Communityfunerals.org.uk

Charles 6 Comments
Charles

 

 

We apologise for pulling the post on CommunityFunerals.org.uk without explanation. The website came under sustained and relentless attack from YouKnowWho. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. At this moment, 23 men in oily overalls and bearing large spanners are working round the clock, without breaks, to restore the site. 

All shall be well, and all shall be be well and all manner of thing, etc. 

The team at the GFG-Batesville Tower

 

6 Comments

  1. Charles

    YouKnowWho – ? al Quaeda? CIA? Whatever the KGB is called these days? Or…no…you don’t mean…THEM? (Shudder) The Deathly Ones?? (Cringe)
    Bastards!!
    Looking forward to seeing it, with thanks to Julian of Norwich.
    x
    Gloria

  2. Charles

    The thing that’s missing from the website is any detail of whose idea it is and who is co-ordinating it. It talks about bringing funerals to a personal level but there is no person or group of people. There are no contact details apart from an email address. We Believe has no We.

    One of the things Charles said to me when we launched Powell and Family Direct was that people like to deal with people – make it personal.

    Community based funerals are a great way of getting more people involved but they won’t do it on their own.

  3. Charles

    What a good point you make, Bryan.

    I think I would respond by saying that there’s a difference between an idea and a business; you don’t do business with an idea. The idea of community funeral societies comes out of discussions between a number of people. The text on the website owes much to them, some of whom, modestly, wouldn’t want to be named. What’s more, if there is anything in the idea, it’s going to need the input of more people to make it viable.

    The idea doesn’t belong to any one person or group of people, it belongs to all who reckon it worth developing. It’s not about egos, and accountability is not an issue. In any case, it is as yet incomplete.

    It’s a kite we’re flying here, Bryan. Idealistic, to be sure, and possibly not viable – untranslatable into practice.

    If you really want a person to pin it on, I’d point the finger at Nicholas Albery, guiding spirit of the NDC.

  4. Charles

    Thank you Charles.

    One of the issues with the internet is the ease with which anonymity can be achieved and I think that is why there is still so much mistrust of those who remain anonymous.

    This mistrust is probably a good thing most of the time, but every so often something that is a great idea gets tarred with the same brush for the sake of the modesty of these whose experience and pedigree can add so much substance.

    I read with interest the other website you mentioned in the blog yesterday and again there is no clue as to either the charity or people running or behind what in this case really is a business. Of course there are now regulations that mean that ownership must be declared on a business website and non-compliance raises further questions.

    I think the main point I am trying to make is that if those of us who believe there is a need for a more socially aware or community based funeral enterprise, of whatever form, are ever going to get the support of the general public then we need to be brave enough and open enough to say who we are.

  5. Charles

    Points taken, Bryan.

    First, Norfolk Funerals will now answer queries direct on their own page on the blog.

    Second, people who support the idea of community funeral co-ops can subscribe on the website.

    I really am keen that the idea should not be seen to be owned by ‘them’ or ‘us’ — no one’s got a monopoly on it and everyone is welcome. Better to be seen as self-effacing than as ego-trippers.

    But I take on board what you say. If you want a go-to person, it’s me in the first instance.

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