An increasing number of ex-service men and women are passing away with no family to cover the cost of the funeral. It means they have non-attendance public health ‘paupers’ funerals without those who may have known them during their time in the services having the chance to mourn and mark their service to Queen and Country.
Lambeth has agreed to inform the Veterans Bereavement Support Service when there’s a Public Health Funeral for a veteran so that they can let people know of their passing, arrange for attendance at the funeral and add them to the Online Garden of Remembrance.
Cllr Saleha Jaffer, the Mayor of Lambeth, said: “This is an important commitment to the brave men and women who sacrificed so much for this country. We already undertake extensive genealogy checks before arranging funerals so any surviving next of kin will be identified and contacted as a matter of course.
“But this extra commitment means anyone in Lambeth who served in the armed forces will be given a send off attended by those who may have known them during their time in the services and so be given the respect they deserve.”
The pledge comes ahead of a Remembrance Service and Wreath Laying Ceremony at Stockwell (Clock Tower) Memorial Gardens in Clapham Road on Sunday, November 13 from 11am which the Mayor of Lambeth will attend.
Four other public services are taking place in Lambeth on Remembrance Day.
