Personal Goodbyes – Service, Care and Value for All

So much has changed in funeral service in recent years, there is rightfully a greater demand for more personalised service, care for the environment, and value for money. Direct unattended cremations have also increased, leading to online providers offering low cost services without an assurance of the overall care of the traditional funeral directors. We believe that everyone deserves service, care, and value, whatever the service required.

Therefore, at The Natural Burial Company we now have a range of services, ensuring Service, Care, Environmental Responsibility, and Value. We are calling this new range Personal Goodbyes.

Personal Goodbyes focus on the most important aspects of funeral service to ensure that everything is as it should be, without you having to pay for services that you don’t need. Whilst also knowing that you and your loved one are being cared for by dedicated, caring, professionals, who have the best interests of you and the environment at heart.

The Service provided is by experienced colleagues, passionate for doing the right thing. Nina and Christopher, two of our small but caring team, have nearly 70 years of experience in funeral service. Along with Cara who is relatively new to funeral service they provide truly personal care, whatever the style of service you require. Our services include meeting you in your own home if you wish, as we understand that this is where you are most comfortable. We also only conduct one full service a day, ensuring you have as much time as you wish to say goodbye. This also allows time for picnics in the summer and refreshments under cover at other times. Tea, Coffee, and Squash, is provided free of charge, and music via blue-tooth speakers can be arranged.

The document Saying a Personal Goodbye also provides ideas as to how a celebration of life or funeral service can be arranged in the most appropriate way.

As we understand that for a number of reasons you may wish to arrange a Cremation rather than a Natural Burial, Personal Goodbyes also offers cremation services, with three trees planted for each cremation conducted to counter the environmental damage of cremation.

Care for the deceased, the family, and the environment, is also paramount. We work with our partners to ensure the highest quality of care for the deceased. These partners are carefully chosen for their own service, experience, and the quality of their facilities.

We remain available to you at all times. This includes ensuring the continuity of the person making the arrangements with you being your point of contact throughout the arrangements, and being present on the day of the service. We believe that building this relationship and trust is essential. It is not right to suddenly be in the hands of a stranger on one of the most difficult days of your life.

Our Environmental Responsibility is taken extremely seriously as we do everything we can to care for nature. As mentioned above, we plant three trees (a minimum of 6.5 feet / 2 Metres in height, not whips as may be provided elsewhere) for each cremation conducted. All of our coffins, caskets, and shrouds are environmentally friendly and do not have plastic handles. All of our graves are prepared traditionally by hand. And whilst we use grass matting material to support the appearance of the grave, all of the materials used are recycled or repurposed.

Our Natural Burial Grounds are managed to ensure nature and biodiversity thrives. The planting of trees is the ultimate natural memorial as it provides a wonderful legacy for future generations, whilst also helping to protect the planet.

Finally, The Natural Burial Company believe that providing Value is essential. Yes, we are a business, but our focus is on helping the environment and those in time of need, not on profit or “shareholder value”. We would welcome any comparison regarding our prices, which are much lower than the averages you often read about in the media. We care deeply that we do the right thing, for the right reasons. This includes our pricing, with the cost of everything clearly explained.

We are proud of Personal Goodbyes and would welcome the opportunity to provide further information or send an information pack if you wish. You may contact us at any time by email or by telephone (0116) 222 0247.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Join us at our September Events

September is a busy month for The Natural Burial Company as we are attending a number of special events. And we invite everyone to join us at these events to learn more about environmentally friendly funeral services, and how we can support you and the environment.

Our Wrottesley Park Natural Burial Ground Community Gratitude Day on Saturday 13th September is an opportunity to meet with our team and learn all about beautiful Wrottesley Park. Refreshments, including cake, will be available, and free meadow flower seeds will be provided. Our team will even be able to help seed plots if you wish. The award winning sustainable florist Gate House Florals Gate House Florals: Shropshire Florist & Flower Farmer will also be present and will be demonstrating making a floral tribute. There is still space available for other green focussed community groups and companies. For further information please contact us at

On Saturday 20th September our team will be exhibiting at The National Space Centre, Leicester supporting The Good Funeral Awards. This year is the first occasion that the public can attend the exhibition which will also feature numerous other funeral service related companies and individuals. Further details of this prestigious events are available here Good Funeral Awards

The Natural Burial Company are proud to have been nominated for three awards at this event, Best Natural Burial Ground, Best Green Company, and the Lifetime Achievement Award for our Managing Director, Christopher Doggett.

