Monday, May 9, 2016
Boston Bulletin DAILY is FREE Monday to Friday. Spread the word. Tell your
relatives, friends and neighbours to email [email protected] so they
can get their own personal copy.
High-tech crematorium
beams funeral services
around the world
Introduction of new technology to
Boston Crematorium has already
enabled a funeral service to be
beamed live to a grieving widower,
ill in hospital. Unable to attend his
wife’s funeral, he was able to join in
the singing and prayers at the same
time as everyone else.
On another occasion, a relative who was
not able to attend a service in Boston was
able to deliver a eulogy from Australia.
The crematorium has recently installed
high-tech equipment in the chapel to expand
its range of services. It is now possible to
webcast a funeral service to any location in
the world that has internet access, so that
relatives or friends can view a live stream of
the service as it is taking place in the chapel
in Boston.
Often mourners are unable to attend due
to distance, cost of flights, illness, etc, and so
it is comforting to them and to the rest of the
family that they can take part in some way.
When arranging a webcast the family is
given access to a website with a unique pin
number so that only they can access it, and
this can be passed to any other mourners
that they wish to take part. After the initial
broadcast the webcast is still available to
view for seven days.
A large screen has been installed in the
chapel and this can display photographs of
the deceased or video footage. This can be
anything from a still photograph displayed
throughout the service, to a rolling slide show
with or without music, or a pre-recorded
video tribute.
Recently a mourner who lives in Australia
was able to deliver a seven-minute eulogy
which was displayed via video footage on
the screen as part of the service. Although
he was unable to attend in person, it was
important to the family that he was able to
play a vital part in the service.
In addition to this the funeral service can
be recorded and supplied to the family
as an audio CD or audio-visual DVD, and
extra copies supplied if requested. A DVD
of the visual tribute can also be supplied,
or a recording of the service with any visual
tribute embedded within it.
These new services complement the
music service already in place in the chapel,
which itself has been recently upgraded. The
crematorium holds a large digital library of
hymns and all kinds of other music which is
requested and placed into a running order
for each service. This is then played directly
by the minister by the simple pressing of a
button at the appropriate point in the service.
Virtually any piece of music can be supplied,
and if it is not already held in the library it is
ordered and downloaded ready for the day of
the service. That piece is then automatically
added to the stock library, expanding the
choice.
Families may also supply a special piece
of music not commercially available, for
example, a recording of the deceased
playing the piano or singing. Such pieces
have to be supplied in advance of the funeral
service, so they can be processed and
placed into the running order. All tracks are
converted to a format which can be uploaded
to the system, so it is important to plan the
programme of music well in advance.
Martin Potts, Principal Officer at the
Crematorium said: “It is very comforting for
bereaved families to be able to tailor the
funeral service to meet their specific needs,
and, through the use of modern technology,
we are now more able to meet special
requests and expand further what is possible.
The feedback so far from families who have
used webcasting and visual tribute facilities
has been very positive, and it has been
gratifying to be able to provide what they
want, as that is so important in helping them
through the grieving process.”
For further information please telephone
the Crematorium office on 01205 364612 or
email [email protected]
Paul and the Giant Pumpkin
Something humongous will be taking form
on Boston’s allotments this year. The muckmunching monsters will slurp their way
through pints of beer dregs as they swallow
up the ground around them.
There’s no need to run screaming for
the hills – these are not triffids, but giant
pumpkins. The world record, which stands
at 2,323.7lbs – about as much as a small
car – is unlikely to be shattered, but some
unnaturally large specimens will be produced.
Boston’s giant pumpkin growing challenge
has been organised for town allotment
holders by the growers themselves. As well
as attempting to grow the biggest pumpkin
they will also be raising money for the Pilgrim
Hospital’s stroke unit.
Allotments holders from Toot Lane,
Willoughby Road, Wyberton West Road,
Witham Way, Spilsby Road and Cuckoo
Land will be involved in the grow-off using
specially-bred giant pumpkin seeds. The
challenge has been sponsored by Johnson’s
Garden Centre, which has offered £100 in
gardening vouchers to the top grower.
After the weigh-in, the winning pumpkin will
go on display at the garden centre. Visitors
will be invited to pay £1 for the stroke unit to
guess its weight, with the winner receiving a
special king or queen of the giant pumpkin
guessers certificate.
The giant will then meet its end – sliced
and diced and sold as soup – and pumpkin
will also be on the menu for a week at the
Lime Restaurant at Boston College where
catering students will prepare and serve it at
a special pumpkin awards dinner in October –
all proceeds for the stroke unit. There will be
a big display of pumpkins at the college
Allotment holder Paul Collingwood has
previously grown a variety called Atlantic
Giant – the granddaddy of all today’s modern
giant pumpkins and their seeds – to 50lbs.
A long way off the world record, but still a
monster fruit. His secret was to grow it on top
of a huge mound of horse muck, keep it well
watered and fed with beer dregs collected
from local pubs.
Top tips from the world record holder
includes keeping them at the perfect
temperature, giving them continuous food
and water, protecting their delicate skins
The world’s heaviest pumpkin with
its grower, Beni Meier, right, from
Switzerland. Beni is an accountant by day
from drying and cracking and covering them
at night for warmth. Some of his contenders
even graft two vines together to double the
amount of nutrients fed to the single chosen
pumpkin, all others growing on the plant
having been sacrificed in the name of the big
one.
Police and Crime
Commissioner
election
Conservative Marc Jones is
Lincolnshire’s second Police and
Crime Commissioner.
There was no clear winner after
Friday’s count of first preference
votes, but Mr Jones emerged
victorious after a first and second
preference vote count beating
UKIP candidate Victoria Ayling.
Mr Jones polled a total of
48,033 to Mrs Ayling’s 37,420.
Mr Jones won with a combined
majority of 10,613 votes.
Mon
Tue
22 C
210C
0
130C
120C
Gentle breeze
Gentle breeze
Sunrise 5.17am
Sunset 8.38pm
Sunrise 5.15am
Sunset 8.39pm
Low tide
High tide
Low tide
High tide
Low tide
High tide
Low tide
High tide
4.40am
8.40am
4.58pm
8.59pm
5.22am
9.22am
5.41pm
9.44pm
This is your last chance to win £100 in our
Floodline Lottery. All you have to do is register
for free flood warnings from the Environment
Agency to better protect yourself, your family
and your home. Sign up today at
www.boston.gov.uk/floodlinelottery
What’s On – pick of the day
Today – Bingo at Fosdyke Village Hall, 7pm to 9pm
 Boston Bridge Club at Boston Conservative Club, 1.30pm to 4.30pm, no partner
required
 Gardening activity club at Boston Body Hub CIC, Wide Bargate, Boston, 10am to 4pm,
for more information or to book a place please contact 01205 837172
Tomorrow – Boston health walks leaving Blenkin Memorial Hall and Princess Royal
Sports Arena at 10am, social time after walk, more information contact Frances on
07798611124.