Tom Morton, broadcaster and author, has been conducting funerals in Shetland for many years now. His book, “It tolls for Thee” is a moving and inspiring autobiographical take on coming to face with his own mortality and although he’s retired from celebrancy because he’s been elected to the Shetland Islands Council, we still love him and the way that he does what he does.

Funerals in Shetland are a bit different from ones on the Scottish Mainland. For a start, there’s no crematorium there, so burials are still the only way to go. As he writes, “You need grip in a winter Shetland graveyard (the council has recently banned funereal access to it’s cemeteries after 1.00pm: too dark at this time of year), especially if you’re helping lower the coffin.”

You can read the rest of his article about appropriate attire on Substack.