The following day, Sunday 21st September, The Natural Burial Company will be present between 10.00am and 3.00pm at the Charnwood Sustainability Fair at Queens Park, Loughborough Charnwood Sustainability Fair – Charnwood Eco Hub This promises to be a fantastic event, highlighting green initiatives and fostering community collaboration, with entertainment, workshops, and a diverse range of local sustainable small businesses selling products and gifts.

Whilst our team would love to meet you at any of these events, please remember that if you are unable to attend, we are available at all times for support, advice, or to meet you at one of our natural burial grounds. We can be contacted on (0116) 222 0247 or by email

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Triple Finalists in The Good Funeral Awards

The Natural Burial Company are proud to announce that we have been selected as finalists in three categories at the prestigious Good Funeral Awards, organised by The Association of Green Funeral Directors.

Our natural burial grounds at Prestwold (Loughborough), Scraptoft (Leicester), and Wrottesley Park (Wolverhampton), have jointly been selected in the Best Natural Burial Ground of the Year category.

We have further been selected in the Green Company of the Year category.

Our Managing Director, Christopher Doggett, has been selected in the Lifetime Achievement Award category.

We are dedicated to providing the best possible service we can to the bereaved and the environment, and feel humbled to have reached the final at all, let alone in three categories.

May we also offer our congratulations to the other finalists, there are so many truly excellent companies and individuals within funeral and bereavement services. We look forward to seeing you all at the final at The National Space Centre in Leicester on Saturday 20th September.

Further information regarding The Good Funeral Awards and how to get tickets for the exhibition and the finals evening are available here Good Funeral Awards Further information regarding The Association of Green Funeral Directors is available here Home

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Direct Cremation, we can help

Direct Cremation is becoming an increasingly popular funeral service option. Such a service is low in cost, is simple, and allows the option of a celebration of life or memorial service at a later date.

However, there are many concerns regarding such services. Some online services are impersonal, you have no knowledge who is caring for your loved one, and you may not get the chance to say a proper goodbye. Accordingly, we always recommend that you use a funeral director who you know and trust. Most funeral directors now provide a direct (unattended) service.

The Natural Burial Company can also provide this service for you. As a company dedicated to caring for the environment we have concerns regarding cremation. However, we appreciate that for many reasons you may wish for a cremation, so we help to mitigate environmental damage by planting three trees for each cremation we arrange. These trees are a minimum 2 metres in height, not whips, and are planted at our natural burial grounds to help provide a beautiful place to visit and remember. Whilst also encouraging nature and ensuring a natural legacy. All services are arranged and conducted by our own dedicated team, and respect and care is of the highest standard, exactly the same as our Family Led Services.

After the direct unattended cremation we then arrange a Celebration of Life, Memorial, or Traditional Funeral Service, for the interment of the cremated remains on a day and time of your choosing. Ensuring that you, family, and friends, are able to say goodbye in your own, personal, way. This interment can include an officiant, music, and even a picnic if you wish. There are also no time constraints.

Whilst caring for you, your loved one, and the environment, we also ensure that our Direct (unattended) Cremation Service with Natural Interment of Cremated Remains is extremely cost effective. This fully inclusive service includes local Removal into our Care, a Jute or Cardboard Coffin, a Gown or Dressing in Own Clothes, and Care in Hygienic Conditions until the day of the Cremation. A Direct Unattended Cremation. An Interment Service at the Natural Burial Ground, Three Trees, and a Slate Memorial Plaque. The total cost of all of the above is £1,995. You can also arrange a Celebrant, Bamboo or Willow Cremated Remains Casket, and Shelter and Chairs for additional cost if you wish.

Further information is available here Direct-Cremation-with-Natural-Interment-of-Cremated-Remains-May-2024.pdf or by contacting our team directly on (0116) 222 0247 or

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Opening Your Own Natural Burial Ground

The Natural Burial Company are continuing to look to open new natural burial grounds throughout the UK. Our passion is to help provide personal, environmentally friendly services to all. Ensuring a beautiful place for future generations to visit and remember, and to provide a natural legacy.

Therefore, we are looking for appropriate opportunities to offer this most personal and green way to say goodbye to loved ones. Maybe you are a landowner, farmer, or funeral director who has been considering this? Or do you already operate your own natural burial ground and are looking for support or to retire? If so, please contact us and we can discuss the possibility of working together to help nature and the community.

