Funeral Services

Arranging a Funeral

Memorial Woodlands helps and supports each family in all aspects from the very first phone call, allowing you to create a service that is fitting for your loved one.

Funeral Directors

Catering

Live Streamed Funerals

Flowers

Our Unique Venue

We are the only funeral directors to have our own chapel, reception rooms and 100-acre woodland cemetery.

Whether your loved one has chosen to be buried in our woodland cemetery, or has chosen a cremation, our facilities provide a serene setting for a dignified and unique funeral. Following the service guests can relax and reminisce whilst we provide refreshments and a buffet lunch in our reception rooms. There is no rush at Memorial Woodlands, our facilities including the private garden are yours, and yours alone.

Taking the Time

We pride ourselves on giving you more choice before the funeral to craft a fitting occasion and more time to say private farewells on the day.

These are the two elements which we believe make funerals here a more uplifting and cathartic experience for everyone.

It is our aim to accommodate all requests made by the departed and their family. Our chapel of rest is available by arrangement for you to sit with your loved one in the days before the funeral.

The same can be organised in the chapel on the day, before and after the service so that friends and family can pay their respects and say final private goodbyes.

We assure you of the exclusive use of our chapel, reception rooms and gardens on the day of the funeral allowing you the time, space and privacy to mark this rite of passage with respect and dignity, whether you have chosen for the occasion a half day or a full day.

We believe that Memorial Woodlands is not just a place to say goodbye – it’s also a beautiful living memorial, where friends and family can visit and reminisce in the days, weeks and years that follow.

Our Heritage Hearse

You have the option to use our beautifully restored, 1964 Austin Princess hearse, used for the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill.

Please ask one of our funeral directors for more information about this.

Live Streaming Services

We welcome guests from anywhere

For some years we have been offering a live streaming service. This means that anyone unable to travel to Memorial Woodlands can be part of their loved ones’ funeral.

In 2023 we installed a new state-of-the-art web streaming and audio visual system. The industry-standard Obitus system enables friends and family from anywhere in the world to watch a funeral service online.

Our chapel had a complete audio-visual upgrade so that families have access to a wider database of music and hymns using concert-grade equipment. A new screen for visual tributes including family photos and video has been installed.

To discuss your individual needs on live streaming and audio-visual tributes speak to a member of our team.

Accessibility

Accessibility for guests with mobility impairments: Our chapel and ground floor reception rooms are equipped to enable wheelchair access.

There are disabled toilet facilities located within our reception rooms. There are dedicated disabled car parking bays within the car park immediately next to these buildings. Our grounds are accessible throughout by tracks. There are benches throughout the grounds which you are welcome to take a seat on.

Occasionally, we are obliged to restrict vehicular access to certain parts. If you find a gateway closed and require access for mobility support, or need any other support please do not hesitate to contact our team.

For guests with hearing or visual impairments, we welcome all dogs in the chapel, reception rooms and grounds. Where possible, let our team know in advance so we can ensure fresh water is available for them.

In addition, for those with hearing impairments, we also have an induction loop available in the chapel, please ask a member of staff if you need any assistance.

Should you have any other accessibility needs, please do not hesitate to contact our team on 01454 414999 and we will do whatever we are able to, to assist you.

A selection of 8 different Cakes arranged on a slate with "Cake Menu" written on the slate.

Catering

We care about fine food. That’s why we only use quality, locally sourced ingredients, wherever possible.

Menus

Our skilled catering team will be happy to design and craft a bespoke menu to suit your tastes and dietary requirements.

Our set menus include freshly made sandwiches, homemade baked tartlets, charcuterie, cheeseboards, fresh fruit platters and more.

We pride ourselves in offering a wide selection of delicious, locally sourced produce designed around each of our clients’ needs.

Beverages

Our team will provide you with teas, coffee and cordials. Other non-alcoholic beverages can be sourced for you, by arrangement. You are welcome to bring alcoholic beverages for your guests.

Families often like to make a toast. We do not charge corkage and our team will be pleased to help make these beverages available to you and your guests on the day.

Our Menus

A Warm Welcome

Following the funeral service you, your family and your guests will be looked after at our reception rooms by our team, who will be on hand to provide support as required and to ensure your guests are properly cared for.

Let Us Help You

We will help you to arrange all aspects of your reception, to turn your day into an occasion. The day itself will be managed by our team so that you need not worry and are able to spend that time with your guests.

We are happy to explore new menu choices and will be pleased to discuss your particular needs. We consider working with and helping the families that come to Memorial Woodlands to be a privilege.

Our role is to help you to create a day that may be looked back on, in time, with fond memories. A day that will allow family and friends to come together in love and respect for the person you are here to remember. You should feel free of concern regarding the arrangements on the day. The team will take care of everything, permitting time and space to properly experience the occasion.

With years of experience, our staff understand the complex emotions that come with planning a funeral. With our knowledge and understanding, we are able to provide a service that helps take away burden and strain. You can be as involved as you want to be. We will guide and support you and help you to make those decisions that will go into creating everything you want the day to be.

Funeral Directors

Your dedicated funeral director will guide you through all aspects of arranging the funeral, including all those choices open to you. The same funeral director will be with you throughout. They will help you from the first meeting until the end of the funeral, giving advice and guidance to ensure that everything is properly in place.

Whether you would like a classically elegant funeral, a garden picnic or a day filled with music, we will help you craft a unique occasion which reflects the life and personality of your loved one. Our role is to ensure that everything is arranged and that the occasion runs smoothly.

On your visit to us, your funeral director will discuss all the choices and options open to you and all the different aspects of the funeral. These will include, burial plots, coffins, urns, hearses, catering, flowers and limousines. The funeral director, or a team member, will show you the grounds, our chapel and run through the cost breakdown. If a funeral is taking place during your visit, you will appreciate that we may be obliged to show you around the chapel and reception rooms at another time.

Your funeral director will help you in choosing the most suitable celebrant for your occasion. We tell our families that it is important that they feel comfortable with their celebrant.

Those celebrants that are introduced by us bring a wealth of experience. There is no such thing as a correct way to hold a funeral, what matters is that the family and the celebrant together find the words, music, pictures and stories that encapsulate a life. Our aim is that you leave feeling that you have honoured the memory of your loved one.

Flowers

At Memorial Woodlands, we offer a range of floral tributes tailored to your needs. Whether you prefer a coffin spray of roses, vases of lilies, or chrysanthemums as a garland, we’re here to help you design the perfect floral arrangement.

Our florist, Helen Pyle, will assist you in selecting flowers based on your preferences, seasonality, and the occasion to ensure they are fresh and suitable.

Helen has years of experience and works closely with families to create unique and meaningful floral designs. From wreaths and sprays to chapel decorations, she can accommodate all your floral needs. Helen also arranges flowers for our in-house events, including our annual Military Service of Remembrance and All-Souls service.

For more information or to discuss your floral arrangements, please contact Helen directly at 07774 607034. If you cannot visit in person, Helen can also assist with choosing and ordering flowers based on your preferences and budget.

You may wish to call on your own preferred florist, in which case, please ask them to liaise with your funeral director who will be pleased to support them.