Measures put in place to keep colleagues and families safe at Bretby Crematorium
Posted by mike ankers | Published: 23/03/2020
Central England Co-op Funeralcare has announced a range of measures to keep colleagues and families safe as they say goodbye to their loved ones at Bretby Crematorium.
Based on advice and guidance from the Government, Public Health England and religious organisations to avoid public gatherings, the following changes will be applied at the Derbyshire venue with immediate effect.:
• Funerals will be restricted to immediate family only with a strong recommendation of a maximum attendance of 10 mourners. Immediate family includes partners, parents, children, siblings and grandchildren
• Free of charge webcasting of services
• Curtains will be closed around coffins
• Hymn books will be removed from chapels for the foreseeable future
• A gap of at least 10 minutes between services to allow for crematorium staff to tidy the chapels
• Funeral Directors will be encouraged to use wheeled trolleys instead of shouldering coffins
• Advice will be posted on site asking families to use hand washing facilities, sit some distance apart from each other and not to shake hands
• The main office on site will also be closed to the general public and the Book of Remembrance and other memorial work have been halted at this time
Hazel Moss, Head of Funeral, said: “We are continuing to do all we can to support our families at this difficult time but we feel these measures have to be put in place to protect them and our colleagues during this uncertain time.
“We will continue to monitor the situation with a view to taking all appropriate steps to minimise risk to our colleagues, all funeral directors and their staff and all mourners and the public while maintaining the highest standard of service possible.”
People can keep up to date with by visiting a dedicated online hub at www.centralengland.coop/updates
Notes to editors
About Central England Co-operative
Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK.
It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, and property.
The company’s funeral business consists of over 130 funeral homes across 16 counties, seven florists, masonry production and administration, Bretby Crematorium and Terry Smiths coffin factory.
Central England Co-operative has more than 430 trading outlets in total across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
The Society has an ambitious food store and funeral home development programme for 2020.
Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence. The Society supports several charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop
For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, @mycooplife and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop