Tag: green burial

Nominations for The Good Funeral Awards, and Attending the Exhibition

The Good Funeral Awards, organised by the Association of Green Funeral Directors, is this year being held at the National Space Centre in Leicester on Saturday 20th September 2025. And for the first time the public are able to attend the exhibition. This exhibition will include funeral directors, natural burial grounds, celebrants, suppliers, and trade organisations. It’s a great way to learn about funeral service and get an understanding of green and environmentally friendly funerals, coffins, and services.

Tickets for the exhibition must be purchased in advance, these cost £5 which includes entry to the Space Centre. Further information and booking details can be found here GFA_Daytime_Entry_Exhibition_Tickets.pdf

The Natural Burial Company will be exhibiting on the day, we can’t yet confirm which members of our team will be present, but they will include Nina and Christopher.

We are also proud to announce that The Natural Burial Company have been nominated for several awards. And if we have provided services for you and you believe that we are worthy of a nomination you are very welcome to do so here Nomination/Voting Forms

We conduct the services in the manner that we do because we deeply care for the bereaved, the environment, and the community. So to know that we are helping to make a positive difference is truly humbling for us all.

Further information regarding The Association of Green Funeral Directors Home

Further information regarding The Good Funeral Awards Good Funeral Awards

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

The Answer is Yes…

At The Natural Burial Company we are dedicated to providing personalised, environmentally friendly services to support all within society. We see each individual arrangement as a blank canvas, and that we will help you to create a truly individual final goodbye to your loved one. Accordingly, the answer to so many questions asked of us is yes.

You can be involved in every aspect of the celebration or service, including helping prepare your loved one, personalising the coffin or casket, conducting the service on the day, carrying the coffin or casket, closing the grave, and all aspects of your goodbye. Music, readings, favourite stories, a toast at the graveside, or even a picnic. And, as we only conduct one service a day you do not have the time constraints there are at crematoria and traditional cemeteries.

We can visit you in your own home, meet at the natural burial ground, arrange everything by email or video call, and we have even arranged services in cafes and pubs. And whichever of our team you first meet will look after you throughout.

We offer an extensive range of coffins, caskets, and shrouds. All are environmentally friendly options and include Cardboard, Bamboo, Wicker, Wool, and even Mushroom.

A range of Hearse options are available, including Electric, VW Camper, Morris Minor, Motorcycle, and Land Rover. If your own vehicle has sufficient space you can even use your family car or van for the final journey.

And of course, the furry members of your family are welcome to attend. And if you let us know in advance we will make sure fresh water and treats are available.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can help in any way. Our team are ready with advice and support on all aspects of funeral service. And the answer to your questions will almost certainly be yes…

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Saying a Personal Goodbye

We understand the importance of ensuring that your final goodbye to a loved one is as personal and appropriate as possible.  For our Family Led Services we are here to help in every way that we can to make the service, be it a Celebration of Life, Memorial, or Traditional Funeral exactly as you wish for it to be.

Accordingly, we note below some ideas that you may wish to consider.  And please remember to allow yourselves time for thought and discussion.  Arranging a service for a loved one should not be hurried.

Things to consider.

  • Who will conduct the service, a Celebrant, Minister of Religion, Family Member, or a hybrid of services with a member of our team supporting.
  • Would Family and/or Friends wish to carry and/or lower the coffin.  This can be a very personal duty to perform for your loved one.  We will always provide colleagues to help and support.
  • Should there be a dress theme?  Wearing a particular colour is a simple way for everyone to pay tribute.  There are no rules, so rock band T-shirts, Football Shirts, and full themed services such as Harry Potter and Wild West have been arranged.
  • Music can be so special.  Favourite songs or complete playlists can be arranged. It is also becoming increasingly popular to have a playlist of favourites played in the background throughout the service.  We are able to provide quality Bluetooth speakers.  Alternatively, live music can be arranged, recent examples include a String Quartet, Harpist, and a Folk Band.
  • Likewise, favourite Poems or Readings can be incorporated into the service.
  • Do other members of the family or friends have happy memories they would like to share?  You may feel it appropriate to allow time within the service to invite everyone present to speak.
  • Did your loved one have a favourite tipple?  You can have a toast at the graveside, Whisky, Guiness, Fizzy Drinks, Mead, and a Cup of Tea have all been toasts in recent months.
  • If the weather allows you may wish to consider refreshments or even having a picnic.  We can provide picnic blankets and hot drinks to help support you.

As we only conduct one full burial at each natural burial ground per day remember that you have time to ensure that everything is as you wish.  We do not limit the service time and our team will be available to help and support, to ensure that your goodbye is as special as your loved one.

