Family 'relieved' after confirmation they can be present for committal of much-loved husband and father

City of York Council has relented on rules denying family members access to funerals during the coronavirus pandemic.

The family of Colin Dean, whose death nearly two weeks ago was unrelated to coronavirus, had been fighting to attend his cremation and his niece, Kelsey Dobson, set up a petition appealing to the council to change its mind.

After her initial pleas Ms Dobson was told that a small group of immediate relatives would be able to stand outside crematoria while the body of their relative was committed inside.

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But after further lobbying a compromise was reached and York Crematorium confirmed to Ms Dobson yesterday that a committal could be performed outside, with family present.

Colin Dean.Colin Dean.
Colin Dean.

Ms Dobson said: “I am relieved and proud to announce that the petition was successful - the council have announced that up to 10 immediate family members can now attend York Crematorium, with words, prayers and songs played under a private marquee with minister/celebrant present. The committal can happen with immediate family present, meaning that families can spend their loved one’s last few moments together and say a proper goodbye.”

Previously Ms Dobson said Mr Dean’s family - wife Marie and children Louise and Barry - were “heartbroken” to not be able to say their final goodbyes.

Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council, said: "We fully recognise the impact that this decision will have on bereaved families but ultimately, it has been taken protect everyone concerned, including families and their loved ones.

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"With confirmation of these arrangements and how they will be implemented, we hope that moving forward, they will bring some much needed comfort to grieving families at what is an exceptionally difficult time for them. I know that our teams will continue to do all that they can to meet the needs of families.

"This exceptional decision has been taken to limit the spread of coronavirus and therefore, protect the public, the city’s funeral directors and our bereavement services staff. We have a very small skilled team at the crematorium and if they became infected, we would have a further public health risk in not being able to undertake cremations at all. These changes are in line with a number of other local authorities who have taken the same action, in some cases earlier, during this crisis."

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said “wherever possible” people will be given the “chance to say goodbye” to loved ones dying with Covid-19, after reports of the elderly dying alone in care homes and some hospitals banning all visitors.

He said “wanting to be with someone you love at the end of their life is one of the deepest human instincts”, and that as a father himself he wept at reports of 13-year-old Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, from Brixton, south London, dying without a parent at his bedside.

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“I’m pleased to say that working with Public Health England, the care sector and many others, we are introducing new procedures so we can limit the risk of infection while wherever possible giving people’s closest loved ones the chance to say goodbye,” he said.