"IF YOU GO DOWN IN THE WOODS TODAY"

7/8 JULY CHILTERN WOODLAND BURIAL PARK, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Planning your own or a loved one’s funeral in advance is prudent, practical and becoming more and more popular.  And if you had the option to choose, what would it be - memorable, mournful?  ‘If You Go Down In The Woods Today’ is a free and spectacular live showcase on the weekend of 7th-8th July from 9.00am-4.00pm at Chiltern Woodland Burial Park, Buckinghamshire, just outside Beaconsfield.  As part of the London Funeral Exhibition 2012, attracting over 1000 visitors each year, Chiltern Woodland Burial Park set in a backdrop of 72 acres of beautiful, natural woody landscape, seasonal evergreen, floral displays and ceremonial buildings is a unique funeral option to say good bye, let go of fear and embrace the death of loved ones.

The weekend offers visitors the opportunity to meet and listen to industry speakers from The Good Funeral Guide, Dying Matters, The Bereavement Register, Cancer Research and many more as well as review all types of products and services from providers and suppliers such as Eco Coffins, Earth to Heaven, Funeography and insight on how the funeral business is changing to meet the needs of a changing society.

Amongst the many exhibits and attractions you can have a ride around the woodland in a horse and carriage, enjoy tranquil views of the summer flowers, take part in the Bear Hunt in the Woods and spot the teddies hiding amongst the trees! For those who like a bit of magic and mystery there will be a magician performing tricks and a range of storytelling workshops to inspire your imagination.  Or, if you prefer light entertainment, there will be face painting, a traditional puppet show and live music to amuse children and adults alike.  Step back in time to ‘Beyond 2000BC’, a pre-historic hands-on experience of flint-knapping from local craftsmen.  Try your hands at writing traditional poetry with London’s Poetry Library. See amazing handmade designs of coffins and caskets with ornate butterflies with folding wings, a three dimensional tree and a caterpillar display as well as a motorcycle hearse, wood-carving demonstrations and handmade yurts. 

Inspired by Urban Artist Candy Chang, an interactive ‘Things To Do Before I Die’ exhibit displays recent works where the artist transformed an abandoned house in her neighbourhood in New Orleans into an interactive wall for residents to share their hopes and dreams. Watch the regular screenings of the award-winning short film ‘Dying for a Laugh’ with comedians such as Ricky Tomlinson, Jenny Éclair and Ardal O’Hanlon sharing their interesting and humorous interpretation of the taboo subject, death and witness the breath-taking dove release in memory of dead loved ones.

A grand prize draw of an iPad, woodland treasure map, hamper selections, champagne and a range of refreshments including ice cream, cakes and a barbecue are amongst the offers to make it a relaxing and memorable occasion where life goes on for all the family.  We look forward to welcome you all.

The Iron Lady

Bury Me With Full Pomp But No Flypast, Please

She’s still alive, but the Iron Lady’s funeral plans made headline news in last weekend’s Sunday Times.

Baroness Thatcher has reportedly approved a blueprint for a state funeral that will honour her contribution to the nation, with a send-off at St Paul’s from a concert orchestra playing works from Elgar.

Arrangements have, says the Sunday Times, been under discussion since at least 2007 and plans were due to be revisited at a top level meeting this week.

It is understood that she has asked to be laid to rest in the cemetery of the Royal Chelsea Hospital with her husband, who died in 2003.  She dies not want the public to file past her coffin as she lies in state, nor a military fly past. 

The Queen is expected to attend the funeral, along with other members of the Royal Family. 

And the Sunday Times reports that while Mrs Thatcher’s children have been kept informed of plans, they would not be responsible for making the final decisions.  

What this may suggest it that sometimes it’s not appropriate to let those nearest and dearest to have the final say.  But how would you feel about a top level committee planning your funeral?

Angelina's 'Plan B'

Well, fancy that!

Award winning American actress Angelina Jolie admitted in a recent interview that her ‘Plan B’ was to become an undertaker.

Reportedly, as a 14-year-old she was so displeased with her grandfather’s funeral she thought she could do better, so signed up for a mail-order degree.

Now leaving aside the fact that, here in the UK at least, a correspondence course just wouldn’t cut the mustard, her comments do raise an interesting point.

