Pennod 6 Traed Lan

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-Death is the final act for us all.

-But for some,

-death is a way of life.

-A means of upholding a tradition,

-supporting a family...

-..and forging a business.

-Dealing with

-and handling uncomfortable issues...

-..with sympathy and a smile.

-Helping us

-depart this world with dignity.

-Let us escort you

-to the world beyond the curtain...

-..and the closed door.

-The world of the living

-among the dead.

-The world of Traed Lan.

-"This is the last thing

-they can do for their mother."

-Every death is a loss...

-..but the death of a mother

-is a loss beyond words...

-..especially when she's

-in the prime of her life.

-Knowing she was about to die...

-..Janet Carling

-set about arranging her own funeral.

-Hefin Williams, owner of OG Harries

-Pontyberem, is the undertaker.

-He feels it's his duty to fulfil

-the young mother's wishes.

-There's a traditional heart, as

-opposed to the asymmetrical heart.

-The family

-has commissioned jewellery...

-..with imprints of her fingerprints.

-It's a new thing -

-we introduced it three years ago.

-It's the departed's final touch...

-..so it's a very personal keepsake

-for the family.

-Natalie Powell uses pliable

-silver clay and rolls it out...

-..to create the shape...

-..before taking Janet's prints.

-To cater for

-the number of charms required...

-..Natalie will

-repeat this tender process 10 times.

-Primarily, I work with the living,

-but this has come about now...

-..where I'm taking prints

-of the deceased on a regular basis.

-Back at her workshop...

-..the silver will be heated

-and turned into pieces of jewellery.

-I enjoy making them...

-..and bringing them back to

-the families to treasure for ever.

-It was Janet's wish

-to have a white wicker coffin.

-Her children are decorating it.

-This is the last thing they can do

-for their mother. It's personal.

-They'll always remember this.

-It's nice seeing sisters

-decorate their mother's coffin.

-Gwilym, Cerdin and Rhys Price...

-..are undertakers

-in the Lampeter area of Ceredigion.

-Rhys has been in London broadening

-his horizons on work experience.

-It's the eve of

-his final day's work in the capital.

-It was Rhys's decision to gain

-work experience away from home.

-He's coped well with

-the intense nature of the job...

-..but the hustle and bustle

-still astounds him.

-By the time

-some people finish work...

-..others

-are starting their working day.

-It never stops. Night-time is noisy.

-It's a different world.

-I miss being with my family and

-the familiar routine of my job...

-..but I have to leave home in order

-to learn and observe other methods.

-It's given me new ideas.

-You don't fully appreciate

-what you have at home...

-..until you sample life elsewhere

-and then return to it.

-"I never would've seen

-a set-up like this at home."

-He's spent most

-of his month away with Cribbs...

-..London's largest

-independent undertakers.

-If you help Archie with the greys.

-We're out to Levertons' today.

-He's out there with the greys.

-Alright, mate.

-A horse-drawn hearse is usually

-hired on demand in Lampeter...

-..but to meet

-the high demand in London...

-..Cribbs have their own stables

-outside the city.

-Wrap it around once like that.

-Go like that

-and just wrap it around.

-Got you. Cheers, mate.

-We have horses back home...

-..but we're not up to this standard.

-It's a regular outing

-for these horses today.

-They are leading three funerals...

-..along with the rest

-of the company's horses.

-They have around 15 horses here.

-Every horse

-is out more or less every day.

-They have three

-purpose-built lorries.

-You can't help but be impressed

-with everything here.

-I'm enjoying myself.

-One minute I'm dressing someone

-in the mortuary...

-..and the next, I'm driving a Jag

-or up here at the stables.

-There's so much variety here.

-I'd never see

-a set-up like this at home.

-Cribbs' headquarters

-are in east London.

-The lorry has arrived

-and the hearse is being prepared.

-Rhys has also arrived

-to continue the all-important work.

-I might have more of a role

-than this to play at home...

-..but my approach is still the same

-- I still have to be responsible.

-It's good.

-I enjoy working with horses.

-They're dignified creatures.

-I like the procession and the noise.

-They're beyond compare.

-Here we are.

-The young 20-year-old's

-final funeral in London.

-Is he tempted by the city?

-Is he tempted by the city?

-

-I've enjoyed my time here...

-..and I've picked up

-a lot of new ideas...

-..but I'm better suited to

-life in the country than the city.

-My heart's at home

-and that's where I enjoy being.

