199 Kamo Road
Whau Valley
Whangarei
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1676 days ago

Happy Easter

Our staff will still be operating as normal over the Easter weekend and are available if you need us - and yes, whilst eating our weight in chocolate :)
- Happy Easter everyone!

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1676 days ago

Gatherings and Funerals during Covid-19

When someone we love and care for dies, it is natural for us to want to gather together to remember and celebrate the life of our loved one.

Having that gathering denied to us by the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 on funerals is hard for us all emotionally. The restrictions have demonstrated to … View more
When someone we love and care for dies, it is natural for us to want to gather together to remember and celebrate the life of our loved one.

Having that gathering denied to us by the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 on funerals is hard for us all emotionally. The restrictions have demonstrated to us all, the importance of a funeral as part of a meaningful farewell and more particularly the elements that go to make up that farewell.

An important element of a meaningful funeral is the support we derive from those who attend the gathering. As we cannot currently gather in the physical sense, we must derive that support in another way. The Government restrictions say,

those living with their loved one prior to their death can attend our funeral home and say goodbye.

• Those of you not from the immediate family ‘bubble’ can be part of this goodbye via our live streaming system.

• With the use of a video conferencing software, Morris & Morris can arrange for an interactive goodbye that includes all family and friends that you may wish to invite.

Live streaming and video conferencing are currently offered free of charge at Morris & Morris during the Alert level 4 restrictions on funerals. Before you make any decisions give us a call and talk to the experts

Keep and eye on our page for more information about meaningful funerals during the alert Level 4 restrictions.

1678 days ago

The Funeral Industry & Covid-19

The attached is a brief outline of the impact and changes Covid-19 is having on the funeral industry. We will be posting updates as often as we can regarding the options families still have if you experience the death of a loved one over these uncertain times.
Stay safe, stay strong and look … View more
The attached is a brief outline of the impact and changes Covid-19 is having on the funeral industry. We will be posting updates as often as we can regarding the options families still have if you experience the death of a loved one over these uncertain times.
Stay safe, stay strong and look after one another.

Kind regards
The team at Morris & Morris Funerals

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1696 days ago

Update

The health and wellbeing of the client families and community we serve, as well as our caring team here at Morris & Morris funerals, is our highest priority. We also need to be very aware of the contact we have with others and how that may affect extended family and friends, particularly the … View moreThe health and wellbeing of the client families and community we serve, as well as our caring team here at Morris & Morris funerals, is our highest priority. We also need to be very aware of the contact we have with others and how that may affect extended family and friends, particularly the elderly.

We continue to monitor the situation daily through our membership of the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand, who are in regular contact with the Ministry of Health. The FDANZ have put out guidance and safeguard information which we are adhering to.

The Government has banned indoor gatherings of 100 people or more during the virus outbreak. This will affect funeral gatherings. There are however a number of alternatives to a full gatherings and we would be happy to discuss these with you. One of the best ways to reach people who may not be able to attend the funeral is via our live streaming option, which during this current period of disruption we are offering free of charge to every family we serve.

At this stage, while funerals are going ahead, even with the current restrictions, we ask that families consider ways to reduce possible exposure and spread of this virus. Holding smaller gatherings can reduce the exposure to the virus and the option of a memorial service at a future date may work for you better. In all cases we will be advising our client families according to their individual needs. A funeral as part of a meaningful farewell remain vitally important to our emotional and mental wellbeing.

Most importantly we must ask that anyone who is experiencing flu-like symptoms or who have recently returned from travel, especially from hot-spot countries (e.g: China, Japan, South Korea, Iran, Italy & Spain) consider not attending funerals during this uncertain period.

Our natural tendency at a time of grief is to hug and embrace and give comfort to our loved ones. We know that COVID-19 spreads through such action so we ask that you refrain from close contact during the funeral.

1952 days ago

Native Planting at Hikurangi Primary School

What an awesome day spent with Hikurangi Primary School on Wednesday 3rd July. We met some amazing kids and a very supportive and encouraging staff who allowed us to help plant almost 1000 native trees alongside the students at their school.

