Virtual remembrance service held by Aylesbury Vale crematorium
Westerleigh Group say it's still important to have time to reflect
A virtual remembrance and carol service is being held by a Buckinghamshire crematorium today.
Westerleigh, who run Aylesbury Vale crem, say they wanted to still give people the chance to remember loved ones whatever the restrictions in place.
The service will be webcast at 3pm.
Covid-19 restrictions mean that, like many other live events, this is not going to be possible this year, so the Westerleigh Group has come up with an alternative so ensure that people don't miss out altogether.
Earlier this year, the group announced it had invested in new webcasting services because of restrictions on the number of people allowed to attend funeral services.
Now, that technology is going to be used to ensure everyone can view a virtual service, which will feature a mixture of traditional carols and readings.
Heather Dyson, Site Manager at Aylesbury Vale Crematorium, said:
"We wanted to make sure we could provide something this year that would definitely be able to take place, regardless of whatever lockdown restrictions may, or may not, be in place.
"We know that it won't be quite the same as our popular live services, which we very much hope to be able to return to hosting again next year.
"But Christmas is likely to be different for most people this year. And with so many other seasonal events being cancelled, such as live concerts and Christmas markets, we wanted to ensure we could still offer a way for people to join in a festive activity and to remember their loved ones at this time of year.
"In some ways, the fact that it is going to be so different this year may make these webcast services even more memorable."
A link to the service will be put onto the Aylesbury Vale Crematorium website so that people will be able to view it on December 8. It will then be available on-demand.
There is no need to register in advance in order to view the services, and no tickets are required.