Solihull residents offered outlet for grief with special Letters to Heaven Postbox

The team at Thomas Bragg & Sons Funeral Directors based in Stratford Road, Shirley have placed a special “Letters to Heaven Postbox” outside their branch, which they hope will provide a way for the bereaved to manage their grief.

The idea is that anyone who wants to post a message to someone who has passed away can put them in the box at any time of day in a private moment.

Special seeded compostable paper is available in the branch for people to use, although it is not compulsory. The seeded paper will then be placed in specially-designed planters at the front of the funeral home to create a permanent reminder of departed loved ones.

The idea has been inspired by nine-year-old Matilda Handy whose idea to write a letter to her grandparents who had passed away inspired a special post box to be installed at her local crematorium in Nottingham last year, and several others across the country.

James Martin, Funeral Manager at Thomas Bragg & Sons, said they wanted it to be an outlet for anyone who felt they wanted to write something for a lost loved one.

“We thought this was a lovely idea,” James said.

“We all deal with grief differently, and, for some people, it can be very beneficial to write something down.

“Everybody is welcome to post a letter or card regardless of when we last saw you, or even if we never have. Please share with your friends and family so everybody knows it’s here.

“Whether it is a special occasion, like a birthday or an anniversary, or simply something you want to do at any time of the year, we hope it helps people.

“It’s the sort of thing which can really help children deal with the loss of a loved one at what can be a difficult and confusing time.”