Anthony Doran's headstone

In May 2022, a man called Anthony Doran died alone in his flat in Levenshulme, Manchester, aged 53. He was estranged from his family, and so a group of kind strangers came to his funeral on 9 August 2022.

At the time, I was a features writer working for The Mill, a journalism newsletter covering Greater Manchester. The celebrant conducting Anthony's service posted on Facebook asking for people to come, and I was so moved, that I decided to go.

Because he had no next of kin or friends to arrange his burial, Anthony's funeral was taken care of by the council, which is known as a welfare or public health funeral. This can also happen when a person does not have the funds for a private funeral.

In the end, I wrote an article (A death unseen) about my journey in trying to find out more about this man who had died with nobody to mourn him. His story was read by thousands of people, many of whom were deeply moved as I was. When it became apparent that there wouldn't be a headstone for Anthony, I knew I had to do something.

I want to get Tony a headstone with a simple inscription and a bouquet, which will cost £200, and I’m hoping to raise that money in the next few days. This fundraiser is so that Mill readers - or other members of our Manchester community - can honour Anthony's life. I have since gone freelance and am currently working in hospitality part-time, so any donations are greatly appreciated.

Sadly, though rare, there are other people like Anthony, who die without friends or relatives to attend their funerals: people move away, families become estranged, or people have already died. If you are unable to make a donation, please consider joining a group such as this one in Manchester to make a small difference to those who are embarking on their final journey.

Thank you so much for reading. If you have any questions about this fundraiser, please email me at [email redacted].