due to COVID restrictions the Church will be invite only. We will miss our amazing Dad who will forever live in our hearts Paul, Kerry, Victoria, Natalie, Philomena & family xx Floral tributes welcome. Enquiries to Henry Ison & Sons, 76-78 Binley Road, Coventry CV3 1FQ Tel. 02476 458665
Justin told this paper about the backlash he and his staff have faced, including having to say no to people for the first time in his 28 years as funeral director, due to restrictions.
When the restrictions first came in spring last year they had to make significant changes to funeral arrangements at very short notice.
Justin said: I can understand it, they ve been promised something two weeks before and then it s changed. It was very much viewed that it was our doing not the doing of the government - that was was difficult.
Funeral directors are liable to be fined if people break the COVID rules at their funerals, a funeral director was fined £10,000 in Welwyn Garden City last month when more than 100 people showed up to a funeral.