Shropshire funeral directors launches online giving scheme

Friends and families are now able to make online donations in memory of loved ones thanks to a Shropshire funeral directors.

CJ Williams of Telford has launched its innovative scheme to help create an easier way for people to leave tributes and make charitable donations.

“We wanted to make giving in memory of a loved one easy and secure, and the online giving initiative has already proved to be extremely successful in the first few weeks since it launched,” said director Louise Williams.

“Over £80 million is given in memory each year in the UK, and as most donations are personal gifts, a large percentage of this money would qualify for Gift Aid. But donations are almost all made by cheque, so only a tiny fraction is ever claimed.

“The online service simplifies the process and means the gift can be increased through the Gift Aid process, which directly benefits the charities the bereaved family has chosen.”

To donate, users simply need to click on the memory giving link on CJ Williams’ website and search for the page dedicated to their loved one.

Louise continued: “The messages are available at any time for the family to read, and six weeks after the funeral, they will receive a list of the messages left and the donations given, which is a wonderful way to remember the person they have lost.”

Despite this digital advancement, Louise remarked that the firm were still committed to the more traditional methods, such as a collection box at the funeral.

“We believe it’s crucial to hold on to the traditional values of funerals, but we also want to embrace new ways that appeal to many of today’s internet generation.”