Advice, guides & articles

Funerals and the etiquette involved vary significantly depending on the culture, religion and individual preferences of the person who passed away and their loved ones. However, many cultures follow similar guidelines when it comes to funeral etiquette. Here are some key points to consider:

There is very little that is more relaxing than feeling close to nature. The sights, the sounds, the smells; they all have a zen-like quality to them that work wonders for your mental and physical health. So, what if you brought a little more of that nature and wildlife to your own back garden? Here are a few ideas to help you do just that!

Here at Reach Plc we are celebrating Pride Month, which takes place annually throughout June. This year, as well as covering all the events in our newspapers, we are using our voices to share LGBTQ+ stories through two of our podcast series; The Out Crowd and D&I Spy. With that in mind, I thought I would introduce you to some more incredible LGBTQ+ voices, who all let their music do the talking for them.

One of the things we enjoy about hosting charitable donations here on funeral-notices.co.uk, is that we get to learn about charity organisations that we might not otherwise have come into contact with. Take the Dwarf Sports Association UK (DSA UK) for example, they are an organisation that I knew would exist in some form or another, but I have never knowingly learnt anything about them. That is, until now!

National Volunteers Week is celebrated in many countries, and was first observed in Canada in 1943 to acknowledge the contribution of women on the home front during the war efforts. It has since been adopted by New Zealand, Australia, United States and United Kingdom, and is a chance to recognise the contributions made by all volunteers across the country, as well as encouraging others to get involved. Dates vary, but in the UK it is celebrated on 1-7 June every year. Volunteers’ Week is supported by small organisations as well as larger, well known charities, and together they run hundreds of activities across the UK, which showcase and celebrate volunteers and their contribution to our communities. A wide variety of activities will be taking place across the country, such as volunteer recruitment events and open days to celebration and recognition events so it is a great time to gather information and think about volunteering, especially if you have never done it before.

Menopause is when periods stop due to lower hormone levels, which can cause various physical and emotional symptoms. Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45-55, however sometimes can happen earlier naturally, or for medical reasons such as after a hysterectomy or cancer treatments. The perimenopause is when symptoms occur before periods stop completely.

If you’ve lost someone close to you, you may need to take some time off work while you grieve, especially if you have to organise the funeral for the person who has passed away. This is known as bereavement leave, or compassionate leave, and must be agreed with your employer.

It can be difficult to find the words to express your condolences to someone who has lost a loved one. A letter of condolence should express your sympathy, and let the bereaved know they’re in your thoughts. Though a simple gesture, it can be a wonderful source of comfort to someone who has lost a loved one. Here are some things to think about that may help you:

Nothing makes us more proud than closing a charitable collection and seeing the funds transferred to charities throughout the UK. In January 2023, the total amount donated to charity in memory of loved ones on Funeral Notices broke all previous records. The generosity of people, in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, blew us away. Almost 50% of notices published on funeral-notices.co.uk includes a request for in-memory donations. The average amount a person donates has also increased to £38. That's such positive news for families and the charities who benefit.

We previously shared an article called ‘Funeral Notice Examples’ that proved to be very popular, so we thought that our visitors might also be interested in seeing some examples of what makes a great In Memoriam notice.