Back in June I promised to write a blog post about my day spent visiting a Funeral Director's and a Natural Burial Ground. It has taken a while, but here goes!
It is very common for your local Funeral Director to open their doors once a year and invite you in to visit. Now for most people I can imagine that this wouldn't be top of their agenda for a bright sunny Saturday, but if you get the chance to visit then I highly recommend you do. It really does open the doors to discussion around what the role of the Funeral Director is and helps you to make an informed choice should you need to choose a Funeral Director in the future. (After all you would never normally make a purchase costing you thousands of pounds without shopping around first, so why would you just pick a Funeral Director off Google?)
Anyway, back to my day. I had read and heard about two ladies in Kings Heath, Birmingham who run a company called A Natural Undertaking. Everything about their ethos fitted perfectly with my way of thinking, so I was very keen to meet them. When the opportunity came to pop into their new premises (it used to be a hairdressers called Curl Up and Dye... I know, it gets me every time, he he) during one of their open mornings, I jumped at the chance.
I certainly wasn't disappointed, and in fact I have never been somewhere so serene and calm before. I would not hesitate to have my body placed in their capable and loving hands when the time comes. Everything they do is wrapped in love, care and compassion and sealed with calm and serenity. Do check out their website www.anaturalundertaking.co.uk even if you don't live near Birmingham it is definitely worth visiting the website just to get a feel for what is available.
Having eaten the most delicious piece of cake with my cup of tea I then headed across to Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground and Nature Reserve in Lower Tysoe, Warwick (www.sunrisingburialground.co.uk). I was warmly welcomed by all of the staff and volunteers and was given a guided tour after a welcoming chat with Emma Restall Orr, who runs the site with her husband, David.
Not only are you able to bury a coffin or inter ashes here but it is also an established nature reserve, and the site is absolutely stunning. Trees and wild flowers stretched across the area and then your eye was drawn beyond to the stunning views. It was so calm and tranquil, I felt completely at peace.
As it was an open day there were refreshments, there was no need to twist my arm to enjoy more tea and cake (lavender, delicious). I settled myself on the grass and just enjoyed being in the moment. I can't imagine a more peaceful place to visit your loved ones, it truly was somewhere very special indeed.
As I wended my way home through the countryside I reflected on how lucky we are to be able to have so many choices available to us at the end of our life. It highlighted yet again for me the need for us to talk more about what we want at the end of our life. If you wish to be buried in a cemetery or have your body cremated then that's absolutely your choice, but imagine being buried if your wish really would have been to be cremated and interred at a Natural Burial Site. Tell those around you what you would like, now, whilst you can, and if you aren't sure then arrange to visit an open day or two and make an informed choice. I promise you that the tea and cake alone is worth it!