AN ONLINE Christmas carol and Remembrance service will be held next month to help people feel festive during these uncertain times.

Sedgemoor Crematorium in Bridgwater will be webcasting the one-hour service on Wednesday, December 16, at 5pm.

The Westerleigh Group, the UK’s largest independent operator of cemeteries and crematoria, usually hosts Christmas Carol and Remembrance services at all its 34 sites nationwide, including Sedgemoor, which people can attend in person.

Restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic mean that the annual services are not possible this year, so the Westerleigh Group has come up with an alternative so ensure that people don’t miss out altogether.

Earlier this year, the group announced it had invested in new webcasting services because of restrictions on the number of people allowed to attend funeral services.

Now, that technology is going to be used to ensure everyone can view a virtual service, which will feature a mixture of traditional carols and readings.

Kristian Pavlov, site Manager at Sedgemoor Crematorium, said: “We wanted to make sure we could provide something this year that would definitely be able to take place, regardless of whatever lockdown restrictions may, or may not, be in place.

“We know that it won’t be quite the same as our popular live services, which we very much hope to be able to return to hosting again next year.

“But Christmas is likely to be different for most people this year. And with so many other seasonal events being cancelled, such as live concerts and Christmas markets, we wanted to ensure we could still offer a way for people to join in a festive activity and to remember their loved ones at this time of year.

“In some ways, the fact that it is going to be so different this year may make these webcast services even more memorable.”

A link to the service will be put onto the Sedgemoor Crematorium website on December 16. It will then be available on-demand.

There is no need to register in advance in order to view the services, and no tickets are required; people just need to visit www.sedgemoorcrem.co.uk and click on the link.