You only get one shot at getting the funeral ‘right’. Even agreeing what shape ‘right’ actually takes can be a major cause of family fall-outs. And let’s face it organising funerals isn’t something most people have lots of experience in. Of course there’ll be professionals to guide and advise you, but at the end of the day it’s your responsibility to ‘get it right’.

Here at Woodland Burial Parks we encourage families to personalise funerals - to give their loved ones a send-off that truly reflects who they were. Perfectly achievable with time to plan – perhaps not so easy at short notice.

So, give those left behind a fighting chance to ‘get it right’ when your time comes – let someone know what sort of funeral you’d like. Let them do you proud.

And if you’ve been unimpressed with the funerals you’ve attended then it’s worth doing a little research on the choices now available. After all, your funeral will be your last public appearance so isn’t it worth making sure you go out in style?

Crematorium News

Crematoriums are in the news this week – for two distinctly different reasons.

Wednesday will see many local authority-run cemeteries and crematoriums closed as public sector workers go on strike – an interruption in service that will impact on countless families.

With crematorium delays understandably a highly emotive subject at any time, some will find the inevitable delays brought on by this week’s industrial action especially hard to swallow. 

Meanwhile, crematoriums across the country are preparing to meet more stringent mercury emissions standards.

In Durham the county council is installing three new furnaces in its crematorium as part of a £2.3m project – and it’s exploring the option of recovering and utilising the energy generated. 

It is reported that while a third of the power generated could heat the crematorium chapel and offices, the remainder could be sold to the national grid – in a deal that would be the first of its kind in the UK.

“If it was thought to be acceptable in the eyes of the public we would almost certainly pursue that,” said Alan Jose, Superintendent and Registrar.

“Apart from it being common sense for us to try and conserve energy, it also enables us to keep fees down,” he adds.

What do you think – should strike action affect funerals – and should cremations help power TVs and washing machines?

(In case you were wondering, rest assured we’re open as usual on Wednesday – along with the other 364 days of the year)!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2066982/Crematorium-wants-generate-electricity-burners-sell-power-National-Grid.html

Sir Jimmy Savile

As funerals go, this week’s three-day long farewell to legend Sir Jimmy Savile, will be one that’s remembered for a long time.

Around 4,000 people paid their last respects to Sir Jimmy as he lay in his gold coloured steel coffin in a Leeds hotel yesterday, Tuesday, ahead of his funeral service in the city’s St Anne’s Cathedral this afternoon.

Tomorrow sees the final day of the showman’s farewell, when he is due to be buried in Scarborough, in one of his trademark track suits, in an elevated spot, at 45 degrees "to enable him to see the sea" – in line with his wishes.

A close friend of 40 years has said Sir Jimmy "would have loved" the events organised to celebrate his life.

Sir Jimmy is doing it his way – and it’s everyone’s right to do it their way too, when the time comes.

Funerals are becoming increasingly personalised – and here at Woodland Burial Parks we do our utmost to accommodate the wishes of the families we serve. 

So please, give some thought as to how you’d like to depart – tell someone close to you, then forget about it and enjoy life – just like Sir Jimmy Savile did, right until the end.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-15647363

Safeguard Your Savings

With cash-strapped councils accused of using tax payers of cash cows by introducing wide-ranging ‘stealth charges’ there’s never been a better time to pre-plan your funeral.

A recent Daily Mail article reported that in a survey of councils, 48 out of 54 that took part admitted to raising charges for basic services – with two thirds increasing the cost of burials and cremations.

That, coupled with low interest rates, provides a strong rationale for buying a burial plot or funeral plan now.  Not only are you able to set out your wishes (and spare those left behind the anguish of deciding what you would have wanted), but you also have the peace of mind that it’s all been paid for – regardless of how long you go on to live!

As an inflation-proof investment it definitely gets the thumbs up!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2049857/Stealth-charges-burials-councils-try-claw-cash.html

A Very Special Event

A much-loved Norfolk artist, buried at Colney Woodland Burial Park made sure her funeral was as colourful as she was.

Before her sad death from a brain tumour, Ruthli Losh-Atkinson planned her funeral - and it’s a wonderful example of just how personalised a funeral can – and should – be.

Click on the link to see coverage from the Eastern Daily Press:

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/picture_gallery_colourful_final_farewell_for_norfolk_artist_1_860549

Here at Woodland Burial Parks we encourage families to personalise funerals – to make them as unforgettable as their loved ones.  And in this instance there’s no doubt that Ruthli Losh-Atkinson’s funeral will never be forgotten.