If you would like further information, or to arrange a meeting, please contact Christopher Doggett, our Managing Director, at And please be assured that all information will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Learning about Green Funerals

We understand that many people would like to know more about green funerals but may find it difficult to find information. Therefore, we offer various options to help the public, community groups, and funeral service professionals to be more aware of how a goodbye can be as environmentally friendly as possible.

You can arrange to meet a member of our team at one of our natural burial grounds at any time, we can also visit you.

Community Groups

We can visit your community group and conduct presentations on Making a funeral greener, Cost-effective Funeral Services, or Natural Burial. The presentation can be general or can include the services provided by The Natural Burial Company. The presentation will finish with a question and answer session and information will be available to take away.

Alternatively, groups can visit our natural burial grounds for a tour and explanation of natural burial, what we offer, and how all funerals can be greener.

Funeral Service Professionals

Celebrants, funeral directors and arrangers, florists, end of life doulas and anyone involved in bereavement and funeral services is welcome to arrange to visit our burial grounds. We can also visit branches and offices to provide information to help professionals be better equipped to help support clients and the general public regarding green funerals.

The General Public

Everyone is welcome to contact us at any time for further information. You can phone on (0116) 222 0247 or email and we can send information by email or post.

A personal visit to a natural burial ground is often the best option if you are able, this allows the greatest understanding of natural burial and how we encourage nature and ensure a natural legacy for all in our care.

Our team are here to help everyone to make the right choices for themselves, their loved ones, and the environment.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Supporting Green Funerals

The Natural Burial Company have been working with our friends at The Association of Green Funeral Directors Home (greenfd.org.uk) to create a film to help improve awareness of green and environmentally friendly funeral services.

As we all become more environmentally aware, ensuring that caring for nature is also achieved when arranging a final goodbye to a loved one is ever more important. We can all rest with nature in a beautiful meadow or woodland, thus, leaving a natural legacy and ensuring a tranquil place to visit and remember.

This film is one of a series that are being produced to help explain the options available at time of need. Natural burial, environmentally friendly coffins and caskets, electric funeral vehicles, and floral tributes without using plastic or florist foam are just some of the ways in which a service can be personal and environmentally friendly. Full and Associate Members of The Association of Green Funeral Directors are all dedicated to caring for the bereaved, whilst caring for the environment and are available to provide such services and support.

This film, once completed, will be available on The Association of Green Funeral Directors website and on various social media channels. Links will be provided as soon as they are available.

Caring for the bereaved and the environment is key to everything we do at The Natural Burial Company. A complete range of natural burial services, including full funerals, celebrations of life, and direct cremations with natural interment of cremated remains can be arranged. Further details are available by contacting our team on (0116) 222 0247, emailing or visiting Homepage – Direct Natural Funerals (funeralsdirect.co.uk)

Natural burials and green funerals can be arranged throughout the country. Members of the Association of Green Funeral Directors, and other caring funeral directors would also be able to help provide information and services to help.

As well as The Association of Green Funeral Directors we would also like to thank Amy Perkins Celebrant Facebook Chris Meynell Family Funeral Directors Funeral Directors – Syston | Chris Meynell & Family Funeral Directors (meynellfunerals.co.uk) Ecoffins Ecoffins | Handcrafted, Enviromentally Friendly Coffins Prestwold Hall Leicestershire Stately Home – Weddings, Celebrations & Corporate Events (prestwold-hall.com) and Alan Barnacle Gravediggers.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Saying Goodbye Should Not Cost The Earth

You may have seen the recent SunLife Cost of Dying 2024 Report*, this provides a breakdown of average costs for funerals, including direct cremations and direct burials, nationwide.

At The Natural Burial Company we are concerned at these findings. Our ethos is simple, Care for the Environment, Care for the Bereaved, and Fighting Funeral Poverty. Accordingly whilst not only ensuring we provide environmentally friendly funerals to encourage nature and leave a natural legacy, we also ensure our pricing is fair and provides excellent value for money.

The SunLife survey states that the average cost of a “basic funeral” which includes a limousine and a midrange coffin is £4,141. A rise of 4.7% from the previous year.

The average cost listed by SunLife for a burial service is £5,077. For comparison a burial service provided by The Natural Burial Company, with a comparable coffin, new grave and interment fees (but no limousine) is £3,030 at our Prestwold and Scraptoft Natural Burial Grounds, and £3,200 at our Wrottesley Park Natural Burial Ground. Even adding the cost of an external celebrant (average £220) the Natural Burial Funeral Service costs £1,827 less than the average (£1,657 less at Wrottesley Park).

