John Weir with stronger body lifts for bigger people

by Lynn Cox

A funeral director has spent tens of thousands of pounds on alterations and new equipment so his staff can cope with obese bodies.

John Weir has paid out more than £40,000 on building alterations, bigger fridges and other equipment so he can continue to provide funerals for overweight people.

Mr Weir, who owns several funeral parlours in Medway, has been in the business for the past four decades - but has seen a serious rise in the number of obese people they deal with over the last five years.

As a result, he has had to:

• Buy wider fridges
• Buy a hoist which can lift up to 50 stone
• Have the doors to his chapel significantly widened so mourners can view their loved one.

Mr Weir said: "Over the last five years there has been a serious rise in the number of obese people in Medway we are arranging funerals for.

"Sometimes we can have two obese funerals to deal with a week and it was coming a problem fitting their bodies into our mortuary fridges."

Obesity levels in Medway are among the highest in the country, with 30% of adults being severely overweight.

Medway ranked fourth in England for worrying waistlines, according to health profiles compiled by the Association of Public Health Observatories.

Mr Weir said the largest person so far his firm has had to deal with was 31 stone and people this big need a special coffin.

Super-size coffins at John Weir Funeral Directors

A normal-sized person would be measured across their shoulders to see what size coffin they needed, but a larger person has to be measured in several places to make sure they fit into a casket.

“We also have to take people’s weight into account when we organise services, as usually if someone is obese, they can’t be carried into a chapel or church by their loved ones or pallbearers,” said Mr Weir.

“We have to do risk assessments on each and every one, which means sometimes, sensitively, we do have to tell families it’s not possible.

“It’s key to us to maintain people’s dignity, not only for the dead, but for their families too.

“We couldn’t struggle into a church carrying an overweight person, we would arrange for the casket to be in the chapel ahead of the family and friends when they arrive for the service.”

“Everything has to be bigger, the chapel doors have been widened, we’ve had to buy wider, longer and sturdier trollies and even have to get bigger shrouds and gowns.

“We need to create normality for families of larger people, but I also have to be mindful of the health and safety of my staff.

“Obesity is a national problem and the issue has been raised frequently by our association, NAFA (National Association of Funeral Directors) - it’s a sign of the times.

“Large people are younger than most when they die, too. We are often dealing with a funeral of a large person who has died prematurely. They certainly don’t make old bones.”