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Modern Ways to Remember

July 29, 2024

Gone are the days of all you had to rely on were photos and your memories to remember your loved There are so many choices, it can be overwhelming

Stardustme.com is a New Zealand-based company that will take your ashes out of this world. A token containing a symbolic portion of a departed’s ashes quietly orbits the Earth for around five years whilst family and friends can follow this journey through the stars using a mobile tracker The orbital-class rocket carries the ashes to around 500km above the planet’s surface, to the region known as low-earth-orbit


heart-in-diamond.co.nz is a New Plymouth-based company that will turn the ashes of your loved ones into a laboratory-grown diamond with carbon extracted from the ashes


Memori.co.nz has the platform for you to create memorial pages and the QR code that creates a permanent physical link to the tribute page. These can be mounted to a headstone or kept somewhere safe


reterniti.com is a Christchurch-based company. Their ethos is that loved ones should either be kept close once they’ve passed, but not in an urn on a mantelpiece, or placed somewhere special, a place that was meaningful to them. Reterniti handcraft a beautiful stone or pebble from your loved ones ashes, which you can hold close. They do stones and pebbles for both pets and humans


Taking a fingerprint and having your loved one with you as a piece of jewellery is a popular way to remember your loved ones. Each piece is special and unique 2 companies in Dunedin offer this. timelessimpressions.co.nz and asparrowstouch.co.nz


For your music loving person, imagine your ashes embossed into your very own Vinyl record. www.andvinyly.com is a British company that creates bespoke vinyl records using ash.

March 18, 2025
If you have been keeping up with the news lately you may have noticed several distressing stories about a lack of care demonstrated by some funeral directors when being contracted by bereaved families after the loss of their loved one. There is no government regulatory authority for funeral directors in New Zealand but all funeral directors must comply with legal requirements around care of the deceased as specified in the Burials and Cremations Act. In addition, there are requirements for fair pricing and contracts under the Fair Trading Act, as well as obligations that apply under the Consumer Guarantees Act. We are members of the Funeral Directors Association so adhere to the ethics and standards that are part of our membership. We know that transparency of pricing is important along with ensuring that the options chosen work with families’ budgets. We regularly provide detailed pricing estimates along with information to help with farewell planning. Our many years of experience have also shown us that it is important to be looking at the ‘big picture’ when choosing a service provider. When you engage Gillions to look after arrangements for your loved one you will have the comfort and assurance that they will be well looked after from the time we transfer them to our care until the time we take them to the crematorium or cemetery. Our care for you continues beyond this time as we know that grief does not have a time limit.
By Office February 19, 2025
Writing down my wishes
By Keith Gillions October 15, 2024
How Victorians Mourned
By Office October 13, 2024
Because pets can't speak their grief often manifests in behavioural changes
By Office September 21, 2024
Making the decision to euthanise a pet is never easy
By Office September 18, 2024
We’re often asked whether children should be involved after a family member's death, and if so, how? While you know your children best, our general advice is to include them as much as possible. Children will take cues from the adults around them, so if you're open and honest, they will likely follow suit. Answer their questions directly but avoid unnecessary details unless they're asked. Their inquiries will be shaped by their age and previous experiences, such as the death of a pet. Children under 7 may not fully understand that death is permanent, universal, and involves the body stopping completely. They may ask more literal questions, like "Who will Nan play with in heaven?" or "Who will take me to the park?"
By Office September 18, 2024
In some cultures, being around the deceased is a natural part of life, but in Western culture, we’ve moved away from this. At Gillions, we believe in supporting families to be as involved as they wish in caring for their loved one after they’ve passed. This may include helping to dress them, spending time with them, or bringing them home before the funeral. While it’s natural to feel unsure about this, we often hear from families that the experience was deeply meaningful. Dressing a loved one can feel like a final act of love, especially if you helped care for them before they passed. We encourage children to be part of this process too.
By Office September 18, 2024
Grief is a deeply personal journey, influenced by past experiences and the circumstances of loss. When a death is sudden, for instance, grief can feel more complex and harder to navigate than when the death was expected. While many find their own path through grief, others may require additional support 
By Office September 14, 2024
It is not just children who are deeply affected by the loss of a pet.  Grief is a price we pay for love.

By Office September 8, 2024
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