How many of the deaths which occur in Great Britain each year result in cremation?
Cremation has become the preferred method of disposal in Great Britain. Approximately 70% of all recorded deaths are now followed by Cremation.
Are there any religious groups which forbid cremation in their members?
All Christian denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church, allow cremation. Cremation is also acceptable to Sikhs, Hindus, Parsees, and Buddhists but it is forbidden by Orthodox Jews and Muslims.
Is cremation more expensive than burial?
Generally the cost of burial is much higher than the fee charged for cremation. Cremation usually necessitates the production of medical certificates for which fees are payable to the doctors concerned. These certificates are not required when the death has been referred to and investigated by a Coroner(Procurator Fiscal in Scotland), or when burial is required, although in this case, in addition to the charges for interment, a number of other fees for grave purchase, memorials and grave maintenance may be incurred.
What service arrangements are available at the crematorium?
A full religious service may be conducted at the crematorium within the time allowed for each funeral. Alternatively, a service may take place in any separate place of worship followed by a brief committal ceremony at the Crematorium. Families can arrange for their particular minister to conduct the service or, when required, Funeral Directors may secure the services of a suitable Minister on behalf of the family.
Is it necessary for the cremation to be associated with a religious ceremony?
The deceased's family can make any service arrangements which they consider appropriate. Secular services can be conducted at the crematorium or if required, no ceremony need take place. Memorial services can be conducted separately from the cremation ceremony in local places of worship by arrangement with the minister concerned.
How is cremation arranged?
A number of arrangements need to be made following a death. The responsibility normally falls on the Executor, or the nearest surviving relative, who may wish to approach a professional Funeral Director who will undertake some of the various tasks on their behalf. The Funeral Director will need to discuss with the family their requirements concerning the service arrangements and will assist in completing the necessary statutory and non-statutory forms. The Funeral director will make the practical arrangements for the collection of the body and will obtain the necessary Medical Certificates. It will be necessary to register the death and information will be provided by the Funeral Director to assist in completing that duty.
Do relatives need to decide at this stage about the disposal of cremated remains?
The Funeral Director will discuss with relatives the alternative arrangements which may be adopted for the disposal of cremated remains. It is likely that a form of authority will be required to be signed advising the crematorium of the wishes of the family. If they are undecided it will be possible for the cremated remains to be retained, either at the crematorium or at the Funeral Director's premises, pending a decision.
What are the normal options for disposal of cremated remains?
The Bournemouth Crematorium provides two Gardens of Remembrance where cremated remains can strewn. There is also a Columbarium Niche where an urn or casket of remains can be placed for a period of twenty years. At Wimborne Road Cemetery, Bournemouth, Cremation Plots on which memorials can be erected can be purchased for a period of 50 years and will accommodate four caskets of cremated remains. Cremated remains can be removed from the crematorium in a suitable container for disposal elsewhere. This may include interment in a grave in a cemetery or churchyard, dispersal at another crematorium or disposal privately in a particular area selected by the family. Suitable permission should be obtained from the appropriate Authority in these cases.
What is a Garden of Remembrance?
There are two Gardens of Remembrance: one is a natural environmental area of trees and shrubs known as 'The Glades' and the second is a Rose Garden laid out in beds of a variety of roses. They are provided for the reverent disposal of cremated remains and are used continually for this purpose, as a result it is not possible or appropriate to mark or identify the exact location of individual remains. The formal gardens provide a quiet and reposeful focal point of visitors.
What memorial facilities are available at the crematorium?
The most permanent memorial is the Book of Remembrance. This is displayed in a special Chapel of Memory and entries are available for viewing automatically on the anniversary date requested and also any Wednesday to Friday between 9am and 4pm or on a Saturday between 9am and 12 noon. Memorial Plaques which are placed in the Rose Garden of Remembrance and Memorial Kerb Stone plaques which are located in the Memorial Garden can be purchased for an initial seven year period renewable every five years thereafter. Fascia tablets are also provided for the Columbarium Niches. A commemorative seat with name plate, and a variety of trees can also be supplied at the discretion of the Crematorium Manager. The Funeral Director should be aware of the memorial options available but direct enquiries to the Crematorium Manager will ensure that full details are provided together with a scale of charges.
What is the procedure followed at the crematorium on the day of the funeral?
The mourners will normally gather at the crematorium in the waiting room or close to the entrance of the chapel a few minutes before the appointed time of the funeral service. It is not usual for the ceremony to commence before the published time. When the principal mourners are ready to proceed, the coffin will be conveyed into the chapel by the Funeral Director unless family bearers are used by request. The coffin will be placed on the catafalque and mourners will be directed to their seats after which the service will proceed. At the moment during the service when the committal of the body takes place the coffin remains just below floor level and is lowered 550mm below ground level unless prior instructions have been received not to lower the catafalque.
What happens to the coffin after the mourners have left the chapel?
