For Felicity Rock, from Cubbington, Warwickshire, the act of weaving parts of her parents' coffins became a deeply personal and healing experience. She contributed to her stepmother's willow coffin around two and a half years ago, and then again for her father's coffin just six months ago, finding a profound sense of connection during her grief.
Ms Rock described feeling an integral part of their final journey, an experience that she says will stay with her forever. Weaving her stepmother's coffin was particularly significant, as she had been unwell herself at the time of her stepmother's passing, preventing her from being present. This hands-on involvement offered a unique way to feel close to her after she had gone.
She collaborated with Caz Ingall, founder of Wild Heart Coffins, at her workshop in Radford Semele, Warwickshire. Ms Ingall, who initially wove wicker baskets, was inspired to establish her coffin-making business over six years ago after helping to create a willow coffin for her aunt-in-law in 2015. She sources willow branches from Somerset and timber for the bases of her bespoke creations.
Ms Rock, a friend of Ms Ingall's, found the workshop to be a 'very special place' that provided much-needed solace amidst the practicalities and emotional turmoil following a death. She highlighted the difficulty of managing loss while simultaneously dealing with numerous arrangements, explaining that spending an hour or so in the quiet workshop, engaged in an 'act of love', was incredibly healing.
The demand for willow coffins is on the rise, a trend supported by anecdotal evidence from The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF), which points to a broader interest in environmentally friendly funeral options. This also extends to natural burial grounds, which prioritise ecological principles over traditional cemetery aesthetics. Emma Restall Orr, who owns a natural burial site in Lower Tysoe, noted a significant increase in burials at her site over the past two decades, now handling up to 16 burials a month.