Kevin Cobbold Funeral Services

28/10/2025

What is the difference between a coffin and a casket?

A coffin has six sides, narrow at the head and feet, and shaped to follow the human form. The lid is usually flat and fully removable.

This traditionally hexagonal vessel is usually tapered at the head and feet and wider at the shoulders.

The term “coffin” stems from Old French and English words referring to a basket, a chest or even a pie crust! Over time, the word has come to be used to describe any container for the deceased, regardless of shape or number of sides.

A casket is rectangular with four sides, usually with a hinged lid that is often split for viewings, lined with padding and fabric, and designed to look more like a piece of fine furniture. In the U.S. the casket is seen as more elegant and dignified.

The term casket can also describe a special box for holding jewellery and other valuables. Many believe the word originated from the Old French “cassette,” meaning a small chest or box.

The term ‘casket’ started to replace ‘coffin’ in the 19th century, in part to soften the language of death and reflect the idea that the body was something precious.

People use these words interchangeably, but they aren't exactly the same.

22/10/2025

Funeral flowers carry deep symbolic meanings that vary across cultures and traditions. Each type of flower can convey a specific emotion, sentiment or message of remembrance. Here is a list of commonly used funeral flowers and their traditional symbolism:

🌹 Roses
• Red: Love, respect, and grief.
• White: Purity, innocence, reverence, and youth.
• Pink: Grace, admiration, and appreciation.
• Yellow: Strong ties of friendship (less common for funerals).
• Dark crimson: Mourning and sorrow.

⚜️ Lilies
• White lilies: Purity, the restored innocence of the soul of the deceased.
• Stargazer lilies: Sympathy and eternal life.
• Lilies are especially associated with Christian funeral services, symbolising resurrection and renewal.

🌼 Chrysanthemums
• Europe (especially France, Italy, etc.): Solemn death and mourning; only used for funerals.
• Asia (China, Japan, Korea): Grief, lamentation, and sometimes nobility.
• USA: Truth and honour; also used to express sympathy.

🌻 Carnations
• Red: Admiration.
• White: Innocence and pure love.
• Pink: Remembrance and the belief that they were created from the Virgin Mary's tears (Catholic tradition).

🌻 Sunflowers
• Loyalty, adoration, and a celebration of a life well-lived. Less traditional but increasingly popular to honour vibrant personalities.

🌸 Orchids
• Pink and white: Eternal love and sympathy.
• Orchids symbolise delicate beauty, strength, and enduring love, especially in tropical or Asian cultures.

🌺 Gladioli
• Strength of character, moral integrity, and remembrance.
• These tall flowers convey dignity and resilience.

🌷 Tulips
• Renewal and love.
• Red tulips: Deep love.
• Yellow tulips: Cheerful thoughts.
• White tulips: Forgiveness.

💐 Hydrangeas
• Heartfelt emotions and gratitude.
• Often used in sympathy arrangements to convey deep understanding and empathy.

🪻 Hyacinths
• Deep sorrow and pain.
• Purple hyacinths, in particular, express regret and sorrow in funeral arrangements.

23/07/2025

Direct cremations - the difference between using a TV advertised direct cremation company and using a local funeral director for a direct cremation.

12/06/2025

20% of last year’s funerals in Britain were direct cremations – up from 14% in 2020. Numbers are continuing to rise for this affordable, no-fuss form of funeral: cremations with no ceremony and no attendees.
We offer this service using a local crematorium and the total charge is £1,095.00 (which includes the crematorium fee). The deceased person is collected by our staff in our vehicle and taken into our care. The only onward journey is to St Faith’s or Earlham Crematorium using our hearse and we tell family members when this takes place. If families change their minds and opt for an attended funeral, this can be done with no problem at all.
In sharp contrast, the relentlessly advertised corporate firms such as Pure Cremation, charge £1,995.00. With that company, the deceased person is taken away in a van from wherever the death occurred and driven with other deceased people for hundreds of miles to Pure Cremation’s crematorium in Andover.
On the company’s scheduled date, but with no specified timing, so your family won’t know when it’s happening, the deceased person is taken straight to the cremator. No changes to the arrangements are allowed.
If you decide that a direct cremation is something that you would want, do use a local funeral director and don’t pay the premium that is funding expensive television advertising and lose the dignity and flexibility that a local independent company offers.

