Below you will find information, advice and support as your VCSE organisation decides how to respond in the period of National Mourning following the death of Her Majesty. Overall, the Cabinet Office has confirmed that “There is no expectation on the public or organisations to observe specific behaviours during the mourning period” and each organisation will have to make decisions about what feels most appropriate to them.
We will continue to update this document as new resources are identified. Please get in touch if you have anything to contribute, or if you have a particular issue you would like support to address.
Key Resources:
NCVO guide to what charities need to know during the period of National Mourning
Official National Mourning Guidance by the Cabinet Office
Charity Comms: Dealing with news that shakes the world
Crowd Sourced Guide for Communications relating to the Death of Her Majesty
Resources about grief and bereavement from National Youth Agency
Arts Council Guide about high profile deaths
Public Sector Guidance for period of National Mourning
Operation London Bridge: What to expect
Communication Channels
VCSE organisations may wish to acknowledge Her Majesty’s death on their social media accounts and/or website. Etiquette is to use black backgrounds or edging. You may want to share a message relevant to your work. For example, if your organisation is supported by a Royal patronage, or if Her Majesty had a particular interest in the issues you support. Your communications should aim to be respectful and honest, human and empathetic.
Organisations may choose to amend their planned social media content for the period of National Mourning. For some organisations, this may involve reducing content which is not time-sensitive. For others, increased content may be appropriate. Organisations should be guided by their audience and what feels appropriate.
Scheduled Events
According to Official Guidance, “There is no obligation to cancel or postpone events and sporting fixtures…during the National Mourning period….. As a mark of respect, organisations might wish to consider cancelling or postponing events or closing
venues on the day of the State Funeral. They are under no obligation to do so and this is entirely at the discretion of individual organisations”.
Organisations will need to make decisions on a case-by-case basis, considering the date of the scheduled event, and the potential impacts of both going ahead and cancelling. You should consider the implications on financial resources, staff and volunteer morale, participant/audience morale, organisational reputation and so on.
The Association of Event Organisers has a range of useful tips and templates whatever you decide, including wording you can use to inform your audiences if events are going ahead or if they are cancelled. You can follow this link to see the AEO’s guidance about Operation London Bridge.
Supporting Staff, Volunteers & Community Members
There are a number of reasons why your staff, volunteers and community members may find the Queen’s death, and the coverage surrounding it, particularly difficult. The death itself may be upsetting for some. For others, this loss may reignite grief from other, more personal losses, particularly for anyone already experiencing bereavement and loss in their own family. You can asignpost people to support from mental health, bereavement and loneliness charities and services. Direct staff to your employee support service, if you have one. Follow this link for a collection of resources about grief and bereavement. Children may find it particularly upsetting. Follow this link for a resource about how to talk to children about this event. You can follow this link for a guide to supporting children with the death of a well-known person.
You may also want to consider the impact that this focus on the Royal Family may have on colleagues or community members who have experienced colonialism. Have an awareness, particularly in a multicultural environment, that not everyone considered Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to be their queen. It may be helpful to distinguish between the life of a fellow human being and an institution which is polarising and controversial for many. Follow this link for an example of one organisation’s approach to this on Twitter.
Business Continuity & the impact on VCSE activity
While we are all now in a period of National Mourning, community activities and services cannot be put on hold. VCSE organisations may find themselves splitting their focus between business continuity, keeping community services and supports going, and the period of National Mourning, which will impact public sector organisations in different ways. This is a particularly difficult situation given the current cost of living and fuel prices crisis, where government action is likely now to slow for the next week.
The public sector (central government, local councils, NHSE) are likely to cancel meetings and events, and individuals will be pulled out of their roles to contribute to implementing Operation London Bridge. National VCSE organisations are already reporting cancelled meetings with key government actors around the cost of living crisis, so campaigning and other plans will need to be rethought and relaunched after the Day of National Mourning.
Other things to consider
– Does your office have a flag? Lower it to half mast for the period of National Mourning
– Official guidance recommends that photographs of Her Majesty should remain displayed until further notice.
Images
Follow the following links for open source images you can use
Image shared on Her Majesty’s 90th birthday, available via this link
Click this link for a 2013 Open Source Image
Useful Quotes
“I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special” – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2016 Christmas Day address
Speaking about the charities where she has been a patron: “Many of these organisations are modest in size but inspire me with the work they do. From giving friendship and support to our veterans, the elderly or the bereaved; to championing music and dance; providing animal welfare; or protecting our fields and forests, their selfless devotion and generosity of spirit is an example to us all.” – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2016 Christmas Day address
“Families, friends and communities often find a source of courage rising up from within. Indeed, sadly, it seems that it is tragedy that often draws out the most and the best from the human spirit.” Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2011 Christmas Day address
“My family and I have been inspired by stories of people volunteering in their communities, helping those in need” Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2020 Christmas Day address
“The Queen has set an amazing example when it comes to her charitable support making an enormous difference to millions of people up and down the country; doing more for charity in the last 60 years than probably any other monarch in history” – John Low, former Chief Executive of CAF, speaking in 2012