-In Lleyn, Ifan Hughes and

-his daughter Nia are undertakers...

-..among other things.

-"Repairing lorries is my job.

-Then I bought a hearse."

-In Llanaelhaearn,

-Ifan's working day...

-..begins bright and early

-with a milk round and a paper round.

-I try to set off somewhere

-around 4.30am. I get up at 4.15am.

-By the time I've finished

-the milk and paper rounds...

-..it's around 7.00am-7.30am.

-That's a good start to the day.

-There used to be

-a newsagent's in the village...

-..but it closed down,

-so I took over the newspapers...

-..to keep the place alive...

-..and to keep in contact

-with the residents.

-Hello. Here you go. A red one.

-Great. Thank you. Bye.

-It's a long day

-but I enjoy every minute of it.

-After delivering the milk and

-papers, he begins repairing lorries.

-Every opportunity I get,

-I'm in the garage.

-I'm at my happiest there.

-Repairing lorries is my job.

-Main beam. Dip.

-Then I bought a hearse.

-I've always wanted a hearse.

-I used to hire out the hearse,

-and my services...

-..to different undertakers.

-When those businesses ceased, that's

-when I became an undertaker myself.

-Ifan has almost 15 years experience

-as a funeral director...

-..aided by his daughter Nia.

-We wash the bodies, if required...

-..and dress those

-whose relatives ask us to do so.

-We hire the services of an embalmer,

-who comes to us, if required.

-We check

-and double check everything.

-It's important things go smoothly

-and perfectly for the family.

-Funeral duty is much lighter work.

-Everything to do with lorries

-is heavy.

-It's become

-the focus of our business.

-I'd like to do more funerals. I'm

-getting older and it's lighter work.

-It's important

-in a small community...

-..that we're here

-for those who need us.

-For all kinds of things -

-milk, newspapers...

-..vehicle repairs and burials!

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-In Carmarthenshire,

-a disciple of Hare Krishna...

-..is about to lead

-his first funeral service.

-"The person isn't dead,

-he's moved on to something else."

-My name's Steve Phillips.

-I come from Glanamman

-in the Amman Valley.

-I'm now a Hare Krishna devotee.

-I can remember being in the shower

-and thinking to myself...

-..'What's out there?

-What are we doing here?'

-Two weeks later

-I was in a Hare Krishna temple.

-A friend of his has died.

-Steve has offered to lead a service

-in the crematorium.

-I spent two years at the temple.

-But now I'm required

-to lead a funeral service.

-I'm performing the duties

-of a minister...

-..but I want to do it differently.

-I lost my father when I was 13.

-Nobody ever explained to me

-what happens after this life.

-The person isn't dead,

-he's moved on to something else.

-I want to help people...

-..get an idea of that.

-During the three days

-leading up to the funeral...

-..Steve will contemplate how

-he's going to fulfil his intention.

-It was windy and wet

-the day of Janet Carling's funeral.

-It was a gloomy day in all respects.

-The funeral has to go ahead,

-regardless of the weather.

-We're lucky

-it's a cremation not a burial.

-That helps us.

-As the young mother is carried

-to her final resting place...

-..her husband

-gets his first glimpse...

-..of the jewellery

-with her fingerprints.

-That is super special.

-That's fantastic.

-Though the jewellery is the family's

-idea, the funeral arrangements...

-..have been orchestrated

-by Janet herself.

-"It's the first time I've seen

-pall-bearers wearing fur coats."

-It's difficult for the family

-when a relative dies.

-Lots of people

-don't know where to start.

-When the deceased

-arranges his/her own funeral...

-..as meticulously as Janet...

-..it's a big help for the family.

-It's the first time I've seen

-pall-bearers wearing fur coats.

-That'll stay in my mind

-for a long time to come.

-May I thank you for all the sympathy

-you've shown the family...

-..Ian, Fern and Fay...

-..during their recent bereavement.

-It's been of comfort to them.

-For her immediate family, the final

-farewell is the most poignant.

-Everybody is touched when Janet's

-own voice echoes through the chapel.

-GENTLE SOLO

-Every funeral is sad...

-..but today's funeral

-was particularly sad...

-..because the deceased was so young.

-SINGS IN SPANISH

-The funeral went well.

-It was exactly

-as Janet had planned.

-That gives me personal satisfaction.

-"What the caterpillar

-perceives as the end...

-"..to the butterfly,

-it's purely the beginning."

-Let me show you around the chapel.