  • You can write personal messages on several of the coffins within our range.  Alternatively, we can provide Message Tags and Pens so everyone present can write a personal tribute and attach it to the coffin.
  • We can provide a table for photographs, letters, cards, and other special items can be displayed.

The above considerations are in addition to what you may think of as standard funeral options, which we can also provide on request.  This includes Coffins, Caskets and Shrouds, Hearse Options (such as Electric, Horsedrawn, VW Camper, Land Rover, and Motorcycle), Floral Tributes and Order of Service.

Please consider the service as a blank canvas on which you can create a personal, meaningful celebration or tribute.  Our team are available to help you with this to ensure that everything is as it should be at this most important of occasions.

Further information, advice, and support is available by contacting our team on (0116) 222 0247 emailing or by visiting our websites www.thenaturalburialcompany.co.uk and Homepage – Direct Natural Funerals

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Introducing the Loop Biotech Mushroom Coffin

At The Natural Burial Company we are dedicated to providing personal celebrations of life and funeral services, whilst maximising our care for the environment. As such we are honoured to be able to now offer the world’s first mushroom coffin.

We are proud to announce our collaboration with Loop Biotech Loop Biotech – Let’s enrich nature and together we’re on a mission to make a positive difference.

Loop Biotech’s products are grown in just 7 days from local mushrooms (mycelium) and upcycled hemp fibres. By using these innovative materials, we return nutrients to the earth and allow new life to flourish.

Mycelium is nature’s ultimate recycler, transforming organic matter into vital nutrients that enrich the earth. The Loop living Coffin biodegrades in the soil in just 45 days.

We’re incredibly proud of this collaboration and look forward to making a positive impact together with Loop Biotech. For further information please don’t hesitate to contact us on (0116) 222 0247 or 

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Eco-Friendly Funeral Services for Everyone

As we enter the New Year The Natural Burial Company continue to work hard to provide the best possible environmentally friendly funeral and burial services for all.

Caring for the environment, the bereaved, and providing personalised, cost-effective funeral services are essential to our ethos. And services can be arranged directly with our team, or through your funeral director. As we ensure that all services we offer to the public are also available to traditional funeral directors in order to help provide you with complete choice regarding funeral options – whether you wish to use our services, a traditional funeral director, or arrange a complete DIY service (we can offer advice and support if you choose this option).

Our natural burials include Full, Simple, and Direct (unattended) services to ensure we cater for all requirements. Whilst we also arrange and conduct Direct Cremation with Natural Interment of Cremated Remains services, as well as Cremated Remains interments and Memorial for those who may have been cared for elsewhere.

Our passion is to support the bereaved and the environment in every way that we can. This includes ensuring that only environmentally friendly coffins, caskets, and shrouds, may be interred in our natural burial grounds, and all graves are dug by hand. Our natural burial grounds are developed to encourage nature, support the environment, and ensure a beautiful natural legacy for those in our care.

You may visit our natural burial grounds at any time, and we welcome the opportunity to meet with you at your convenience. You may also select a grave in advance if you wish.

For further information please don’t hesitate to contact us on (0116) 222 0247 or by email alternatively visit our websites Natural & Green Burials – The Natural Burial Company and Homepage – Direct Natural Funerals

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Plastic Free Funerals

As a company dedicated to caring for the environment and the bereaved, The Natural Burial Company believe it important to do everything we can to care for nature and our beautiful world.

Accordingly, whilst we already ban plastic handles at our natural burial grounds, and only offer environmentally friendly coffins for our Family Led Services, we also believe that the time is right for everyone within funeral service to cease the use of plastic coffin and casket handles.

Today we call on fellow funeral service professionals to support us in saying no to plastic. Please join our campaign #PlasticFreeFunerals.

Plastic Coffin Handles – Time for a Change

For many within funeral service the veneered or foil coffin with plastic handles has been the standard.  There are numerous reasons as to why this is the case and over the years this has been the public understanding of what a coffin looks like, although there may have been little understanding that the handles were plastic.

In recent years, public demand for greater environmentally friendly options and innovation from suppliers has resulted in the availability of coffins in greener materials such as Cardboard, Wicker and Wool. 

Whilst this change is welcomed there remains an issue regarding the use of plastic handles, in fact it is estimated that 3 million single use plastic coffin handles are used each year.  This creates totally unnecessary damage to our climate, especially when more environmentally friendly options such as wood or rope are readily available.   

Therefore, we believe that the time is right for all funeral directors to make the change.  In our 2023 survey* 84% of respondents answered that they would choose “greener option” wood or rope handles over plastic, a further 5% stated that they may, dependent on the cost.

Therefore, the public demand is there, and the excellent network of coffin and casket suppliers in the UK can provide the options, so any change could almost be instant.

