07.04.2015
Hi Everybody
Hope you all had a nice and peaceful Easter. Can you believe that early summer has arrived? I watch as I do every year, as the colours of the Memorial Garden and all the plants change and once again I must thank Tom, Maureen and all the team for the fantastic work they do to keep it looking so lovely.
We’re extremely proud to be able to say that we’re the only cemetery for cremated remains or otherwise, to provide vases specifically for the garden use, to clear dead flowers from the garden, empty, clean and refill the vases of old and new flowers, to renovate the garden every year when necessary, open regularly, provide parking where possible, to staff the office and garden at specific times, try to offer families regular support and to provide every year a Memorial Garden Christmas Service – all of these things we are very proud of and want to try to continue into the future wherever possible. I know that my sons feel the same way as do all the staff and long may it continue.
My sons assure me that the Memorial Garden Service is planned and well under way for Wednesday 2nd December, so I’ll be looking forward to that and perhaps for the first time I’ll be able to sit back and enjoy it rather than being too anxious on the night. – Well done boys..!!
As ever at Albins, we like to be at the forefront of progress and to match what I consider to be the two best embalmers in the world, David and Pauline, I’m pleased to say that we are completely renovating the mortuary area which is now underway with the work taking place during the evenings and at the weekends. We are installing a completely new state of the art ventilation system, restructured interior together with new trollies specific to our mortuary meaning we will be able to keep and move family members we care for with even greater consideration, something myself and my sons are very proud of.
On a personal note health-wise, I have just spent a couple of days in London Bridge Hospital for a check on my liver following some blood tests last week, but I’m very happy to report that the scan showed that I am just suffering from some inflammation of the liver, probably caused by my medication, but that thankfully there wasn’t anything more serious to worry about. I was able to have my combined treatment while I was in there together with a bone marrow injection and was able to come home on Saturday and spend the Easter weekend completely resting. I’m due to have a scan in about four weeks’ time, so fingers crossed for the best possible results!
I am feeling fine and well today and I’m continuing to try to take things a little easier as I now get very tired, although I very much enjoy being around you all even though it’s at your saddest times. I am even managing to conduct the occasional funeral alongside my sons which I hope I can continue to do.
God bless you all as ever for your wonderful messages of support and encouragement etc., and please don’t underestimate what they mean to me. I am truly grateful for each and every one of them.
My new book has now been proof read and will be going to the printers very shortly ready for publication very soon. All proceeds from the book will go through our Albin-Dyer Foundation towards the fight against cancer so it’s very much a charitable book that I hope will help other people. I know that writing it helped me immensely and has been very therapeutic to me and I’m very grateful to my PA Laura for her invaluable help throughout the writing process, guiding me through the structuring of the book and keeping me in sequence along the way with the help of the diary that Jackie has kept all through my illness and treatment.
It will soon be available through Amazon and also through the office here and I will be happy to sign any of the copies for you, especially as it is for such a worthwhile cause.
On a final note – Just to let you know that I’m full of enthusiasm and hope to be around with you all for many years to come. Do keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I do with you all.
God bless you all and I look forward to seeing you in and around Bermondsey.
Barry
