A LOCAL funeral director is hoping a small gesture can make a big difference to help bereaved people process their grief.
Anthony Barton Funeral Services have installed a white postbox outside its premises on Stamford Street in Mossley, so that family and friends can write messages to deceased loved ones.
Anthony was inspired to erect the ‘Letters to Heaven’ box – a concept which appears to be gaining popularity across the country – after reading about a young girl who wished to communicate with her grandparents who had passed away.
“The reason for using a postbox may not be appealing to everyone. However, I began thinking of doing it because of a lady I had the honour of taking care of,” explained Anthony, speaking to the Correspondent.
“Her daughter used to visit on every anniversary, Mother’s Day and birthday to write a card and leave it with her mother’s ashes. She was unsure of what to do with the ashes, and this was her way of keeping her mother’s memories alive.
“On Mother’s Day, I sat and pondered how I could bring comfort to even just one person. I came across an article online about a young girl named Matilda who is only nine years old.
“She came up with a unique idea after expressing to her mother that she wanted to write letters to her grandparents who had passed away. I then thought that I could extend the same kindness to others, not only to those I had cared for in the past, but to anyone that wanted to use the postbox.”
The idea of the postbox was largely well received when Anthony shared it on the funeral directors’ Facebook page.
One person said: “This is a lovely idea, even for adults it could be a way to gain some sort of closure after losing a loved one.”
Another wrote: “Everybody’s grief is different and, if writing a letter to a loved one in heaven helps that person, then I think it’s a beautiful idea.”
Once the box is full, Anthony plans to use the paper to make compost. Mossley Town Team has agreed to use it in the flowerbeds and containers around Mossley to make Mossley look nice.
Anthony says the letters will never be opened or read and will stay completely confidential, providing people with peace of mind.
You can find out more at www.abfunerals.co.uk
Look, I understand the idea and fully agree with attempting to provide comfort but it’s a bad idea to say you are doing something which you are not. It would appear to be physically impossible to send a letter to heaven, and until it’s possible I personally don’t think that composting the letters makes any sense. I have actually left a letter (and a toy car) with my passed mother but these items remain forever with her not composted somewhere else. To sum up, I’m criticising saying the letters being sent to heaven when they clearly are not.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion and whilst you clearly don’t like the idea many people do.
The article doesn’t actually state the letters are being sent to heaven. It’s giving people an opportunity to write a confidential letter to deal with grief. Looking at all comments I think many people will and have found comfort in this.
Like I said your entitled to your own opinion