The Good Funeral Awards 2022

We are very proud to announce that we have been shortlisted as a finalist at The Good Funeral Awards, hosted by the Association of Green Funeral Directors.

This year’s nomination follows on from our Wrottesley Park Natural Burial Ground being awarded Burial Ground of the Year at the 2021 event. A key member of our team, Awen Clement, was also awarded the Minister of the Year (any religion) award at the same event. In 2019 we were awarded winner of Best Bereavement Awareness Event for our Prestwold Hall Bereavement Awareness Day. Our Prestwold Natural Burial Ground was also a finalist in the Burial Ground of the Year at the same awards.

This year we have been further honoured as our Wrottesley Park Natural Burial Ground has again been nominated as a finalist for Burial Ground of the Year. Furthermore, our Gravedigger at Wrottesley Park, Paul Hallam, has been selected as a finalist for Gravedigger of the Year.

We are passionate about caring for the bereaved and the environment. Duties that we are proud to conduct. And whilst we work to help make a difference, and not for awards, we are all honoured and humbled to continue to receive such prestigious nominations.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Natural Burial Inspiration – Awen Clement

Very personal, beautiful, words from our friend and colleague Awen Clement.  Inspired by Wrottesley Park Natural Burial Ground.

 

When my human days are done

Let gentle hands wrap my body in love and cloth

Let loving arms carry me to the forest at dusk and as the birds sing their end of day lament to the sun

Lay me down in the sweet earth, tuck me in with the earthworms while stars fall and the old oaks look on

 

Awen Clement

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Planning for your funeral

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in an increase in people thinking about their own funeral.  More and more people are planning their funeral service to ensure their wishes are met. This process can be extremely positive and comforting, whilst also reducing the burden for those left behind of trying to make the correct choices whilst grieving.

All of our burial plots can be chosen and paid for in advance. Be it woodland burial, interment of ashes, or choosing plots for all of the family.  Our team are available to meet you at the burial ground, answer your questions and help explain the options available.  The plot(s) can then be selected and paid for at todays price. Once paid the plot is secured, no matter how much the price of a plot increases in the future.

Our team can also help you to plan the details of your funeral service.  Once again, this can remove worry for your loved ones and will ensure that your goodbye is exactly as you wish it to be – an elaborate traditional service, a themed funeral or the most simple of direct burials and everyone invited to the pub to toast your memory.  We can help you to prepare a statement of wishes which can then be kept with your personal documents.  We do not charge for this service.

There are many aspects that you may wish to consider:

  • Vehicles – An Electric, Horse Drawn or Motorcycle Hearse.  Or even a VW Camper Van or Morris Minor.  It may be that you wouldn’t want a hearse at all.  Many people travel to their final resting place in a family or friends estate vehicle.
  • Shroud, Coffin or Casket – There are so many environmentally friendly coffins and caskets.  Cardboard, Bamboo and Willow are just a few of the options available.  Shroud burials are also popular.

Willow Pod Coffin

  • Music – Traditional hymns and songs can be sung. But also personal favorites can be played, pop, rock, reggae or classical.  What matters is what is important to you.  Recent services have included music by Queen, Status Quo, Bryan Adams and a 60’s mix.  Also theme tunes to well known TV shows and films.  We have blue tooth speakers so recorded music can be played.  Live music can also feature and can be especially personal if it is family or friends playing the instruments.

Harriet Flather, Harpist

  • Themed Services – If something has always been important to you in life, it’s appropriate that this passion is also key to your goodbye.  It can be as simple as everyone wearing a particular colour, or can be as specific and special as you wish.
  • Simple Burial – You do not have to have a service at all.  A direct burial is simple and cost effective.  What you may consider to be a more appropriate goodbye can then be arranged.  A meal or event for family and friends, or maybe a pub night for all to remember the good times?
  • Caring for the Environment – Having a tree planted on your grave will ensure a wonderful, natural legacy.  Also bird boxes or nature homes can help make a difference and encourage nature.  A wonderful parting gift for the natural world and future generations.

You can also pay for all aspects of your final goodbye with a pre-payment funeral plan.  Almost all funeral directors now have plans available, many of which provide excellent peace of mind.  However, please ensure that you ask plenty of questions and get a quote first in order to ensure that you are taking the right plan for you.  For example, make sure that you are not paying for items or services that would not be required.  And how environmentally friendly is the service offered (for example coffin options)?  If in doubt contact several companies or ask a friend for advice.  We are also able to help you if you wish.

Planning your funeral in advance is practical and beneficial and does provide peace of mind to many people.  We are here to help you and you are welcome to contact us at any time if you require further information.  Helping you to ensure that your final goodbye is exactly what you would wish it to be. Removing additional stress and worry from your loved ones.  And caring for the environment in death as well as life.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Remembering and Paying Tribute – Our Covid Memorial Woods

The Covid crisis has impacted upon us all.  Many have lost their lives to this virus, a situation made even worse as we have not always been able to say goodbye.  It continues to be an awful time of fear and caution for us all.

