What you can expect from us During COVID-19

Your health and that of our staff is not something we take lightly. After all, if we are sick or isolated we can’t offer you any of our care in your time of need. So, the steps outlined below mirror those of our partners and are intended to look after us all.

You should expect us to ask you what your loved one died of. We are trained to handle the deceased from any cause and have the appropriate personal protection equipment. What we cannot protect you or us from are relatives who are unwitting carriers of the disease. For this reason it is necessary for us, at least for the foreseeable future, to put in place special measures.

Presently we are doing our very best to continue to provide our services and ask that clients consider the safety of others during this time.

Although we are carrying out regular deep cleans of all of our offices and continuing to keep the high cleanliness standards of our vehicles, we ask your understanding in minimising face to face contact with us would suggest that we make arrangements using phone calls, video calls and email. We will endeavour to serve all documents, where possible, electronically although there may be a need in some areas for us to send you, or you us, documents by post or by hand. Many service celebrants and clergy may also restrict you to telephone conversations in detailing the funeral service for your loved ones.

For the moment the Government are asking that funeral services are changed as little as possible, aware of course of the need to protect the vulnerable. This means that gatherings are limited in numbers, and that the over 70s or those with underlying health issues do not attend. Most crematoria offer web-streaming [at additional cost], which can allow those unable to attend to share the service. Yes, you can have a funeral service in Church. There will, though, be no hymn books in the chapels, no open coffins, you won’t be able to touch the coffin before, during or after the service and there are to be no handshakes or hugs. And if you are attending a funeral please try to remember to wash your hands before entering the venue, ensuring that used tissues are properly disposed of and you are trying your best to follow the guidance of the NHS and Government.

Depending on the number of staff we have available to us and the risks to their wellbeing, we have reluctantly withdrawn our limousine service for the foreseeable future. This also reinforces HM Government’s social distancing guidelines.

Your understanding is also requested if, for whatever reason, we need to carry your loved one into chapel using chapel wheels, rather than bearing them in on the shoulder.

None of this is something that we, as committed as we are to providing you with the highest possible level of service, take lightly, however, the safety of those that have lost a loved one and require our service, and our staffs’ wellbeing is of paramount importance to us in this awful time. Thank you for your support and cooperation during these extraordinary days. Stay safe.

Simon Welham & all the team at Welham Jones