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Grieving relatives are being encouraged to write letters to loved ones they have lost following the installation of a special post box.
The Letters to Heaven post box has been placed in the memorial gardens at Isle of Wight Crematorium, near East Cowes.
Bereaved family and friends can post cards, letters and other messages into the white and gold box.
When emptied, the letters will be turned into compost to be used in the memorial gardens.
The post box was requested by Karen Lucioni, cabinet member for bereavement services at Isle of Wight Council, after her mother passed away.
Ms Lucioni hopes it will bring comfort to families in the lead-up to Christmas.
“The holidays are full of memories, traditions, and sensations associated with the person who has died, which can make the sense of loss feel greater,” she said.
“We all handle grief in our own way and for some the act of writing and posting a letter to a departed loved one will bring comfort.”
Every letter that is put into the memorial post box would be treated with the utmost respect and confidentiality, the council said.
“Writing letters is a beautiful and creative way to express our pain and keep a sense of them still being with us,” Ms Lucioni added.
“I’ll certainly be writing one to my dear mum this Christmas.”
The post box is not owned or serviced by Royal Mail, so no address or stamp is needed on any letters.
Nine-year-old Matilda from Nottinghamshire originally came up with the idea for the Letters to Heaven post boxes after telling her mum she wanted to write to her grandparents who had passed away.
The scheme has since been rolled out across the UK.
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