To wish people would donate to charity rather than laying flowers for the Queen

[Butterflyfluff]

I realise people want to ‘do’ something but laying flowers and teddies outside royal residences etc is such a complete waste of money

It wouldn’t matter what charity they donated to instead - it would be a far better way of ‘doing’ something

Except then it’s virtue signalling that gives them an opportunity to be with other people who are feeling the same way and see what’s going on. People are taking comfort from the obvious and visual outpouring of respect and love for our Queen. It’s more enjoyable and meaningful than a couple of minutes online doing a bank transfer. And it’s actually relevant to the major thing that’s just happened.

You say you don’t understand why people would choose to do it, but what makes you think you need to understand what other people are doing? Especially when they’re doing something that’s traditional. If you don’t understand, you don’t have to do it, but don’t try and make other people stop doing something that matters to them.

My point was why waste your money giving it to charity . Where most of money doesnt go to the charitable cause

Seems a waste I agree. I’d rather see a donation box outside the gates of the palace and a condolence book for people to sign. I guess people just want to do something visual.

”Most of the money doesn’t go to the charitable cause”? Pick a better charity, then. Don’t tar them all with the same brush.

I wonder what the solution could be...

Perhaps staff could be stationed at palace gates to ensure that no flowers are laid. They could provide the option to make a charitable donation in exchange for a token or badge (like the poppy appeal - so people who would to visibly acknowledge the occasion can do so)... The money collected could then be distributed to good causes, perhaps it could be called 'the Queen Elizabeth memorial fund'.

Anyway. That's my two pence. I agree with your thoughts on waste and environmental impact... on the other hand, it's easy to forget that those bunches and all that plastic would have been thrown away anyway... it would be nice if this could be used as a catalyst for eco friendly, plastic free flower farming and marketing.

People can spend their money and show their respect however they like so in that sense YABU

But I totally agree that laying flowers is a waste of time, it's also a nightmare for public services to deal with and I'd personally much rather make a donation to one only her favourite charities.

I was wondering what they do with the flowers etc afterwards. On the City of London website it says that they take off the wrappers and dispose of them, then the flowers are composted and available for use on London parks and gardens. The cards and notes etc are dried, flattened and stored for history.

I don't think you can tell people how to grieve most efficiently. Personally I would prefer all burials to be in cardboard coffins with no markers at all above ground, so we would have lovely parks instead of ugly graveyards. But I accept that other people feel better about burying their loved ones in fancy coffins with statues and paving and silk flowers on top.

As a species we have developed customs to help us deal with death and loss, and these customs serve a purpose.

Agreed. So many people are unable to pay to heat their homes this winter, including lots of elderly people who haven't lived wealthy, privileged lives. And yet millions of pounds are being wasted on flowers wrapped in plastic and Padding bears. 🙄 🙄

I wish people would donate to charity rather than going on expensive holidays, but we all have our own priorities. You do you.

I do think it's a waste, especially when you take into account all the wrapping and teddies etc that are being left. And then they all have to be tidied up by someone else.

The debate about this has been rumbling on on various threads on here since the Queen died.
There's been one about people leaving jars of marmalade and sandwiches and cuddly Paddingtons too.

Generally every gets told they aren't allowed to tell people what to do and if they want to lay flowers they can. I don't care for the sea of flowers myself but there's no going back at this point. Too late to say 'no flowers please'. Although they've said no more sandwiches thankfully.

I agree 100%. Plus its so horribly wasteful and bad for the environment.

I can understand flowers for your loved ones but when a celebrity dies I hate the waste that occurs with flowers and teddies etc.

Surely in this day and age you could have a giant screen and people donate to chairty and get a message or flower image or what ever added to the screen. Still have 'something' but money goes to do some good.

Well florists and flower growers will be cleaning up won’t they, and I guess they need a boost right now.

When people moan about people spending money on ‘frivolity’ they forgot it goes into the pockets of people who own or work in the businesses.

Ideally they would have said to donate the cost of a bunch of flowers to one of the charities the Queen was patron of. However people will do what they want.

I thought everyone was meant to be watching their money at the moment?!
I saw a pile of flowers in the town centre local to me and wondered how much that pile cost. The royals won't see them. It will just rot until its all binned. Plus balloons etc.

It will just rot until its all binned.

See my post a bit further above. When they start to spoil, the flowers are composted after the cellophane is removed and the notes are stored.

Wouldn't it be lovely if lonely older people (or anyone isolated I suppose, but I'm thinking of older women like the queen) could be given a bunch of flowers each instead?

I did this. There's an elderly lady lives in our street, I only know her to say hello to, but she walks her little old dog same time every day, so I bought a bunch of flowers and gave them to her, told her it was in memory of the Queen. She was thrilled, and I felt happy knowing I'd done something nice.

She was thrilled, and I felt happy knowing I'd done something nice.

Was she not very puzzled as to why you were giving her flowers because the Queen has died?
I would have been!

Yeah, she was surprised but when I told her it was because I didn't want to just lay flowers but rather do something with them, she was really pleased.

On a more general point, given the advances that have been made in packaging (or not) of other items, why on earth are flowers still being wrapped in cellophane?

6 vNow when Jesus was at wBethany in the house of Simon the leper,1 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and xgiven to the poor.” 10 But yJesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For zyou always have the poor with you, but ayou will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it bto prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever cthis gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told din memory of her.”

On a more general point, given the advances that have been made in packaging (or not) of other items, why on earth are flowers still being wrapped in cellophane?

Did you know Cellophane was biodegradable. Lots of people seem to have missed that.

@MrsFezziwig

How do you know people haven't done both? I laid some flowers at one of the royal residences (without any plastic packaging - this had to be removed). I also donated to a charity this week. People can do as they please to commemorate.