Funeral Link

This will be the last @FuneralLinkScot post on this social media channel. We can still be reached at FuneralLink.Org.Uk and on @Facebook in 2026. Farewell!

.@funerallinkscot are looking for a Community Engagement Worker 🕒Full time 💸£28,500 📍On site: Dundee To find out more please visit: tinyurl.com/mw3vss53

The @SunLifeUK 'Cost of Dying 2025 Report' (shorturl.at/YvV19) highlighted: ● An average funeral in Scotland costs £4,345 - +7.8% ● Scotland has third most-expensive funeral costs (after London and South-East) ● 1 in 3 struggle with funeral costs due to rising inflation

Around 170 people die every day in Scotland and grief washes over those left behind. @FuneralLinkScot were pleased to attend the Scottish Bereavement Summit in Edinburgh (by @NowCounselling / @CBUK_Scot). There were emotive contributions from @JohnBirrell600 and @NicolaWelsh2.

Thanks to Charlotte at the @NHSTayside Listening Service, we were privileged to lead a discussion on death and loss as well as present @FuneralLinkScot on their Development Day held at Royal Victoria Hospital in Dundee last week. A vital service! nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/GoingToHospita…

This week, between two well-being sessions with clients, we visited our tree. Situated at the corner of that wee slice of paradise known as Baxter Park, it stands in memory those we have loved and lost.

Three humbling donations in a week: ● £10 from a former client for 'providing an exemplary service' ● £400 from a client who lost his beloved to suicide and accepted donations at her funeral ● This little box of coins donated by a 10-year-old to 'make funerals affordable' ♥️

This week, we attended the @ScotParl CPG on Funerals and Bereavement, expertly chaired and convened by @JeremyRBalfour and @NickBritten, for very useful conversations and inc. presentations from both Mark Hazelwood (@Palliative_Scot) and Dr Vikki Entwistle.

On Thursday, that team member sent a text in the morning with no required notice to their manager, informing them they were taking a ‘duvet day’, which @FuneralLinkScot offers to all staff because death is taxing and we take the emotional health of our staff very seriously.

On Wednesday, one of our team had three meetings in one day. The first with a lady keen to arrange a funeral for a great uncle, another with a bereaved family of a murdered son and the last with a grieving gentleman whose partner took her own life a few weeks ago. All in one day.

We near the end of #DemystifyingDeath Week 2025 yet death remains a mystery to many. Our dear friends at Coffin Club Caledonia are running a five-week cost-free workshop in Perth in May and June to help with funeral planning. On 20 May, @FuneralLinkScot will be present. ‘Mon!

We just want to extend our gratitude to Blair, Morag and Laura at The Northwood Charitable Trust, who recently awarded @FuneralLinkScot £45,000 to support our development over the next two years. This is a critical building block to extending the provision of services.

How nice to see these fine ladies collecting for @NHSTayside Charitable Foundation, led by @ShelleyMac1982, at @ForfarAthletic v @BonnyriggRose last Saturday. Given NHSTCF’s support for @FuneralLinkScot, we couldn’t resist returning a bit of the favour, whilst getting a Bovril.

Recently, @GCU_SPIRU included @FuneralLinkScot in its 'Tackling Poverty Locally' directory. We would like to express our gratitude to Professor Dr John McKendrick (@JMKE_GCU) and Rebecca Gray, for their time and energy spent in collating this. See here: gcu.ac.uk/aboutgcu/acade…

Our Manager, @EwanGurr, was pleased to spend time with @SocSecScot CEO, @DaveMWallace. They’ve invested over £50 million to help bereaved families in Scotland pay for a dignified farewell for a loved one, since 2019. It was also nice to see @FuneralLinkScot leaflets on display.

What a kind message from Richard at @NHSTayside Charitable Foundation, with whom we met yesterday. Richard and his colleagues have invested over £15,000 in @FuneralLinkScot to help people articulate funeral wishes, which prevents hardship for families further down the line.

One year ago today, our dear friend Jackie lost her wife Fiona. Thankfully, she contacted @FuneralLinkScot to help secure funeral and bereavement payments via @SocSecScot and the @DWPgovuk, which eased the financial loss but the pain of loss and ongoing effects of grief remain.

National Funeral Planning Awareness Week ended a few days ago. Planning ahead can do many things: · Reduce present and future stress for family members · Lock in a price which is immune to future inflation · Ensure you have a say over how you say: 'Goodbye'

The #DemystifyDeath25 conference in Glasgow by @LifeDeathGrief this week was excellent. Vital contributions from @DrKathrynMannix & @Amy_Dalrymple and held in Renfield St Stephens under the words: “Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden…” Poignant when discussing grief!

The provision of a celebrant at low or no cost to bereaved families and individuals on a limited income is of huge benefit when you are preparing a funeral for a loved one. We are pleased to be part of this collaboration with @FuzeFoundation and @CaledoniaCrem.