Funeral webcam unites families around the world

A funeral home in Banbury is helping families throughout the world say goodbye to their loved ones with a webcam service.

Mourners who use the Midcounties Co-operative Funeralcare home in Middleton Road can link with family and friends across the globe by having a webcam transmit a live feed of the ceremony.

The first person to use the service was Claire Gledhill, who has relatives in Spain and the United States of America who wanted to pay their respects to her mother Jean McStocker.

Claire said: “Using the web link my family in the USA and Tenerife were able to join us at the funeral of our mother. 

“It was a wonderful way to embrace our mother, be with each other in our time of mourning and rejoice in a wonderful woman’s life. It was so important to us to share the ceremony, making it a truly family experience.”

Branch manager James Hewison said: “Communications technology and travel has made modern families much more global in nature.

“It therefore makes sense for us to use this same technology to help loved ones say goodbye, experience a wonderful ceremony and be with family and friends, even if they can’t make the trip for any number of reasons.

“The webcam has really resonated with people so far and we expect it to become an increasingly important part of the funeral experience as time goes on.”