Ceremonies with more creativity and individuality
These days many people don’t worry so much about how things have traditionally been done. They want to be more creative as they put together their loved one’s funeral. We are keen to assist, suggest and enable ideas which encourage the individuality of a funeral.
But we don’t like binary choices: there doesn’t have to be a black and white choice between traditional and alternative ceremonies. Each funeral we provide is unique and can have elements of both the traditional and the alternative.
We work with you to create the ceremony that is right for your loved one.
See below for some suggestions for alternative funerals and also for information on GREEN FUNERALS and BURIALS AT SEA.
What is an ‘alternative funeral’? Here are some ‘alternative’ ideas:
Coffin: rather than a solid oak or wood veneer coffin you could choose a woven coffin, made of willow, bamboo or pandanus. Or a cardboard coffin which can be plain or decorated by members of the family. Professionally printed coffins are now widely available which can depict countless themes and styles.
Transporting the coffin: You can eschew a motor hearse in favour of a Victorian glass sided, horse drawn hearse or one of the many alternatives now available: a VW Campervan hearse; a motorcyle hearse or hearses based on a landrover or even a tank. We once conducted a funeral where the deceased had left a request that his coffin be taken to the crematorium in his 2CV.
Carrying the coffin: rather than have our pallbearers carry the coffin, why not arrange for family members to carry?
Funeral ceremony: Traditionally most funerals in England up until fairly recently would have been conducted by a member of the clergy from the Church of England. These days most people don’t go to church and so don’t turn to the church for funerals. There are many non-religious and humanist funeral celebrants who can officiate at the ceremony. Alternatively, it is not unusual for members of the family to conduct the service themselves.
Music: a favourite tune can be more evocative and moving than any words. Many crematoria and cemetery chapels now use the Wesley Music System (www.wesleymedia.co.uk) which means hundreds of thousands of music recordings are available. Or why not have live music? Professional musicians can be hired: organists, choirs, soloists, ensembles, cellists, guitarists, jazz bands, pipers – anything is possible.
The order in which things happen: Most funerals these days take place at one venue, e.g the crematorium or cemetery chapel. But traditionally the funeral ceremony would often take place in a church and then there would be a brief committal ceremony at the graveside or at the crematorium. These days, if the main service and the committal are at different locations, it is not unusual for the committal ceremony to take place first (perhaps attended by just the immediate family) and then for a Memorial Service or Service of Thanksgiving to be held afterwards. This can be on the same day or at a later date. It can be held in any suitable venue or even outdoors.
Sometimes the main ceremony takes place with the coffin present and then, at the end of the service, the mourners retire to the reception while we take the coffin on to an unattended committal. The advantage of this is that there is no awkward delay while the mourners stand at the reception waiting for the immediate family to return from the crematorium.
Many people are rightly concerned about the environment today. As founder members of the Association of Green Funeral Directors, we share that concern and so are keen to accommodate any environmentally-friendly elements to our funerals that might be requested by our clients.
One example of putting our concern for the environment into practice is to offer a simple, plain cardboard coffin, priced from £229. Other ecologically-sound options in our range are the Bamboo, Willow and Pandan Eco Coffins. Even if a family preferred to opt for a traditional coffin for cremation, we would always encourage them to choose something simple like the ‘Sussex’ coffin; we can see no sense in using a solid wood coffin for cremation.
If burial is preferred, there is the option in this part of East Sussex of laying a loved-one to rest in the Natural Burial Area at Hastings Borough Cemetery. This is specially set aside for environmentally-friendly or 'green' funerals. This part of the Cemetery is designed to be a natural woodland area which will not be laid out in a formal manner with graves marked by headstones. The following is a quote from Hastings Borough Council’s booklet entitled 'Natural Burial in Hastings Cemetery - A Return To Nature':-
"Hastings Borough Council shares the concern of many people at the loss of trees and the variety of threats to wildlife and also appreciates that burial facilities can be designed to offer many benefits to both whilst offering a greater choice for bereaved.
The Natural Burial Section of Hastings Cemetery offers a resting place for those who would like to be buried with native trees and shrubs and among birds and wild flowers. In other words a 'return to nature'.
The Natural Burial graves are located at the North East end of the Cemetery on The Ridge, Hastings, with grave spaces available to provide a natural form of burial for many years hence. The burial ground is bordered on 2 sides by established trees and sets of graves are located around a group of native shrubs surrounding a deciduous tree giving a permanent semi woodland ambience to this natural area.
