The new post box helping people face their most difficult moments

Losing a loved one is one of the hardest times we face in our lives - and the feeling that something was left unsaid can be truly painful. But an addition to one Greater Manchester cemetery is aiming to help people who are struggling with loss.

Tameside Council has installed the 'Post Box to Heaven' at Dukinfield Cemetery. Standing on the main drive, by the Prospect Road gates, the post box gives people the chance to get whatever is on their mind down in writing, with the aim of bringing peace in a difficult time.

Coun Denise Ward, Tameside Council’s executive member for environmental services, said: “I know from personal experience what’s like to lose a loved one. There’s a sense of numbness and depression - some people might even be angry that they’ve been left alone - but that sensation can be calmed by expressing ourselves and getting things off our chest.

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“Different things suit different people, but the reaction we’ve had to the Post Box to Heaven at Dukinfield Cemetery, by word of mouth and on social media, shows visitors really appreciate the chance to put their thoughts and feelings on paper. It’s an idea that has been extremely popular at other local authorities and it’s proving to be the same in Tameside. We’ve had an incredible response.”

The 'Post Box to Heaven' is available whenever Dukinfield Cemetery is open, for anyone who feels they might benefit from it. Tameside Council says all posted items are entirely private, with none ever opened, read or replied to, and stamps are not required.