'Time to Say Goodbye' tops the charts as the North West's most popular funeral song

CO-OP Funeralcare, which has branches in Southport, has today released its 2023 Funeral Music Chart. The hot list, which 1st launched in 2002, sees Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's:- 'Time to Say Goodbye' top of the funeral music chart, followed by Frank Sinatra's iconic:- 'My Way.' Based on data and insights from Co-op's own funeral directors, who conducted 93,000 funerals in 2022, the latest top 10 reveals the non-movers, risers, and new entries.

The 2023 Funeral Music Chart Top 10 in full:-

• 1 Time To Say Goodbye Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman.
   

• 2 My Way Frank Sinatra.
   

• 3 Somewhere Over the Rainbow Eva Cassidy.
   

• 4 Supermarket Flowers Ed Sheeran.
   

• 5 We'll Meet Again Vera Lynn.
   

• 6 Wind Beneath My Wings Bette Midler.
   

• 7 You'll Never Walk Alone Gerry & The Pacemakers.
   

• 8 Abide With Me William Henry Monk & Henry Francis Lyte.
   

• 9 All Things Bright & Beautiful Hymn.
   

• 10 Dancing In the Sky Dannii & Lizzy.

Revealing a shift in music at final farewells, hymns are now back in the Top 10; not seen for over 7 years; with both:- 'Abide with Me' and 'All Things Bright and Beautiful' placing at number:- 8 and 9 respectively. 1 answer to this could be the recent historical royal events and cultural moments of the past few years influencing a return to tradition, including the funerals of:- Prince Philip and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Two hymns that were performed at the late Queen's funeral:- 'The Lord's My Shepherd' and 'The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended,' have been requested more frequently to Co-op's Funeral Directors over the last year, suggesting the lasting legacy and impact the late monarch has on people's feature on own funeral choices.

2021 winner:- 'You'll Never Walk Alone' by Gerry and the Pacemakers has fallen 6 places, however, the Liverpool anthem remains the most requested sports song. The Late Tina Turner's:- 'The Best,' famously sung by Rangers fans, also makes the Sports Top 10.

In the North West Andrea Bocelli's operatic classic:- 'Time to Say Goodbye' took the top spot as the Region's most requested funeral song. The Region is ultimately full of soap lovers with the Coronation Street theme tune, Emmerdale theme tune and Hollyoaks

Across the nation, new songs identified by Co-op's funeral directors include:- 'Break My Soul' by Beyonce, 'Candy Shop' by 50 Cent, 'Take Me Back to London' by Ed Sheeran ft. Stormzy:- 'I'm a Survivor' by Destiny's Child:- 'Living in a Box' by the band of the same name, and 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman' by Shania Twain, perhaps tracks to look out for in future funeral charts.

Michael Pengelly, Head of South Division at Co-op Funeralcare, said:- "Music plays such a big part in all of our lives so it's no surprise that our favourite songs play a role in the way we say goodbye too. The songs we choose for a funeral all hold unique and personal meaning for ourselves and loved ones but naturally some songs remain more popular than others and we're delighted to unveil this year's music chart. It's really no surprise that a song as popular as:- 'Time To Say Goodbye' not only topped the 2023 Funeral Charts but was also the most popular song in the North West. It's a powerful song that carries a strong emotional impact, tapping into the feelings of loss and grief and so is well suited to the funeral occasion. Each element of a funeral is a very personal choice and we're encouraging the nation to be more open about their funeral wishes, making it clear to their loved ones what they would want for themselves when the time comes, and music is a really simple and comforting place to start."

To find out more about the Funeral Music Charts, visit Funeral music charts - Co-op Funeralcare (coop.co.uk)

To find your local funeral home in the North West, visit Co-op Funeral Homes and Funeral Directors - Co-op Funeralcare (coop.co.uk)

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Expert claims:- "Councils are not prepared for surge in demand for home EV charge point installation!"

IN another blow for the Government's EV ambitions, concerns are growing over Local Councils' ability to enable electric vehicle (EV) charging in millions of UK homes. This is particularly worrying as demand for EV home charging soars in the wake of public charging points being closed down.

According to data researched by MyBuilder.com, a platform that matches reliable tradespeople to homeowners, search demand for installation of EV home chargers has gone through the roof in the past 12 months.

As demand grows, so too do the amount of requests from people who do not have garages or driveways. This is an issue as without those facilities, permission from local authorities needs to be sought to run the necessary cables across pavements. The level of requests is likely to lead to long wait times for a decision as Councils are overwhelmed, and in some instances, permission will not be granted.

Search data provided by MyBuilder.com shows there has been a 156% increase year on year in searches for:- 'EV home charger installers' with a 200% jump in the last 3 months alone. There has also been a dramatic increase in searches about the cost and functionality of home charging points - proving that more people are considering purchasing EVs and charging them at home.

Increases in search demand include:-

• 120% increase year on year in searches for:- 'cost of installing EV charger at home'
   

• This grows to a 200% increase in the last 3 months.
   

• 180% increase year on year in searches for:- 'fastest home charger.'
   

• 143% increase year on year in searches for:- 'best EV home charger.'

While on the surface this seems a positive trend; bearing in mind the Government's aim to roll out EVs across the board by 2035; the problem is that a whopping 3rd of UK homes do not have driveways or garages that enable straightforward installation; that equals over 7 million properties.

Up until now, many EV owners were higher wage earners, who often owned homes with private driveways or garages. As EV ownership becomes more diverse, there has been a dramatic increase in people who want EV home charge points, but lack the facilities to make that a simple process.

Electrician Jonathan Steed, who works with MyBuilder.com, agreed that requests for EV home charge points have become far more frequent in recent months. "We've seen a significant rise in these jobs coming in. Many are still from people with driveways, but increasingly we are seeing requests from homeowners who don't have such convenient facilities. While it's still absolutely possible to install EV home chargers in properties without driveways - or even allocated parking; it does make the process more difficult, involving applications and permissions from Local Councils to run cables over pavements. I have been in discussion with our Local Council about this as there are concerns that Local Councils are just not prepared for the issues that the influx of these requests will cause as EV ownership grows. It's a problem we have seen coming for a while yet... But it doesn't seem to have sunk in yet."

While this is concerning, it is still possible for EV owners with no driveways to get chargers installed. The process involves:-

• Identifying the specification of charger needed for your vehicle.
   

• Find an installer (check that any you find are registered on the Government website as an approved installer).
   

• Contact Local Council building control to discuss suitability. The process of gaining permission can vary between local authorities, and not all requests are guaranteed to get permission. Visit your Local Authority website for more information.
   

• If permission is granted, inform the Council of the pending installation of the charger.
   

• Appoint an approved installer and work with them to choose a suitable charging point and correct cabling required to meet regulations.

Full details can be found at:- MyBuilder.Com.  Let us know your thoughts on this news topic... Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:-  Mastodon, Facebook or Twitter.