A PLAN has been agreed for how volunteer mourners will be organised to attend funerals where it’s feared nobody else will show up.
The idea was agreed earlier this year after a local resident suggested the idea of a team of volunteer mourners on standby for funerals where no next of kin have been identified.
Under the 1984 Public Health Act councils, are responsible for arranging funerals for people who die within their area without any known next of kin or sufficient means to cover funeral costs.
A resident’s idea
Torfaen Borough councillors were updated at their October meeting on how the process will work after it was suggested by Blaenavon resident Christian Griffin.
The town’s independent councillor Nick Horler brought Mr Griffin’s idea to the council in April, which unanimously backed it, and since then he and Mr Griffin have worked with the council to develop the proposal.
Daniel Morelli, the council’s head of public protection and environment, said since councillors approved the idea in April it hasn’t had to organise any such funerals but did have to arrange three in the previous year with two attended by people who’d known the deceased.
His report stated while officers aim for any funeral to be “conducted in a dignified and respectful manner, involving a funeral director and minister” it recognised some are unattended, which the report said raised “concerns about dignity and social isolation at the end of life.”
Under the process, if friends or family are identified following a referral for a public health funeral the council will arrange it as usual, but when there are no known friends or family the council will contact its lead volunteer to make them aware while it carries out further checks for potential friends or family.
It will then confirm with the lead volunteer if nobody is expected to attend, and they will be responsible for arranging mourners while the funeral arrangements remain the council’s responsibility.
It worked with its volunteer coordinator to identify the lead volunteer and it’s intended to work with the Torfaen Voluntary Alliance to find volunteers, carry out suitability checks, and provide inductions.
‘Good example’
Council Labour leader Anthony Hunt described the response as a “good example of how a resident’s idea can be translated into policy.”
The cabinet member responsible for social care, David Daniels said the plan was a reminder people are living with loneliness and said: “We want to help before we reach that point and there is an awful lot of resources out there for those people.”
The service will be available once volunteers have been recruited, with information available on the council’s website and via the cemetery office. There are no additional financial implications for the council.