The loss of someone precious is utterly devastating. The long journey of bereavement is only just beginning. But a whole raft of practical jobs remains to be sorted: telling family and friends, planning the funeral and the wake, implementing the provisions of the Will (or lack of one), sorting and clearing the home, and dealing with various layers of officialdom, not to mention a mass of other ‘stuff’, accessing digital assets among them. The ongoing pain and the heavy burden of the aftermath of death can be intense, almost overwhelming.
Three or so years ago, the Revd Matthew, a retired tax consultant and Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk, and his wife Annie were having a conversation with two widowed friends and, while listening to their challenging experiences of the practical consequences of bereavement, Revd Matthew started to think about how he might be able to help.
He finally put pen to paper in 2022 and the result is his Book entitled: Your Last Gift – Getting Your Affairs in Order.
This short practical book is dotted with light-hearted quotes to lighten the mood but packed with facts and practical advice on what to do and how to go about it when somebody dies including; obtaining a Death Certificate, to the government Tell Us Once service, to starting the decluttering process.
Revd Matthew says that “I wish this Book had been around to give to clients when as a practising solicitor I was drawing up Wills for them.”
The book has received praise from Stephen Fry and many more. Stephen Fry said: “Bravo. This is about as useful as a book can be.”