The casket company we use - Return to Sender, has been … View more
What an awesome day spent with Hikurangi Primary School on Wednesday 3rd July. We met some amazing kids and a very supportive and encouraging staff who allowed us to help plant almost 1000 native trees alongside the students at their school.

The casket company we use - Return to Sender, has been donating a tree for each casket sold since 2007 and as of June 2019, they have donated a total of 12,596 trees. A couple of years ago, they realised anyone could plant a tree - but wondered what did that actually achieve? Nothing if it isn’t educating the future caretakers of our land. In 2017, Return to Sender officially partnered with 'Trees for Survival'.

Trees for Survival is a charitable trust that delivers an educational environmental programme in schools. It sees students growing and planting native trees to restore natural habitats by helping landowners revegetate erosion-prone land, improve stream flow and water quality and increase biodiversity.

Once a month, Return to Sender donates money towards the cost of native plants to the Trees for Survival on behalf of the families who have chosen a Return to Sender casket. One casket = 1 tree donation.

The students involved in the TFS environmental education programme, receive locally sourced seedlings at the beginning of every year, nurturing them until ready for planting. Planting days consist of many different native plants; including Mānuka, kānuka, flax and tī kōuka (cabbage tree) that are suitable for the area that they will be planted.

Return to Sender supports schools in Whangarei, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Wellington. The Funeral Homes that provide the caskets are then invited to volunteer with Return to Sender, on planting days within their local areas.

Tī kōuka / cabbage tree: These are good colonising species, growing happily on bare ground or exposed places. Their strong root system helps stop soil erosion on steep slopes and because they tolerate wet soil, they are a useful species for planting along stream banks. The trees were also planted to mark trails, boundaries, urupā (cemeteries) and births, since they are generally long-lived

Mānuka & kānuka: These plants can act as an important tool for re-vegetating bare, eroded slopes. By creating shade and shelter from the wind, they provide an excellent nursery for other, slower growing native plants. Unlike many other native plants, mānuka/kahikātoa and kānuka are not usually eaten by browsing animals like sheep, cattle and goats. This is another reason that these plants are useful in restoration projects.

Harakeke/flax: These bushes will often support a large community of animals, providing shelter and an abundant food resource. Harakeke attracts native birds such as Tui, Bellbirds/ Korimako, Saddlebacks/Tīeke, short tailed bats/Pekapeka, geckos and several types of insects that enjoy nectar from its flower.

Again, we are blown away by how wonderful the staff and students were. Well done guys! Keep up the hard work!

1984 days ago

For a truly personal funeral experience - talk to the experts

Morris & Morris have been serving the communities of Northland for over 60 years. We are proud of our reputation as experts in our profession. Believing in the importance of a meaningful farewell as part of healthy grieving forms the basis to all that we do.
We have funerals for many essential… View more
Morris & Morris have been serving the communities of Northland for over 60 years. We are proud of our reputation as experts in our profession. Believing in the importance of a meaningful farewell as part of healthy grieving forms the basis to all that we do.
We have funerals for many essential reasons, including a means of expressing our beliefs, thoughts, and feelings about life and death. The purposes of the funeral ceremony can be summed up in the following ways:

Reality: It's hard to truly accept the finality of death, but the funeral helps us to begin to do so. At first, we accept it with our heads, and only over time do we come to accept it with our hearts.

Recall: Funerals help us begin to convert our relationship with the person who has died from one of presence to one of memory. When we come together to share our memories, we learn things we didn't know, and we see how the person's life touched others.

Support: Funerals are social gatherings that bring together people who cared about the person who died. Funerals are in remembrance of the person who passed, but they are for the living. The funeral is a special time and place to support one another in grief.

Expression: When we grieve but don't mourn, our sadness can feel unbearable, and our many other emotions can fester inside of us. Mourning helps us heal, and the funeral is an essential rite of initiation for mourning. It helps us get off to a good start and sets our mourning in motion.

Meaning: Did the person I love have a good life? What is life, anyway?

Why Do We Die?: There are no simple explanations, but the funeral gives us a time and a place to hold the questions in our hearts and begin to find our way to answers that give us peace.

For the answers to all your questions and for advice and assistance, give us a call on 09 437 5799 or email us: office@morrisandmorris.co.nz

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