FSJ is calling on crematoria operators to help grieving kids get through funerals by giving them a comfort bear to
cuddle and keep afterwards, and we’re asking readers to help.
The idea is the brainchild of Swindon Borough Council bereavement services officer Zoe Fennell (pictured below). She has been collecting, cleaning and distributing cuddly toys at Kingsdown Crematorium since 2024 and recently appealed for donations (FSJ June 26).
Fennell had hoped the idea would be taken up by other crematoria. “We’ve seen the impact it has on children. It
would be great if everyone did it,” she said. Following FSJ’s story, she has been given a speaking slot at the Institute
of Cemetery and Crematorium Management’s annual conference in September to encourage commercial
operators and local authorities alike to adopt comfort bears.
In the meantime, we are asking you to make your local crematoria aware of the benefits these bears bring and to get on board. Please follow our posts on social media and tag your local crematoria #comfortbears.