The GFG Blog
2012Sep
Thoughts of a funeral-goer
Charles
Sep
07
5 comments
Posted by Lyra Mollington I was fascinated to read about the Good Funeral Guide Awards ceremony. What a wonderful idea! To all the finalists: well done and my very best wishes. And if you win one of the awards, try not to look too elated or smug: just a serene acceptance
Something for the weekend
Charles
Sep
07
3 comments
Posted by Vale I was at a service a little while ago that included this lovely tribute from a wife to a husband: To My Dear Loving Husband – Anne Bradstreet If ever two were one, then surely we. If ever man were lov’d by wife, then thee. If ever
Quotes of the day
Charles
Sep
07
1 comment
Posted by Vale The book of the week on Radio 4 this week has been the Winter Journal by Paul Auster. I was struck by two quotes from Joseph Joubert included in today’s excerpt. Joubert, who was living in the early 1800s, published nothing in his lifetime but a book
When in doubt
Charles
Sep
07
20 comments
Posted by Richard Rawlinson Doubt: a short, meaning-packed, medieval, Anglo-French word (origin douter) which I doubt many foreigners could pronounce if only seen in written form. Adapted as a verb, noun, adjective and adverb (to doubt, a doubt/doubter, doubtable, doubtably) it, of course, means to be uncertain, consider questionable, hesitate to
The Grim Biker’s on the telly
Charles
Sep
05
2 comments
When I was asked if I would permit a crew to film a real biker’s funeral, complete with real mourners I was very cautious and indeed dubious to say the least. Funerals are not there to serve as PR opportunities so I was not keen at all, but while I
A neglected grave
Charles
Sep
05
20 comments
Posted by Richard Rawlinson To Clergy House for a council meeting of the Friends of Westminster Cathedral. It’s the council’s job to organise fundraising events from concerts to barbecues for the upkeep of said cathedral, and to plan the best ways to spend the money raised. There are separate charitable initiatives
Don’t miss Gail’s 30 Day Challenge
Charles
Sep
04
No Comments
I can’t keep up these days, dammit. To my great grief I missed the start of one of the great events of the year, Gail Rubin’s annual 30 Day Challenge. She attends 30 funerals in 30 days, and each day writes each one up in great detail in a values-neutral
Whither consecrated woodland burial sites?
Charles
Sep
04
11 comments
Posted by Richard Rawlinson Back in 2001, The Telegraph ran a story about the Church of England opening its first woodland burial site, Arbory Trust, a consecrated 40-acre plot in Cambridgeshire with trees and flowers replacing gravestones. ‘Other sites cater for pagans and ‘New Age’ followers and do not offer a
Joy of Death Convention – 7-9 September
Charles
Sep
04
5 comments
It’s a fantastic lineup of brilliant speakers and a great clan gathering — and it’s not too late to buy a ticket! Saturday 8 September All the talks will be in the Lower Gardens Suite of the Whitehall Hotel, unless otherwise stated. 9.30am – 10.00 – Reception at the Whitehall Hotel
It’s all hotting up for the funeral Oscars
Charles
Sep
04
13 comments
Apologies from the editorial team here at the GFG-Batesville Tower for the recent blog dribble if you’re one of those who enjoy the customary daily torrent. We have been traversing the country with the TV crew who are making a half-hour documentary about the upcoming funeral Oscars ceremony in Bournemouth
