Memorial post box allows West Lothian locals to 'send letters to heaven'
It's arrived just in time for Mother's day
Locals in West Lothian are being invited to 'send a letter to heaven' after the arrival of a memorial post box.
The box has arrived at West Lothian Crematorium just in time for Mother's day.
Having been installed in the last week, staff have reported it's already been heavily used.
It came about after the success of a similar initiative at one of the Crematorium's sister sites, Gedling crematorium near Nottingham.
The Letters to Heaven post box was the idea of nine-year-old Matilda, daughter of Gedling Crematorium’s Memorial Advisor, Leanne Handy.
Leanne said: “It all came about because Matilda was always saying she wished we could send Mamma and Grandad birthday and Christmas cards for them to read. She was four when my mum died, and never met my dad.
“Now the post box is in place, 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.
“We were thrilled by the positive response to the box and I feel very proud. We’ve had amazing comments from members of the community who have used it, about the comfort they have gained from writing letters and cards.
“Matilda and I were even more delighted when we learned that Westerleigh Group was going to install similar boxes across all its crematoria so that people all over the country will be able to use them.
“The memorial post boxes are available for anyone to use, regardless of whether you have held a service for your loved one at any of our crematoria or not.
“The memorial post boxes are available to absolutely anyone who wants to write a message to someone who’s no longer here.”
Carole Rae, Site Manager at West Lothian Crematorium, said: “Having seen the response to the first memorial post box at Gedling Crematorium, I am pleased to have installed something similar here at West Lothian, enabling our bereaved communities to have access to this wonderful asset too.
“Feedback has shown that the process of writing a letter, or perhaps a birthday card, to a lost loved one has already brought therapeutic comfort to many people.
“Now, the communities in and around our crematorium can do the same thing.
“No address or stamps are required on any of the letters or cards.
“This is just another way in which we can provide emotional support to local families and is part of the uniquely personal exceptional care that all Westerleigh Group’s crematoria are committed to deliver.”