Funeral options
Simple choices
As you plan the funeral, you’ll need to make certain decisions about the day – which coffin, what venue, how are we travelling and so on. We have lots of experience of what works in a funeral setting. This allows us to filter options to inspire you without overwhelming.
Planning the funeral needn’t be complicated, and the day doesn’t have to be a grand production. Simple choices can be the right ones, and will carry meaning for you and everyone who attends.
Greener options
Many of us are concerned about the environmental impact of how we live and it makes sense to extend that concern to consider the impact of our funeral choices.
From locally sourced Sussex Willow coffins to Clayton Wood Natural Burial Ground’s biodiversity nestled within the Downs, we can create a green, environmentally friendly funeral using the best local suppliers and facilities.
Personalising the day
You’ll find there are all sorts of ways to make the funeral unique, a reflection of your person and their relationships.
This could be a visual aspect – how the coffin is adorned or decorated. We can help with that, and provide a peaceful space for you to do it yourself.
Colours can be a subtle way to symbolise a person. This could be represented in your choice of flowers, or you might choose to encourage people to wear something of a particular colour. This can help bring everyone together as a kind of tribe, united as part of the event.
Similarly music can be a great way to represent someone, and unify a gathering in a shared experience. Any music is available, well known or unexpected, or something of your own, we can arrange the technical side – or help you arrange a live performance.
You can be personally involved in practical tasks. One important role is to carry the coffin. This can be performed by family or friends or anyone who wants to take on this task. We can provide additional professional bearers to support if needed.
Storytelling
A person’s life adds up to more than a simple story, but telling stories is a powerful way of expressing meaning and finding understanding. We see the whole funeral ceremony as a way of doing this.
An example of this is the eulogy: a written piece that recalls the person’s life, told through memories of them, their words, passions and beliefs. You might want to write this yourself or with others, but our celebrants can collaborate with you, either getting things started, or by pulling things together from conversations.
Every moment of the ceremony can tell a part of the story.
In colours, music, objects, photographs, art, flowers, people will be able to read this story and people will be able to tell their part of the story through their own contributions.
Our background as celebrants has given us experience in helping people craft these stories, and tell them on the day.