Cremation

Before the cremation service can go ahead you will need to provide various documentation and we are on hand to assist you with all of these arrangements and help you fill in the paperwork.

The Cremation service

The cremation service can be religious or non-religious or you may choose to have no service at all. The duration of the service varies between crematoria but is usually 30 minutes in chapel. If you feel you will need a longer period of time, it is possible to book the following service time for an additional charge.

If you prefer, you can hold a service in a church or other suitable venue, followed by a ceremony at the crematorium. You can arrange for your own minister to carry out the service or your funeral director can help you find a suitable person.

The Committal

The end of the service is known as the committal. During the committal the coffin is usually lowered from view or curtains are drawn around it. Or you may prefer the coffin to remain on view until everyone has left. When the service is over, we are on hand to lead close family out of the chapel, followed by the other mourners. You will have an opportunity to look at the floral tributes and the family will have time to thank people for coming.

The cremation will always take place on the same day as the service, usually within a few hours. The nameplate is checked, an identity card is then attached to the cremator where the coffin is placed and is kept with the ashes until they leave the crematorium. The coffin is always cremated with the body in accordance with the Cremation Code of Practice. The code also requires that nothing is removed from the coffin after it has been received from the chapel and that it must be placed in the cremator exactly as received.

After the Service

Once the cremation service has taken place we are on hand to go through the options available for you to lay the ashes to rest and choose a memorial for the person who has died. The cremated remains may be scattered in a crematorium garden of remembrance, a tranquil garden setting designed for quiet thought and reflection. Or you may prefer the ashes to be laid to rest in a churchyard or cemetary where a memorial stone can be placed. Other options include fireworks, paperweights and jewellery made from the ashes. Please ask us for further information.