In common with most natural burial grounds, The Natural Burial Company do not allow plastic handles, and their range of coffins, caskets, and shrouds available for Family Led Services (personalised funerals) is made up of environmentally friendly materials only.  This includes Willow, Cardboard, Bamboo, Jute, and Wool.

*Environmentally Friendly Funeral Awareness Survey 2023.

For further information www.thenaturalburialcompany.co.uk www.funeralsdirect.co.uk or email

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Christmas and New Year at The Natural Burial Company

As we approach the festive period we understand the need to visit and remember loved ones. And to expect care and service when needed, no matter what time of the year it is. Therefore, we wish to confirm that we will remain available at all times.

Visiting Burial Grounds – Our natural burial grounds remain open to visitors throughout the Christmas and New Year period. We do not have opening times, therefore, you are free to visit at a time convenient to you. We simply ask that you are consider the weather conditions to ensure your own health and safety, and that you abide by our guidelines regarding remembrance items on graves.

Our Service to you – You will be able to contact us at all times over the Christmas and New Year period. Our team will be available to visit, make arrangements, and provide support and advice. We will have a limited team available on certain days though so we may not be able to immediately answer phone calls. If this is the case please leave a message and one of our team will return your call at the earliest opportunity.

Our shared Community Hub at 1118a Melton Road, Syston LE7 2HA will be open weekdays between 10.00am and 3.00pm with the exception of Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Years Day. Outside of these hours we can visit you in your own home if required.

Service Times at the Natural Burial Grounds – Services are available as our standard practice (every day except Sunday, flexibility regarding times of service, only one full service per day per burial ground) with the exception of Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Years Day.

Finally, may we wish everyone a peaceful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Find out about a Prepaid Funeral Plan

You may not be aware, but The Natural Burial Company work in partnership with Open Prepaid Funerals.

Prepaying for your funeral puts you in control, giving yourself and your loved ones peace of mind at what can be often be an emotional and difficult time.

Further information is available here Planning Ahead with The Natural Burial Company or call Open Prepaid Funerals on 0330 660 0072.

The Natural Burial Company is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Open Prepaid Funerals Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference Number 962403

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

About Natural Burial

We receive a lot of questions about natural burial and what we do. We also sometimes read and hear information and opinions that are potentially misleading. Therefore, in a series of blogs we aim to answer questions and put minds at rest regarding natural burial, environmentally friendly funerals, and the services we provide. If there is question you would like answering please contact our team who would be happy to help.

Is natural burial really more environmentally friendly? – Yes, natural burial allows only environmentally friendly coffins, caskets or shrouds to be used. The deceased is not embalmed. Graves are dug by hand to a depth that maximises aerobic decomposition. And the burial grounds are maintained with a light touch to encourage nature and biodiversity. Furthermore, memorial options such as bird boxes, insect habitats and hedgehog homes support wildlife. The ultimate natural memorial is also available, a beautiful tree provides a lasting legacy for future generations to benefit from and enjoy.

Are we not running out of burial space? – Whilst this may be partially true in built-up areas where land has been used for housing, retail and factories. The fact is that we have been burying our dead in the UK for tens of thousands of years without problem.  It has been estimated that if every death in the UK resulted in a burial this would count for only approximately 750 acres of land per year. There are also now over 300 natural burial grounds in the UK, a similar volume to the number of crematoria, which means that almost everyone has a natural burial ground reasonably close to their home.

Does natural burial cost more? – In many areas the cost of a plot and interment in a natural burial ground is much lower than in a local municipal cemetery. Natural burial is also comparable in cost to cremation in many areas, whilst also ensuring a beautiful, peaceful place to visit and remember loved ones.

What will happen to the burial ground in the future? – Our natural burial grounds will be left to nature, to ensure nature and biodiversity thrives and the community has a beautiful place to visit. Other natural burial grounds will be placed into trust. If you are unsure regarding your local natural burial ground feel free to contact them, we are sure they would welcome the opportunity to explain their future plans.

Can we have floral tributes at the funeral? – Yes. We simply ask that you don’t use plastic trays, florist foam (oasis) or other materials that are environmentally unfriendly. There are an increasing number of florists who offer green alternatives. And if you are lucky enough to have a garden, what could be more personal than picking a selection of home grown flowers for your loved one.

Do you really have picnics at the graveside? – Yes, during the warmer months many families have picnics at the natural burial ground. We only conduct one full burial a day, so you have the time to spend as you wish. Our team remain available for you and we can provide tea, coffee, squash and music via quality blue-tooth speakers. Our aim is to provide you everything you need to ensure a personal goodbye in a way that’s appropriate and special.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park