Throughout this crisis there have been so many heroes, frontline workers working in healthcare, our supermarkets, the emergency services and so many other important roles.  We owe so much to so many.

The Natural Burial Company have worked hard to support the bereaved throughout the crisis but also realise that this unique situation has changed all of our lives.  For many the world will never be the same again.

So we believe it appropriate to provide our tribute, in remembrance of those who have passed as a result of covid.  But also to say thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to help people through this awful time.  There are so many unsung heroes who have given their time, their service and in some tragic cases their lives.

Therefore we will be planting and dedicating new woodlands at each of our burial grounds to honour everyone whose lives have been impacted by the virus, and to pay tribute and respect.  These woods will be places of remembrance, but also of hope, love and thanks.

The woodlands will be planted and dedicated in special ceremonies next year.  These ceremonies will be public events and we will be advertising details in advance.  Everyone will be welcome.

However, we do require your thoughts as to appropriate names for these special woods.  Therefore, we are asking for suggestions for each of these remembrance areas.  Please let us know your thoughts, and also make it clear for which burial ground you wish to name the wood – Prestwold (near Loughborough), Scraptoft (Leicester) or Wrottesley Park (Wolverhampton).

Thank you

Prestwold in Spring

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Making a Difference and Saving Money

It is widely believed that the cost of burial is high.  For municipal cemeteries this can be true, as lack of space and other factors lead to ever spiralling prices.  However green burials are different, and beautiful, natural funerals can be arranged for a fraction of the cost.

At The Natural Burial Company we have been looking into burial prices in our local areas and have been surprised by our findings.  A green funeral at a natural burial ground is by far the most environmentally friendly funeral service available. However, as well as helping to care for nature and protect our future, natural burial will also save you money.

So to help you make informed choices we have listed below prices for each of our burial grounds compared to the local city/town cemetery.  To keep things simple we have compared full burials only.  Although similar comparative savings are available when considering cremated remains burials and memorial options.

Leicester

At our Scraptoft natural burial ground on the outskirts of Leicester a full burial plot is £750.  The interment fee (gravedigging and administration) is £435.  Therefore, the total cost of a new grave with interment is £1,185.

Compare this to the costs of a lawn grave at Leicester of £1,300 for the plot, and interment fees of £745 (total £2,045) for a resident of Leicester.  Fees for non-residents of Leicester are doubled (total £4,090).  A permit to erect a memorial adds a further £200.00

At Scraptoft, as at all of our burial grounds, you can also choose your plot and there are no additional charges, wherever you live.

Wolverhampton

Our Wrottesley Park natural burial ground close to Wolverhampton has larger overhead costs, hence is slightly more expensive than our other burial grounds.  However, whilst the plot cost of £890 and interment fees of £435 total £1,325 this is much less than the local cemetery at Danescourt.

The exclusive rights for a private plot at Danescourt costs £1,980, interment fees are £1,040 (total £3,020).  For a non-resident of Wolverhampton a 50% surcharge is added, making the total £4,530.  A memorial permit for a headstone adds £150.

There is a natural burial area at Bushbury, plots here are charged at £1,010 (add 50% surcharge for non-resident), the interment fee of £690 makes the total cost £1,700.

You can purchase a plot in advance, however an additional £150 is added for this.  No charge is made by The Natural Burial Company for choosing and purchasing a plot in advance.

Loughborough

Prestwold Natural Burial Ground near Loughborough was one of the very first natural burial grounds in the midlands, opening in 1999.  As such there are many areas and options available.  However, the vast majority of plots are priced as Scraptoft, £750 for the grave and £435 interment fees (total £1,185).

For a standard burial the local Loughborough cemetery charges £740 for a traditional grave and £498 interment (total £1,238).  A lawn grave option is available for a total for a Loughborough resident of £1,065.  Once the memorial permit cost (£158) is added, this then totals £1,223.  The memorial permit charge is also applicable for traditional graves.

As with many other cemetery authorities though, Loughborough charge additional costs for non-residents of the town.  A resident of Charnwood would need to pay double fees and one who resides outside of Charnwood would pay triple.  There is also no option at present to purchase plots in advance.

We provide this information to help you to make informed choices.  In a world where funeral poverty is real and value for money is so important for all, we believe that it is only fair that the public are aware of the options available. Everyone can make a real difference to the environment and leave a beautiful, natural legacy for future generations whilst saving money.

Note: All prices sourced from the relevant local authority websites on 9th June 2020.  We will gladly amend any pricing above if notified of change.

 

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Beautiful Autumn

Autumn 2017 1.(1)Autumn is here and the beauty of our natural burial grounds continues.  The mornings are stunning, crisp underfoot with little to hear but birdsong.  Truly wonderful places to remember away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.  Our burial grounds remain open throughout the year and all are welcome to visit to remember in an area of peace and tranquillity.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like further information or wish for a guided visit to one of our burial grounds.  We are here for the environment and for you.

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park

Natural Burial Locations

Prestwold
Scraptoft
Wrottesley Park