Letters to Heaven: Special postboxes installed at Birkenshaw and Batley funeral directors for people to write to lost loved ones

The Letters to Heaven postboxes have been placed at the two North Kirklees branches of Gateway Funeral Services since last Monday, December 4, enabling bereaved relatives - children, as well as adults - to write letters, messages and cards to those they have lost.

Lucy Hitchcock, of Gateway Funeral Services, said:

“It kicked off massively down south not long ago. It was a young girl who started it. She felt like she wanted to write a letter to her Grandfather. We thought it was a lovely idea and it has taken off like a storm. People are jumping on it and think it’s a really lovely idea.

“We’re pushing it far and wide. It’s not just for children. It’s for anybody who wants to write a letter, whether that be for a special birthday, a special memory, a special date or generally just wanting to reach out and write a letter.”

Asked how the initiative aims to help those who are grieving, Lucy said:

“I think it could be anything. It could be a coping mechanism; it could be something to help children come to terms with grief; it could be people that are lonely after losing somebody and are wanting to put their thoughts down on paper so they feel they are actually reaching out to them and writing to them.

“It has got lots of different angles. So far the feedback is really positive. We have had lots of letters in each of our branches already within days. That’s amazing.

“Adults have been dropping us notes to say it is such a lovely idea and thanking us to say that it has helped their children, as well as helping them.”

She added: “It is just one of those nice things we can do. Our industry is quite tough so if we can give something back to the families and make them feel special, then that’s nice.”

The postboxes are situated at Birkenshaw (Arnold House Southfield Terrace) and Batley (Bradford Road).