Council launches consultation for Letters to Heaven post box initiative
19 January 2024
Derry City and Strabane District Council have launched a consultation to hear public views on the Letters to Heaven post box initiative which will be rolled out across the city and district. Letters to Heaven is an initiative to place letterboxes in four of the largest cemeteries across the city and district, allowing visitors to send letters to loved ones they have lost. This scheme was brought forward by members as a notice of motion and endorsed by Full Council in March 2023 with the designated locations of the City Cemetery and Ballyoan in Derry as well as Castlederg and Strabane cemeteries. Council is interested in hearing your views on the commencement of the scheme, specifically at Castlederg Cemetery. Cllr Ruairí McHugh, Chair of the Environment and Regeneration Committee, encouraged local residents and cemetery visitors to engage with the consultation. “We are keen to hear from as many residents across the city and district, in particular the Castlederg Cemetery visitors, about the proposed installation of the Letters to Heaven letterbox. We understand there will be mixed reviews surrounding the topic and we are interested in hearing all those opinions. We understand that each person experiences grief differently and strategies which work for one person may be different to those that work for someone else. There is a body of evidence which suggests that one way which may bring comfort through the grief, is the act of writing down feelings or sharing thoughts on paper, whether that is on the day of an important anniversary or any day of the year. As a Council we would like to bring as much comfort as we can to our cemetery visitors and we feel the Letters to Heaven initiative is a thoughtful and touching way to do that.” Council endeavours to provide this facility for bereaved people, particularly children, but also adults so they can send messages to their deceased loved ones as evidence shows this profoundly cathartic experience may greatly benefit their emotional and psychological wellbeing. Three letterboxes have already been established in the City Cemetery, Derry, Ballyoan Cemetery, Derry, and Strabane Cemetery. The initiative was brought to the attention of the Council earlier this year by former Mayor, Cllr Graham Warke who was contacted by a local woman who recently lost a family member, leaving behind a young son. The woman felt the young boy would benefit if he thought he could write a letter to his father. They were inspired by a similar scheme which was initially rolled out in Nottinghamshire and then other areas across the UK including Antrim and Newtownabbey Council in Northern Ireland. The consultation will run for four weeks until Friday 16th February. To take part please visit https://bit.ly/3tW99BP