The graves have been accurately recorded on plans, each grave being numbered to enable location in the subsequent natural undergrowth. All graves can be excavated to a double depth and arrangements exist for the reservation of an adjoining plot for those who wish to be buried beside other family members.
In order to ensure that the Natural Burial area remains as natural as possible in every respect, only bio-degradable coffins will be permitted. These can include cardboard coffins subject to their being capable of conveying the body decently to the graveside and being lowered into the grave.
After each funeral sufficient time must be permitted to allow soil settlement. After that time grass together with wildflower seeds will be sown at a reasonable time of year.”
Woodland burials tend to be cheaper than a traditional burial, for two reasons: firstly, the coffin is very simple and, secondly, you are not obliged to purchase the burial rights to the plot (normally £453) as the rights ascribed to the graves can be held by the Cemetery Authorities.
We are happy to advise on all aspects of choosing a green funeral.
Our commitment to the environment goes further: in our range of traditional coffins we will no longer offer solid mahogany or mahogany veneer coffins. We have sought, and received, assurances from our suppliers that the hardwood used in our oak veneer and solid oak coffins comes from a properly-managed forestry source. As founder members of the Association of Green Funeral Directors we pledge to abide by the Association’s Code of Practice which states:
The Association expects its members to always aim for the highest level of service possible, both personal and practical. This includes providing clear pricing information, empowering each bereaved family to arrange a funeral which meets their individual needs, and allowing them to have as much involvement as they want.
Members also make the following pledges:-
On Embalming: Not to carry out embalming as a routine procedure, but instead to give an accurate and clear explanation of the procedure to the bereaved and only carry out the procedure at the direct request of the bereaved or as a regulatory requirement. Not to refer to the procedure as 'hygienic treatment', which has the effect of persuading families that embalming is at least desirable, if not essential. Members should refer to the leaflet on embalming produced by the AGFD.
On Literature and Other Information provided to the general public: To ensure that they have literature available, and information on their website (if they have one) that gives eco-friendly options for funerals at least equal prominence to traditional choices.
On Coffins: That a range of environmentally-friendly coffins is made available to all customers. That all staff who have routine contact with the public understand what characteristics make a particular coffin environmentally-friendly, e.g. made from recycled materials, constructed from FSC sources of timber, made from renewable sources, locally sourced, nested during transport (like Russian dolls) and/or has biodegradable fittings.
On Natural Burial: That all staff who have routine contact with the public have a good knowledge of at least the two closest natural burial grounds and are able to advise (prospective) customers about the regulations in force at those sites concerning: types of coffin accepted, tree planting policy, maintenance regime and long-term vision, prices, extent of grave marking/memorialisation allowed, whether ashes can be interred or scattered at the sites and whether the sites are members of the ANBG (Association of Natural Burial Grounds) and hence comply with their standards.
On Flowers: That all staff who have routine contact with the public have a good knowledge of environmentally-friendly options, especially those that avoid the use of non-recyclable materials and create funeral waste. These options should be given at least equal prominence to other flower options.
We are experienced in all aspects of arranging burials at sea. If this is something you wish for a loved one or that had been requested by them you can be assured that we understand the complicated government and legal requirements and are able to provide a complete service in committing someone to the deep.
There are currently only three positions around the coast of England where it is legal to bury a body at sea: off Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear; off The Needles on the Isle of Wight and off Newhaven, East Sussex. As we are based in East Sussex we carry out burials at sea in the specified location about eight miles off Newhaven.
We would arrange for the collection of the deceased and bringing them into our care. Family and friends may visit their loved one in the chapel of rest at whichever of our premises – in St Leonards-on-Sea, Bexhill-on-Sea or Battle - is most convenient for you.
We would arrange for the coffin to be prepared to the required specification for burial at sea.
We would meet with you to discuss all aspects of the arrangements and advise on costings. Please bear in mind that occasionally a pre-arranged date for the burial might be subject to postponement if the weather was such as to make a boat trip unsafe.
We would convey the coffin to Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne for lifting aboard our chosen vessel, which will have comfortable inside accommodation, outside seating and facilities. The voyage from Sovereign Harbour to the burial site and back to Sovereign Harbour is about 5 – 6 hours in total and during this time the family and mourners will be looked after and served food and refreshments. Up to nine guests can travel to the burial spot; this would include a minister if required, although the boat's skipper is well used to leading a short service and conducting the committal if no minister is present. If there are more than nine guests wishing to attend the burial then further boats can be arranged at an additional charge.
Whether traditional or alternative, each funeral is unique but there are several elements we are usually asked to provide.
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