30/04/2025

Norfolk Bluebell Wood's open days: 3, 4 & 5 May 10:00am – 4:00pm
www.norfolkbluebellwood.co.uk
• FREE ENTRY
• REFRESHMENTS
• EASY ACCESS
• MOBILITY BUGGY AVAILABLE
• FAMILY FRIENDLY
• DOGS WELCOME ON LEADS

12/12/2024

The great sum of £36,717.00 was given this year through our 'Much Loved' pages in memory of people who have died. This is in addition to cash and cheque donations. This must make a considerable difference to some of these causes, particularly the smaller ones.

12/11/2024

Our dear greyhound Bonnie died this morning. She suffered heart failure and a stroke as a result of the fireworks over the last two weeks. Bonnie gave such comfort to people visiting us when they had suffered sad losses. We are so glad that many people went on to rescue dogs after getting to know her. We will forever miss her gentleness and fun.

16/10/2024

We are inspected, we are compliant and we are ready for broader regulation of the funeral sector. We welcome the recent findings of the Fuller Inquiry, providing care to families and their loved ones is more than an honour, it’s a responsibility and one that should be provided only by funeral directors who adhere to the highest standards. Always look for the SAIF logo.

13/08/2024

Why males aged 45 to 64 are most at risk of su***de

Risk Factors:
In times of economic recession male su***des in this age group go up, particularly in regions hardest hit by a downturn. Middle-aged men are most vulnerable to losing their job and not getting another one. Men of this age are more likely to view their job and their status as a 'breadwinner' as a keystone of their identity. Losing this can heavily impact their self-esteem.

Another factor is divorce - divorced men are three times more likely to attempt su***de than married men. This is thought to be because middle aged men are very dependent on their wives for emotional support, and from the age of 30, also tend to have fewer friends than women in general. The average age of divorce among men in the UK is 45. Men can become increasingly isolated. Trends including the rise in female employment, births outside marriage, the rise in divorce and cohabitation, second and subsequent marriages, lone parent households, step-families, solo living, partnering and de-partnering mean that men are less likely to be with a lifelong partner, and if you ally that with their difficulties in coping emotionally and being able to go out and establish new relationships with less support to fall back on than women, that makes them more vulnerable to psychological ill health and su***de.

Another factor is that men in this age group, as a generation, tend to have ideas about masculinity that could leave them more vulnerable to thoughts of su***de. They grew up with strong, silent, stoical fathers and male role models, but they're living in a society that now values open, sharing "new men". They are left not quite knowing who they are or how to be.

Coping mechanisms for feelings of su***de can exacerbate these feelings. When women become physically or psychologically unwell, they're more likely to seek help, to see their GP or share with their peer group. Men, in contrast, are more likely to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. In the longer term, alcohol acts as a depressant on the brain; it lowers mood. In the short term, it can lead to impulsive decisions.

Should I be worried?
Many background factors are known to increase the su***de risk for men, including unemployment and financial pressures, a relationship crisis, bereavement and living apart from their children. Added to this are personality traits and patterns of behaviour.
• Self-criticism: Excessive negative self-appraisal and the inability to enjoy your successes.
• Reduced problem-solving ability: whether it's worries about work, a looming tax bill, a row with a partner – and using ways of coping that avoid the issues or worsen them.
• Rumination: Frequent self-defeating thoughts and brooding.
• Future thinking The inability to generate positive thoughts about the future, plus an increasing social disconnection and the belief you're a burden to others.
• Social perfectionism: The belief that you must meet the expectations of others with standards that may be unrealistic.
If you're worried about anyone, research shows the importance of persisting with offers of help and not giving up. Men are more inclined to pretend they're OK to avoid being perceived as weak.

01/08/2024

The stress of bereavement may accelerate the ageing process, according to researchers who found evidence that losing a loved one early in life had an impact long before people reach middle age.

Scientists spotted biological markers of faster ageing in people who had lost a parent, partner, sibling or child, but the signs were absent in others who had not experienced the death of someone close to them.

The finding suggests bereavement and grief take their toll on the body’s tissues and potentially increase the risk of future health problems. But it also raises the prospect that counselling and effective social support could help in the aftermath of a death.

Separate study shows poor diet and added sugar also linked to rise in biological age

07/05/2024

The wonderful people at Quaker Social Action have created this online tool for checking if people might be able to get help from the government towards paying for a funeral:

There is some statutory financial support available to help with funeral costs. Funeral benefits cover about 44% of the average cost of a funeral in the UK. To apply you must be responsible for the funeral costs and in receipt of qualifying benefits.

03/05/2024

It's great to hear that Norfolk Bluebell Wood Burial Park are achieving being 100% carbon neutral. That is great work!