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Earlier this year, my friend and I had the privilege of visiting the Cosgrove Green Burial Meadow near Milton Keynes. We were given a guided tour by Sue, and the passion she has for this beautiful facility, and level of thought she puts into every aspect of its management, were inspiring. When we think of ‘personalized funerals’, we tend to think of the words and content of the service itself. However, it can be argued that the choice of service location and final resting place are equally important in terms of creating a personal goodbye. If the person who has died had a love for nature and the rugged outdoors, you might feel the manicured grounds of a traditional cemetery or crematorium garden are not quite the right fit in terms of a final resting place. Many people assume the alternative is to scatter ashes from a hilltop or cliff, but then there isn’t a resting place. Meadow burial sites facilitate both the sense of returning the person to nature whilst still providing a tangible resting place for those left behind to visit.

Meadow burial sites place protecting natural ecosystems at the forefront of their decision making. There are a number across the country - Leedam Natural Burials have sites across England, Wales and Scotland. Some burial meadows have inside spaces which can be used for the service should the weather be inclement such as Old Park Meadow Natural Burial Ground in Essex. If the idea of a meadow burial interests you, be aware that the body should not be embalmed, coffins / urns should be biodegradable and, regarding cremated remains, many meadow burial sites prefer the ashes to be interred rather than scattered as scattered ashes can alter the pH of the soil.

Woodland burial sites similarly seek to operate in harmony with the environment and to offer those left behind a beautiful and peaceful place to visit to remember their loved ones. Although only a couple of woodland burial sites within England are consecrated, St Albans Woodland Burial Trust at Keysoe being one of them, those that are not consecrated usually have trust arrangements in place to protect the land from development by future generations. Some, such as those belonging to the GreenAcres group, have beautiful chapels and waiting rooms which can double as wake venues after the service. Finally, for those who regard their pets as an integral part of the family, some woodland grounds, such as Penwith Woodland Burial Ground, also extend their services to pets and horses.

As per meadow burials, the majority of woodland sites request that the body is not embalmed prior to a burial, and for coffins to be made from biodegradable materials. Many sites also inter rather than scatter ashes because of the impact on the pH of the soil, although the GreenAcres sites do incorporate specific ash scattering areas.