For Direct Burial the difference is even more stark, with the average cost listed by SunLife as £1,657 without third party fees such as the plot. The cost of the Natural Burial Company Direct Burial is £1,740, which includes the plot and all fees.

The cost listed for Direct Cremation is £1,498. This is below the Natural Burial Company cost. However, The Natural Burial Company charges include plot and interment fees, and the planting of 3 trees. The price is £1,750 with an unattended interment or £1,980 with a full graveside service/celebration of life, including tree planting.

We understand that money is tight for so many people and we want to do what we can to help at this most difficult of times. Accordingly, you are welcome to contact our team at any time on (0116) 222 0247 or by email

* sunlife.co.uk/siteassets/documents/cost-of-dying/sunlife-cost-of-dying-report-2024.pdf/

Further information regarding funeral services from The Natural Burial Company can be found here Homepage – Direct Natural Funerals (funeralsdirect.co.uk)

Prices correct as at 25th January 2024.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

A Celebration of Life

The ways in which we say goodbye to loved ones are becoming more personal. With a greater awareness of environmental issues, fewer religious services, and a greater desire for more personalised goodbyes, celebrations of life are growing in popularity. Full burial services, and natural interments of cremated remains after direct cremations are now regularly arranged.

At The Natural Burial Company our passion is to provide a totally personalised service to meet your needs, in line with our ethos of caring for the bereaved, the environment, and keeping prices low.

At each natural burial ground only one full burial a day is conducted, which allows as much time as you wish for the celebration or service. This time can be used for a picnic, listening to music, or simply spending time remembering your loved one. The Natural Burial Company can provide shelters, chairs, simple refreshments, and a quality Bluetooth speaker. We can also help to prepare the celebration or service, and act as master of ceremonies if you wish. A list of exceptional celebrants is also available to help conduct the service and we also work with all local ministers of religion and officiants. Key to everything, is ensuring that the goodbye is exactly as you wish it to be.

You do not have to have a traditional hearse and a discreet vehicle is used by most families. Although we are also able to provide Horse Drawn, Motorcycle, or other hearses. An Electric Hearse can also be supplied.

There are now a large selection of environmentally friendly coffins, caskets and shrouds available. From Cardboard to Bamboo, Willow, Banana Leaf and Pandanus. Likewise, Ashes Caskets are available in a large of beautiful environmentally friendly materials. Our supplier has the same ethics as us, and are a Guaranteed member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO).

Direct Cremation is becoming an increasingly popular option, allowing cost savings and for a celebration or service to be conducted at the natural burial ground on a day and time convenient to all who wish to attend. This could be on a special day such as an anniversary, or you can simply wait for warmer weather in order to allow a picnic if the death occurred in winter.

However you wish to celebrate the life of a loved one our team are here to help. We can provide advice, support and guidance to ensure everything is as you wish it to be. We can be contacted on (0116) 222 0247 or email

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Our New Natural Burial Ground, The Orchards at Prestwold

We are pleased to announce that our new natural burial ground, The Orchards at Prestwold, is now available for full burials and interments of cremated remains. Situated close to Loughborough, the natural burial ground is easily accessible from Charnwood, Leicester, Nottingham and throughout the Midlands. In fact, as there are no additional fees for non-residents anyone can purchase a plot at The Orchards.

This new natural burial ground is being lovingly developed to ensure a beautiful resting place, ensuring a natural legacy for those in its care, and a tranquil place to visit and remember. All burials will be conducted ensuring care for the environment, nature and biodiversity.

Trees are currently being planted to encourage wildlife and a sensory area is also being developed for nature and visitors alike. Burial plots may be selected in advance, and a tree planted for a natural legacy. Alternatively, meadow plots can also be chosen, ensuring beautiful views of the countryside.

The Orchards will ensure sufficient space is available for natural burial for decades to come, allowing plots to be selected and paid for many years in advance.

Full services can also be conducted at The Orchards, with Shelters, Chairs and music provided. The Natural Burial Company can also supply refreshments if required, or you can bring your own picnic to celebrate the life of your loved one. Only one service is conducted a day, so there are no time constraints.

For further information, or to arrange to visit The Orchards, please email info@thenaturalburialcompany or telephone us on (0116) 222 0247.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park