A South West regional funeral venue is encouraging people to consider burials for their loved ones as an affordable option with more time to say goodbye.
The Founder of Bristol Memorial Woodlands, near Thornbury, says there is a common misconception that cremations are better value for money when, in fact, the venue has lowered prices to below the UK average for cremations.
As well as affordability, families benefit from more time to say goodbye to their loved one with an unhurried ceremony and burial in a tranquil woodland setting, which they can visit for years to come.
The new pricing structure includes several packages including a morning option, afternoon option, a simple service or a bespoke full-day event.
There is also an unattended option which has been popular during the coronavirus crisis, allowing families to arrange a burial now with the option to visit and hold a celebration later.
Memorial Woodlands is the only funeral directors in the UK with its own chapel, reception rooms and 100-acre burial ground.
Founder of the woodlands, Christopher Baker, said: “We wanted to provide something which was a move away from the ‘conveyor belt’ funerals you often see at a crematorium.
“People need time to mourn, they need time to grieve and say goodbye. However, the perception is that an unhurried, beautifully personal funeral like this would cost sky high prices. Our packages cost less than the average price of the crematorium and people can spend half a day or a full day really celebrating the life of their family member or friend.
“Aside from this, burials are becoming more popular as people realise that it is the environmentally friendly option. Memorial Woodlands is creating a nature reserve and public parkland that is held in trust for future generations.”
The morning package is from 10.15am to 12.45pm providing plenty of time for a service and simple reception. This includes a burial plot with a simple marker and costs £3,995.
The afternoon package is from 2pm to 5.30pm providing over three hours to say goodbye with a service and the use of the reception rooms. This includes a burial plot with a simple marker and costs £4,495.
The simple service includes a 30-minute service in the chapel followed by a burial for £2,995. It includes the plot, all arrangements and necessary staff but does not include use of the reception rooms.
Each package includes everything that is necessary for a funeral. Both the morning and afternoon funeral packages include all arrangements, collection of a loved one within a 30-mile radius, viewing at the chapel of rest, provision of a celebrant, playing of music from CDs and provision of a hearse or bier.
The venue can also arrange additional items such as orders of service, flowers, an organist for hymns, a choir and musicians, vintage and historic hearses, limousines and a delicious choice of refreshments.
National figures released by SunLife in January (SunLife 2020), Cost of Dying Report, put the average cost of a basic funeral, for cremation, in the UK at £4,417, which was up 3.4% on last year and that is nearly always for less than 40 minutes.
More information on the packages including the unattended and bespoke options, where families are invited to talk to the funeral directors about all of their specific needs can be obtained by calling Luke or Scott on 01454 414999 or Ella, at Westbury-on-Trym, on 0117 9504100.
You can also email admin@memorialwoodlands.com