R.I.P. The Bucket Project: Born 11.07.2011 - Died 30.06.17

After almost six years, the work of The Bucket Project has come to an end on Friday 30^th June 2017. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our members, supporters and everyone who has helped us to keep the topic of death alive. A special thank you to Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool for hosting us and to Liverpool CCG (formerly Liverpool PCT) for investing in a unique piece of community engagement which worked to make death, dying and loss less of a taboo.

It has been a privilege to lead on this project and I have enjoyed every part of this role, from the creativity and freedom to develop it in my own vision to research and delivering annual Dying Matters events – it has been the best job I have ever had.

Although I am sad to say goodbye to The Bucket Project, I am moving on to something new and the complete opposite of talking about death – I am preparing to welcome a new life into the world!

I’d just like to remind you all to live in the moment, appreciate what you have, love those that are important to you and don’t be afraid to say how you feel. Life is for living!

If you would like to request any hard copies of our newsletters or promotional materials, some may still be available at the Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool, Speke Road, Woolton, L25 8QA. To check in advance, please call 0151 801 1400 and ask to speak to a member of the administrative team.

Electronic versions of the reports and newsletters will remain available on this blog and you can still see our old posts on:

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Thank you all for helping to keep the topic of death alive and encouraging others to see death, dying and loss as part of normal life.

I will miss you all.

Kind regards,

Rachael McMeacock | Project Manager | The Bucket Project

Pet Remembrance

Here is another intriguing excerpt from our latest newsletter:

 

Pets are an important part of many households, often becoming a member of the family. When they pass away, we want to honour them, much like we do with human loved ones. You might be surprised, but there is almost as wide a range of options for animals as there is for people.

This isn’t a modern practice; we have been burying and remembering our furry friends for thousands of years! Have you given thought to how you will remember your pet and how they will be laid to rest?

Take a look at these weird and wacky ways that animals have been honoured after death:

 

Mummified Moggies

In ancient Egypt, cats were seen as mysterious and were linked with certain deities. Sometimes owners would mummify their deceased cats in the hope they would join them in the afterlife. Others were used as offerings to their god or goddess counterparts and buried in cat cemeteries. These weren’t the only animals to be preserved by the Egyptians, dogs and birds have been found mummified and stored inside pots.

 

Image from newsdesk.si.edu

Man’s Best Friend

In the Middle Stone Age in Scandinavia, roughly 6,000 years ago, some of the first cemeteries were created and they included dogs! The graves of the hounds were remarkably similar to the human ones, showing they were loyal companions even then.

The ‘Perpetual Pet’

Some people can’t bear to part with a beloved pet, well there’s no need to in this day and age with specialised freeze-dry pet preservation technology. The deceased are put through a specialised process for up to 6 months and returned to their owner perfectly in tact and preserved in their natural state ready to re-join the household.

Extravagant Equines

Cats and dogs aren’t the only animals that people have lovingly buried in the past. Some people experience lifelong bonds with horses, with spectacular burials being discovered across the world. In China there were chariot burials and in the ancient Pazyryk Culture in Russia they elaborately adorned their horses and buried them with their riders when dead.

 

Image from pinterest.com

 

 

You can download the full newsletter here!

Goodbye Hayley

Image from www.thesun.co.uk

There have been mixed reviews regarding Monday night’s emotional final farewell to one of Coronation Street’s long-standing characters, Hayley Cropper. The storyline has been played out over the last few months, capturing the hearts of viewers nationwide and covering a number of sensitive issues. 

Watching Soaps has become a normal and daily occurrence in many households, with people forming emotional bonds with beloved characters. This is one factor that has really made the storyline hit home. However, many people have lost someone dear or have had some experience with terminal illness and the effects this can have on not only the afflicted, but their loved ones too, making the last episode particularly difficult to watch.

Image from digitalspy.co.uk

Whether you agree or disagree with the topics raised, the show has managed to spark debate regarding sensitive and often controversial issues, creating an open forum for death, dying and loss to be discussed. 

What did you think about this storyline and how it was dealt with? Let us know at @Bucket_Project.