The GFG Blog
2021Oct
Standardised price lists for all
Fran Hall
Oct
11
No Comments
Regular readers of the GFG blog will know that we have been calling for transparency in the funeral sector for well over a decade. Last month, on 16th September, a seismic shift finally occurred when the Competition and Markets Authority’s Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021 finally came into effect.
2021Jul
Isolation
Fran Hall
Jul
16
1 comment
Photo credit: Rachel Wallace Photography Day 271. Almost nine months into this new existence. The last couple of weeks have been difficult. I’ve been feeling unwell, symptoms of a bad cold which are, apparently, also symptoms of someone double vaccinated who has contracted the Delta variant. A lateral flow
2021May
Poetry and signs
Fran Hall
May
26
1 comment
A dear friend sent me a poem at the weekend. Technically, she re-sent it, she had shared it with me soon after Steve died, so the words were familiar, and yet the second I started to read them, the fragile skin I have so painfully grown over the depthless well
2021Apr
The Competition and Markets Authority’s Funeral Market Report – update
Fran Hall
Apr
29
No Comments
“Now is not the time” On April 7th a document published by the Ministry of Justice quietly appeared in the public domain. It was the government’s ‘Response to the Competition and Markets Authority’s Funeral Market Report’, and it does not make for good reading for anyone who believes that
Love writ large
Fran Hall
Apr
10
1 comment
Love writ large. That’s something I heard a passer-by say quietly as they walked along Albert Embankment this week. They were walking along the National Covid Memorial Wall, with tears running down their cheeks. Thousands and thousands of others have walked the 500m length of the wall of
2021Mar
Finding words
Fran Hall
Mar
24
1 comment
I think I understand now why the sea is so often used as a metaphor when talking or writing about emotions. When I’m trying to understand how I’m feeling, the descriptive words in my mind are almost always found in analogies to do with the oceans – the waves,
We all know how this ends.
Fran Hall
Mar
19
No Comments
We have been asked to write about a new book, ‘We all know how this ends’ by end of life doula Anna Lyons and progressive funeral director Louise Winter. It was published yesterday by Bloomsbury and celebrated with virtual tea and cake in a moving, inspiring Zoom session last night.
A word from our patrons
Fran Hall
Mar
16
2 comments
Following the blog post about the online direct cremation providers published on the blog on February 1st, we have had some responses from two of our patrons, Carolyn Harris MP, and Ken West MBE, both challenging some of the points made. This is warmly welcomed – the Good Funeral Guide
The Environmental Stewardship Group
Fran Hall
Mar
04
2 comments
It was a pleasant surprise to be invited to the launch of a new initiative in funeralworld this week – the Environmental Stewardship Group ( ESG) was launched on Monday, with a virtual online event attended by many well-known names and organisations. The recording of the launch event and
2021Feb
Waiting
Fran Hall
Feb
28
No Comments
Years ago, in 2008, I was crew on the Spirit of Fairbridge for the Tall Ships race. Spirit was a beautiful 92’ schooner dedicated to giving disadvantaged young people new opportunities in life and being part of her crew was a huge privilege – and an unforgettable experience. I was
