The future of funerals arriving at Basildon Crematorium
Basildon and District Cemetery & Crematorium will be the second in the world to be transformed into an experiential funeral venue, enabling the bereaved to make their loved ones’ farewells more uniquely personal than ever before.
Work will start soon to convert the Riverview Chapel, installing the state-of-the-art technology needed to create the incredible Canvas projections, enabling families to experience the funerals of the future, today.
In the Riverview Chapel mourners will find themselves in an immersive experience, thanks to the projection of dynamic theming onto ‘the canvas’ - the entire wall at the front of the chapel, accompanied by harmoniously co-ordinated soundscapes and lighting.
It will enable families to personalise services to an unprecedented level, to truly reflect the individuality, interests and passions of the person being remembered.
In the waiting room, families will have an option to display 25 digital photos of their loved one on a gallery wall and in time, they will be able to chose to have their loved one’s image displayed on the chapel’s welcome screens.
Basildon and District Cemetery & Crematorium is part of Westerleigh Group, one of the UK’s largest independent owners and operators of crematoria and cemeteries, with 41 sites in England, Scotland and Wales, all set within beautifully landscaped gardens of remembrance, which provide peaceful places for people to visit and reflect.
Last November, the world’s first experiential funeral venue was unveiled at the group’s crematorium in Gedling, Nottinghamshire.
It quickly proved to be very popular so now, Westerleigh Group wants to make the experience available to families in other parts of the country, starting with the communities surrounding Basildon and District Cemetery & Crematorium.
The innovative experience is the result of a partnership between Westerleigh Group and the UK’s leading audio-visual provider to the bereavement industry, Obitus.
Work is due to start soon on the relevant conversions to the chapel, which will be carried out outside of the crematorium’s operating hours, enabling funeral services to continue as normal.
There will be a period of around one week when the chapel will need to be closed completely prior to the chapel being launched in it’s new format, which is expected to happen some time in September.
Basildon and District Cemetery & Crematorium Manager Adam Mayers said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer our communities the chance to make their final farewells to their loved ones more uniquely personal than ever before.
“Since this service was launched in Gedling, we know that 99% of familiies who have held funeral there have chosen to have a Canvas wall, or elements of it, included within their services.
“The feedback Gedling Crematorium has received has been very positive, with those who have seen it saying that it added a truly personal touch to the funeral; the first reaction of many who have seen it is to say the word ‘wow’.
“Whether it’s a waterfall or a seasonal background, or even a football stadium, there is a wide range of themes and choices available, with many options to tailor the displays to be specifically relevant to the person being honoured.
“The technology offers the chance to make funerals even more personal and meaningful than ever.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about how the themes look can visit:
www.gedlingcrematorium.co.uk/personalising-a-funeral/
For more information about Basildon and District Cemtery & Crematorium, the many services if offers, and the exceptional care and support provided bu the team there, please visit: