When The Beatles released Eleanor Rigby in 1966, few of the 30-something women listening to the tale of the woman featured in the song's title would have envisaged sharing her fate: "Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name. Nobody came."
Sadly, 43 years on, there is evidence that an increasing number of women are facing a similar destiny, a funeral devoid of any attendees.

With the continuing breakdown of the traditional family unit, more and more elderly people are facing lonely lives. In 1961, 12% of the population lived alone, representing 1.9 million households. By 2005 this had risen to 29% of the population, accounting for 7 million households, and now nearly half of the one-person households are pensioner-only households. Over three quarters of women living alone are aged 65 and over.

Anyone who is thinking of purchasing a funeral plan - used to pay for their funeral in advance and which, upon death, reduces the financial impact on their family - has an opportunity to save some money by acting now, following an announcement by one of the funeral industry's leading companies, Golden Charter (www.golden-charter.co.uk).

Golden Charter, Britain's leading independent funeral plan provider, has awarded South Shields funeral director, Peter Kerrigan of Tynedale Funeral Service the prestigious ‘National Funeral Planner of the Year Award' as well as the North of England Funeral Planner of the Year regional award, for his company's dedication and commitment in providing an outstanding service to the community.