One family who lost their ‘Nanny Moe’ said it is a beautiful way for her grandkids to reach out to her
A local charity is giving people the chance to send ‘letters to heaven’ after placing a special postbox outside. The postbox to heaven, has been placed outside of Barrington’s Funeral Services.
The ‘postbox to heaven’ is painted white to identify it and allows families to send letters or memories to family and friends they have lost.
The idea was initially raised to the L30 millions, a group put together in Netherton as part of the Big Local programme established by The National Lottery Community Fund in 2010.
The community group then purchased and installed the cast-iron replica on the high street. Emma Anker is a community builder at L30 Millions.
Emma Anker, who is a community builder at L30 Millions told the ECHO: “If we can help and support one person then that’s what it’s about, but we’ve had a massive amount of support, and it’s really generated a lot of positive connotations for all ages.”
Melanie Lawrenson, 45, a caregiver based in Netherton, is a regular visitor of the new Netherton High Street’s ‘Post Box to Heaven’ along with her daughters and granddaughter.
In July 2023, Melanie sadly lost her mum, Maureen Lawrenson, to heart failure. Melanie said her mum, known as ‘Nanny Moe’ to everyone, was a pillar of the Netherton community, and was known and loved by many, with over 400 people attending her funeral.
Melanie added: ‘Everybody called her Nanny Moe, she didn’t judge you. She was a feeder, and she wouldn’t let you leave unless you had been fed by her. “
Maureen, who was 71, had three grandchildren Charlotte, 25, Madison, aged seven, and a great-granddaughter Iyla, also aged seven. Melanie said her death had hit all the children hard but in particular Charlotte who has found the postbox a great way to write to her nan.
Melanie told the Echo: “‘The girls [Madison and Iyla] are just learning how to write, but Charlotte has taken my mum’s death quite hard, so she asked if she could write [with us] and she ended up writing at least three pages. We’ve been going all the time [to the postbox], but now we go at least every Friday afterschool.
“[For me] It’s like a relief, and for the little girls it’s like counselling, and it allows them to ask all these questions about heaven. I think it’s a beautiful moment.” Once the post box is full, the letters will be cremated by Barringtons Funeral Services, as a token to deliver their messages to heaven.
L30s Millions community builder, Emma Anker added: “We know that grief has no timeline. It’s a way of keeping people’s memory alive and a place where people can stay connected and remain close to their loved ones.
This post box is the second to be installed in Netherton, with the first put in Thornton Crematorium earlier this year. However, local volunteers hope this second location on Glovers Lane, will provide a more accessible location for people, so that they may not have to visit the crematorium to communicate with their loved ones.
Debbie Fraser a funeral director at Barringtons Funeral Services said: “Once the funeral of your loved one has taken place and the first anniversary of every occasion approaches, some people would just like to be able to continue to talk to their loved one and let them know they are still thinking of them”
The post box, open from Mondays to Fridays, will be available for at least a year, although the L30 Millions group do hope to make this a permanent fixture.
Emma said: “It’s not just for Christmas, it’s hopefully a permanent way for people to celebrate all the first occasions and navigate through grief in a wonderful community. “