-Let me show you around the chapel.

-

-Brilliant. Thank you.

-The big day

-has arrived for Steve Phillips.

-He will experience the tension

-between pride and duty...

-..that's an integral part

-of every funeral.

-I'm a little nervous now,

-to be honest.

-I'm excited too...

-..because I'm close

-to Julie and the family.

-I knew them for a while

-before Keith's death.

-I think everything will be OK. At

-least I hope, with God's blessing.

-HE CHANTS

-The funeral procession arrives...

-..and the moving memorial service

-is completely in his hands.

-There's a popular Buddhist saying.

-What the caterpillar

-perceives as the end...

-..to the butterfly,

-it's purely the beginning.

-It sounds comical, really...

-..to say

-that a funeral went well...

-..but the family was happy, everyone

-said it was a lovely service.

-Some said,

-"The best service I've ever seen."

-Hare Krishna.

-Krishna, Krishna.

-Hare, Hare.

-Hare Rama.

-"I don't like having time off work."

-In the Gwendraeth Valley, picking up

-the children from school...

-..prepares Hefin

-for an unusual occurrence...

-..if he finishes everything in time.

-I'm finishing off the paperwork

-because we're going on holiday.

-It's our first holiday...

-..for a number of years.

-I'm making sure everything's

-in order and all the bills are paid.

-It'll be nice to get away.

-We haven't gone away for a while.

-It'll be interesting with two.

-I don't like having time off work...

-..but I can't let

-the wife and children go alone.

-I have to go.

-Are you OK?

-For most,

-a holiday means a respite...

-..from the demands

-of everyday life...

-..but that's not the case for Hefin.

-My phone will still be on 24/7...

-..because if there's any problem,

-I'm on the other end of the phone.

-Because it's his own business,

-he can't switch off. He never has.

-Aaah!!

-Is there a bogeyman in there?

-Is there a bogeyman in there?

-

-Jack in the box!

-I have to look forward because

-there's more to life than work.

-Alright, then.

-We're ready to go now, Mami.

-We're ready to go.

-"I'm very proud

-of my grandson today."

-Back at the Prices' in Lampeter...

-..it's a big day for Rhys,

-the youngest member of the business.

-Gwilym usually accompanies the

-driver of a horse-drawn hearse...

-..but today, for the first time,

-Rhys has the privilege.

-Have you got your gloves and hat?

-Have you got your gloves and hat?

-

-Yes.

-I think it's an honour

-to do a funeral like this.

-You worry more about it

-because it's out of the ordinary...

-..but I'm glad I'm doing it

-and I'll be glad when it's over.

-It'll be an eye opener for Rhys...

-..to lead

-a horse-drawn carriage today.

-OK, Rhys?

-Take the trolley away.

-For Rhys, the third generation

-in the business...

-..today's a sign that he's

-one step closer to taking the reins.

-But his father Cerdin

-is reluctant to step aside just yet.

-Put the flowers the right way.

-They're upside down.

-That's it.

-I still need to tell him

-these things, you see.

-On the outskirts of Llanddewi-Brefi,

-the horse-drawn hearse awaits.

-Push it forwards.

-There you go. Good.

-With the wicker coffin

-safely in the hearse...

-..father and grandfather

-are bursting with pride...

-..as Rhys

-prepares to take the reins.

-He's taken on the responsibility.

-Gwilym used to lead the horse-drawn

-hearse but Rhys is more agile.

-It gives Gwilym a chance

-to relax a bit more.

-Seeing my grandson do

-what I did many moons ago.

-I'm proud of the fact

-he's been privileged to do it.

-It's Rhys's first time

-with his top hat, see.

-Right, you come back with me.

-Back with me, back with me.

-Good. Down.

-On the day of the funeral, the

-undertaker has a big responsibility.

-Today, his father and grandfather

-have supported him.

-Some day Rhys will

-shoulder the responsibility himself.

-Rhys? Tell him to wait by the gate.

-He's fetching the little children.

-Alright then, we'll go quietly.

-It all went well.

-There were no problems.

-We're fortunate

-in this part of the world...

-..that everybody pulls together.

-It's all about teamwork.

-We'll go gently together.

-Wonderful.

-I thought it was very dignified.

-I'm happy.

-Now it's windy,

-we'll be glad to have a cup of tea.

-That's his first funeral

-with a horse-drawn hearse.

-Once I've crossed Jordan,

-he'll know what to do!

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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