What kind of funeral do you want?
When someone dies family and close friends often face many difficult decisions about the funeral, should it be a burial or cremation? what are the legal requirements? who should conduct the ceremony? where should it be held? All these questions are obviously important but at a time when emotional stress is high it’s easy to forget perhaps the most important question of all – what kind of funeral do you really want?
Every family is different and not everyone wants the same type of funeral, your choice may be influenced by religious and cultural traditions or by cost and personal preferences or by the express wishes of the deceased.
Whilst the majority of people in the UK still choose a ‘traditional’ religious funeral service an increasing number are finding that a Civil Funeral Ceremony is a more appropriate choice for them to make. Your Funeral Director can help to arrange a funeral containing a Civil Ceremony.
What is a Civil Funeral Ceremony?
A Civil Funeral Ceremony is above all a ceremony that reflects the wishes of the family and is focused on celebrating the life of the deceased, it is both a dignified tribute and a highly personal memoir created by a professional Celebrant in consultation with the family or executor.
Where can a Civil Funeral be held?
A Civil Funeral can be held almost anywhere you wish except in churches or religious buildings. The Ceremony is appropriate for either a cremation or burial at any non religious burial ground or woodland burial site.
Who conducts a Civil Funeral Ceremony?
The person conducting the ceremony will be a trained professional Celebrant, they may also be or have been a Registrar. (If the person is currently a Registrar they will not be acting in their statutory capacity as a Registrar when they conduct a Civil Funeral – their role as a Celebrant is a different and separate function.)
How is a Civil Funeral created?
The Civil Funeral provides a comprehensive framework that allows you the freedom to make a range of choices about the content and style of the final Ceremony. There is a wide selection of readings to choose from and you can include additional pieces that had a special meaning and significance to the deceased. You can include items with religious references if you wish such as a prayer or hymn, the Celebrant will advise you of all the options available and help you decide how they should be arranged and presented. You might like family members and friends to participate in the ceremony as well as including music that you feel is appropriate. In short, what is created is a Ceremony unique to the deceased: a tribute to and a celebration of their life designed and conducted to reflect your wishes and those of your loved one.
How can I arrange a Civil Funeral Ceremony?
Call the Registry office on 01274 432151 or your Funeral Director or a relative or a friend may make the call if you wish, a Civil Funeral Celebrant will then contact you as soon as possible to arrange to meet you, this meeting can be at your home or if you prefer at the premises of the Local Authority. At this first meeting all the available options will be discussed and explained, you will also be asked to provide as much information as possible about the life of the deceased. You may feel it helps to have another member of the family or a close friend with you at this time. Following the meeting the Funeral Celebrant will create a Ceremony that reflects your wishes, you will then have the opportunity to check the details before the Ceremony. The Celebrant always delivers the Ceremony from a script, families who would like a copy of this can request one to be sent to them after the Ceremony.
