Cremation
Why choose a cremation?
Locally to us in Stroud we have three crematoria: Gloucester, Cheltenham and Westerleigh. The duration of service times differ slightly, as do prices.
For a cremation to take place, certain paperwork needs to be completed which we will do with you. Unless the death has been referred to a coroner, there will be a fee of £82 to pay to the attending doctor for the paperwork they complete.
Usually, the family have a civil celebrant or a minister to lead the service with family members or friends stepping in to read a poem or a tribute or eulogy. Sometimes a family member may lead the service, or the family might know someone who can do this.
Music often forms an important part of the ceremony and tracks are booked onto the crematorium’s music system – no more potentially unreliable CDs. There is the option to have an organist play. Friends or family can also perform live music.
Westerleigh and Gloucester have onsite facilities for food and drink after the funeral service has taken place. They are happy for families to bring pictures etc to display in the room. For other venue suggestions, click here.
At our local crematoria, the coffin doesn’t go anywhere until after everyone has left the chapel. It will then pass through to the cremation area behind the catafalque for cremation.
The curtains can be closed as part of the ceremony, or they can stay open, allowing family a final moment with the coffin before leaving the chapel. Some crematoria offer the option of a voile, a thin transparent curtain. This gives the feeling of ‘closure’ and means the coffin doesn’t disappear from view.
Some common questions
Is the coffin cremated too?”
Yes. The person’s body stays in the coffin and the coffin is also cremated. The coffin contributes only a small amount to the final cremated remains.
Are flowers cremated too?”
Flowers aren’t cremated. If left, they will be placed in the ‘display area’ in the crematorium grounds. We encourage you to take the flowers and enjoy them at the wake and then at home. Or we can take them on your behalf to a care home or our local hospice.
Are they definitely my gran’s ashes?
Yes. Ashes are scrupulously gathered together after the cremation process has finished. Any remaining metals are recycled for charity (unless you have asked for them to be returned to you.)
Can I put things in the coffin?
Yes: letters, cards, photos, for example. But think of the impact of them being burnt, so no large items of metal or glass, for example. We advise against shoes unless made of natural materials.
When will the ashes be ready?
The ashes can be ready at the end of the day if it has been an early morning cremation, otherwise the next day. We usually collect ashes on your behalf and you can either collect them from us, or we can bring them to you – when you feel ready – though family can collect from the crematorium themselves.
Can I have a green cremation?
At 1000-1300 degrees Celsius, gas-fuelled cremations are not a carbon-neutral process, despite recent improvements in emissions. But you can ‘do your bit’: A funeral imbued with the values, simplicity and beauty of the natural world to include a woven or cardboard coffin (over a coffin made of wood veneer and containing chipboard and glues), and choosing local, seasonal flowers – all these can provide great comfort that the values of the person who has died have been upheld, but consistent with their wish to be cremated.