The catafalque is lowered into the crematory room where the coffin is then taken to the cremator. The name plate is carefully checked by crematorium staff to ensure the correct identity. An identity card accompanies the coffin and the resultant remains until their final disposal or removal from the crematorium.
Can relatives witness the committal of the coffin to the cremator?
If desired, and with the permission of the Crematorium Registrar, two representatives of the deceased may witness the coffin being placed in the cremator, but no inspection of the actual process of cremation will be permitted. It is preferable to advise the Funeral Director of these requirements as early as possible when making the funeral arrangements.
Is the cremation of a body governed by a code of ethics and working practices?
Bournemouth Crematorium is a member of the Federation of British Cremation Authorities and is required to operate strictly in accordance with a code of Cremation Practice. This code, which provides the only ethical standards of cremation practice in Great Britain, is displayed in the public area of the Crematorium buildings.
How soon after the service will the cremation take place?
The cremation will usually be commenced shortly after the service. The Code of Cremation Practice specifies that the cremation is always completed on the same day as the service.
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2>Is the coffin cremated with the body?
The code requires that the coffin be placed in the cremator in exactly the same condition as that in which it was received at the crematorium. Crematorium regulations require that the coffin and all its fittings and furnishings be made from materials suitable for cremation. The Environmental Protection Act of 1990 has placed a new responsibility on Crematorium Authorities to ensure that the process is completed under controlled conditions which will minimise the impact on the environment. In these circumstances it will be necessary for any items included in the coffin for presentation or viewing purposes to be removed by the Funeral Director before the coffin is conveyed to the crematorium. It will not be possible for any floral tributes to be included with the coffin for cremation.
Should items of jewellery be left on a body for cremation?
It is preferable that all items of jewellery be removed from the body before the coffin is conveyed to the crematorium. The Funeral Director should ascertain your wishes in respect of this matter when the funeral arrangements are being discussed. It will not be possible to recover any items of jewellery after the coffin has been received at the crematorium.
Can more than one body be cremated at the same time?
The Code insists that each cremation is carried out separately. Exceptions can be made, for instance in the case of mother and baby or twin children, providing that the next of kin has made a specific request in this regard.
What happens to the cremated remains after cremation?
At the conclusion of a cremation the cremated are removed in their entirety and conveyed to a treatment area in a special container. Ferrous metals used in the construction of the coffin or metal used in medical implants are extracted and retained for separate disposal. Non ferrous metals which may include an unrecognisable element of precious material will not be salvaged for any purpose and will be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Cremation Practice and invariably this will be by burial in the cremation grounds.
What procedures are followed to ensure that cremated remains are kept separate?
A cremator can physically accept only on e coffin at a time and all remains are removed before the unit can be used again. The identity card, referred to previously, accompanies the coffin and cremated remains throughout the process until final disposal. The Code of Ethics and practical necessity are complimentary and combine to ensure that the separation of cremated remains is achieved.
How are cremated remains treated at the crematorium?
Cremated remains are removed from the cremator only when no further reduction is possible. The remains are withdrawn into a cooling area and finally into a special container for transfer to a purpose made unit which, after removal of ferrous metals, will reduce the residue to a fine consistency suitable for storage and eventual disposal. The remains are enclosed in a suitable and carefully identified container to await dispersal or collection.
What quantity of remains will there be following a cremation?
The cremation of an adult will normally result in the presentation of cremated remains weighing between 2 and 4 kg. In the case of a body of an infant it may not be possible to guarantee that any remains will be collectable. This is due to the cartilaginous nature of the bone structure.
What happens to the cremated remains strewn on the ground?
The cremated remains, which have assumed a granular form, are normally distributed over a wide area of ground. Chemical reactions resulting from exposure to the elements quickly break down the remains so that within a few days little trace of them can be observed.
Can cremated remains be interred and their position marked with memorial?
The Gardens of Remembrance attached to a crematorium do not provide for the erection of permanent memorials. Cremated remains interred in Gardens of Remembrance are not contained in a casket or container of any kind. If it is required to inter cremated remains in a grave with traditional facilities for memorialisation, suitable enquiries should be made to the Registrar responsible for the selected cemetery.
Can cremated remains be retained by the family pending final disposal?
The applicant for cremation may collect and retain the cremated remains if required. Cremated remains can be retained at the crematorium for a period of one month without charge, after this time a monthly fee will be made and if payment is not received the cremated remains will be strewn on to the Garden of Remembrance.
What arrangements can be made to ensure that cremation is the selected method of disposal following death?
Clear instructions in writing should be given to the person who will be responsible for mailing the funeral arrangements. Such instructions are not binding in law and it will therefore be necessary to ensure that the person instructed is someone who is likely to carry out the wishes of the deceased. The final decision will rest on the executors.
Can more information be obtained concerning cremation and, if required, can the crematorium be visited by members of the public?
The matters referred to previously may be discussed in more detail with the Registrar of the crematorium. The Registrar will be pleased to answer further questions and make arrangements for any member of the public to be accompanied on a visit to the crematorium.
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