Memorial post box at Test Valley Crematorium

The act of writing and putting words down on paper is one of the ways in which people can find comfort during bereavement.  When Gedling Crematorium, near Nottingham, which is part of Westerleigh Group, installed a memorial post box in their grounds before Christmas, little did they know about the overwhelming sense of appreciation by the community near and far that it was going to receive.

The post box allows families and friends to write and post messages, cards and letters to their loved ones in ‘Heaven’.

Within the first few weeks, over 100 letters were posted in the post box with over 1,000 people liking the crematorium’s post on facebook regarding its installation and hundreds, from across the country, leaving a positive comment.  Owing to the success of the post box at Gedling Crematorium, Westerleigh Group is now making plans to introduce the post box here at Test Valley Crematorium too.

The original idea came from Gedling Crematorium’s Memorial Advisor, Leanne Handy, whose father passed away in 2003 and mother in 2017 and whose young daughter Matilda had said she wished she could send birthday and Christmas cards to her grandparents.

Leanne said: “I’m thrilled by how well the post box has been received and I feel very proud. We’ve had amazing comments from members of the local community who have used it.

“I am so pleased that local people are using it, and taking some comfort from it, as another way of feeling connected to their loved ones.

“Knowing that a similar post box will soon be installed across the other Westerleigh Group crematoria in England, Wales and Scotland to serve wider communities is beyond belief.  Matilda and I couldn’t have wished for a better result and are delighted that many more bereaved people will be able to benefit from it in a similar way.”

Follow us on Facebook and our website news page for further news on our memorial post box, and for details of everything that is happening at our crematorium.