Covid-19 Virus Updates

The numbers permitted at commemorative events is set to increase
from Monday, 12th April, the number of people permitted to attend a commemorative event such as a stone setting ceremony, ash scattering or wake will increase from six to 15 (the funeral receptions/wakes can only take place at recognised locations, not private dwellings of the mourners, the rule of six applies for that). The number of mourners allowed at a funeral service will remain limited to 30. These measures are expected to remain in place until at least 17th May.

There have been further changes to the numbers of mourners allowed at Mendip Crematorium.

So to clarify Weston and Sedgemoor Crematoriums will all allow 30 mourners, Mendip is 24, South Bristol & Canford 20 mourners and Haycombe is 26 mourners.

All Crematoriums are discouraging singing during the service where possible. They are suggesting pre-recorded music or hymns be played for people to listen to.

Face Masks – It is strongly encouraged by Sedgemoor Crematorium that mourners where facemasks during their time in the Chapel, this is for the protection of other mourners as well as the Crematorium staff.

Track & Trace – As all mourners in the Chapel will have been invited to attend by the person arranging the funeral, it will be necessary for the arranger to keep the contact details of everyone who attended the funeral service for 21 days. Should it come to our attention that there is a risk of infection, we will contact the arranger and ask for the contact details of all those who attended the service.

We have been told this afternoon of changes to the numbers of mourners allowed to attend Weston Crematorium and Mendip Crematorium from Monday 20th July, this is due to the changes in the guidelines. Weston will now only allow 27 mourners and Mendip 12 mourners in the Chapel. They are also no longer allowed to have an organist for playing the hymns.

They will both be allowing a small number of mourners to congregate outside the Chapel, with social distancing, who will be allowed to listen to the service through the outside speaker system. Mourners outside will not be able to watch services on the TV screens sited in the hall ways.

Crematorium Update

All crematoriums have now upped the number of mourners they will allow to attend a funeral service in their Chapels from Monday 6th July 2020.
Weston super Mare Crematorium – 30
Sedgemoor Crematorium – 30
Mendip Crematorium – 32
South Bristol & Canford Crematorium – 20
Haycombe Crematorium – 26

Crematorium Update

All crematoriums have now upped the number of mourners they will allow to attend a funeral service in their Chapels from Monday 6th July 2020.
Weston super Mare Crematorium – 20
Sedgemoor Crematorium – 30
Mendip Crematorium – 32
South Bristol & Canford Crematorium – 20
Haycombe Crematorium – 26

C V Gower Update.

As of Monday 6th July our Woodborough Road office will be reopening from 10am to 3pm. We will only be allowing one family in at a time, by appointment, and we ask that you please adhere to the Social Distancing guidelines as set out by the Government. We will have a hand sanitisation station available for visitors to use as they enter and exit the office. All surfaces will be cleaned between appointments.

If you are wanting to drop in any paperwork or donations, we ask that you to place them on a table just inside the doorway.

Crematorium Update.

As of Monday 6th July there will be an increase in the number of mourners allowed to attend a funeral service at the Crematoriums. Sedgemoor have increased their number to 30 people, Haycombe to 26 in the Crematorium Chapel and 40 in the Burial Chapel. Westerleigh Crematorium Waterside Chapel to 30 although The Woodland Chapel will remain at 15. South Bristol/Canford Crematorium will now allow 20 mourners.

We are still awaiting updates for Mendip and Weston super Mare Crematoriums but will update our website as soon as we have been told.

18/05/2020 update Sedgemoor Crematorium have today increased their maximum number of mourners allowed to attend a service to 20 people.

As of 11th May South Bristol Crematorium, Canford Crematorium and Haycombe Crematorium have reduced their funeral times to half hour, allowing for a 20 minute service. The number of mourners allowed to attend the service are still limited to 10 family or close friends.

Weston Crematorium and Mendip Crematorium have, as of 12th May increased the number of mourners allowed to attend a service to 20 and 18 respectively.

We are aware that there are issues with the Wesley Media Webcasts and we would like to apologise on their behalf for the upset this is causing families. Whilst they do say on their website that the link for viewing the service after the funeral will be sent to you within 3-4 working days. We are disappointed to say that they are currently running at 7-10 days before the link seems to be coming through to us. We are chasing them for links daily so please bear with us.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our families for being so understanding and patient during these difficult times. I know it’s not been easy for you all in more ways than one

Registration Procedures.

The Registrars are now allowing families to Register a death by telephone, rather than attend the offices.  The Doctor’s Surgery or Hospital Patient Affairs will email the Medical Cause of Death certificate direct to the Registrars. You will still need to contact your relevant Registrar’s to make an appointment.

They will then telephone you at the appointed time to get all the necessary information from you. Please make sure you have all the information to hand. We are able to email you a copy of our booklet, which contains all the information you will need to give them.  They will take the payment for up to 2 copies of the death certificate, which will be sent out to you in the post. The green disposal certificate will be emailed direct to your chosen crematorium. If you have not chosen one yet, ask that it be emailed to your chosen Funeral Director instead.

Under the new regulations, we also will only need one Doctor to complete the cremation paperwork for the Crematorium. This is a form that we deal directly with the Doctor for it to be completed, but it means that you will no longer receive a call from a second Doctor, who used to ask if you had any questions or concerns about the death.

All the crematoriums have this morning confirmed they will only allow a maximum of 10 immediate family members attending a service. At Sedgemoor Crematorium and Weston super Mare Crematorium, the main gates have been shut to visitors. Only family’s attending a funeral service and the funeral staff themselves are permitted to enter the grounds.

All crematorium offices are closed to members of the public. All interments or scattering of cremated remains have also been postponed until a later date.

Weston super Mare and Sedgemoor Crematoriums have the facilities for a Webcast of the funeral service. This is only done with the permission of the Applicant of the funeral. An individual login and password will be emailed to them, and it will be up to them who they pass it on to. After the funeral service is finished, within 72 hours a link will be forwarded to the Applicant, allowing the service to be viewed for another 7 days.

If you have any questions or queries about a funeral service or the Registration process, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01934 842945.

In light of the Prime Minister’s recent announcement this evening, I would like to clarify that funeral services will still be taking place, with immediate family members in attendance. We will be speaking to all the local crematoriums in the morning to confirm the numbers that that are willing to allow.

As of this morning all crematoriums were limiting the numbers of attendees to 25 mourners. At some crematoriums, services can still be live streamed so that family and friends who can’t attend the service can still watch the service. This is only arranged with the family’s consent and is login and password protected.

The hymn books have all been removed, and in some crematoriums the chairs have been spread to allow for social distancing.

All Crematoriums are requesting that the curtains be closed at the end of the service to stop mourners touching and kissing the coffin, therefore limiting the risk of spreading infection.

We will no longer be offering families the use of a limousine for the same reason, to limit the risk of infection for not only the passengers, but also the driver.

All Churches will be closed with immediate effect. All funeral services will take place at the Crematorium or graveside in the case of a burial.

We are also aware that there will soon be an issue with the delivery of flowers from the markets. This may severely limit the type of tribute a family can choose.

We are doing our best to keep our families informed of all the changes that are occurring, but if anyone would like any information or reassurance, please feel free to phone us, message us or email us.

Family and friends can still leave their personal tributes and memories on the deceased’s dedicated Muchloved page which can be found via https://cvgower.co.uk/funeral-announcements.