Improving choice and inclusivity at Great Glen Crematorium
A Leicestershire crematorium has invested in improvements to increase its inclusivity and offer even more choice to the diverse communities it serves.
The latest investment at Great Glen Crematorium, Natural Burial Ground & Memorial Gardens has seen a complete upgrade to its Obitus audio-visual systems to enable the crematorium to offer even higher-quality, more flexible, services.
One of the key changes is the installation of a camera within the crematory, which allows the chapel TVs, including those in the entrance hall and outside, if required, to display the act of committing the coffin into the cremator, which the local Sikh and Hindu communities who observe this as part of their cultural tradition, will particularly welcome.
Crematorium manager Marc Palmer said: “Observation of the coffin being placed in the cremator is an important part of the traditions of some of the diverse communities we serve.
“Families can still enter the crematory and witness the coffin being caringly placed into the cremator by one of the team working at Great Glen Crematorium, if they wish, but the ability to do this from the welcoming environment of our chapel may be more comforting for them.
“Of course, this service is not just for our diverse communities, it’s available to absolutely anyone who feels it may make their funeral service a better one to meet their needs and support them at their time of bereavement.
“The new investment is just another way that we can achieve our ambition of providing exceptional care and comfort to the families who entrust us with providing the best possible final farewell for their loved ones.”
Other improvements include new speakers, a new audio-visual system, upgraded TV control units, and improved streaming cameras.
Marc added: “The introduction of cameras in the crematory allows entire congregation to share the moment, if the family wishes, and also gives those who may prefer not to directly enter the crematory itself a respectful alternative which still enables them to observe all their traditions, and ensuring the process is still witnessed.”
Great Glen Crematorium, Natural Burial Ground & Memorial Gardens is part of Westerleigh Group, one of the UK’s largest independent owners and operators of crematoria and cemeteries, with 42 sites in England, Scotland and Wales, and which is trusted by more families than any other provider to deliver funerals for their loved ones.
All Westerleigh's locations are set within beautifully landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide peaceful places for people to visit and reflect, while benefitting from exceptional care and support from its teams.
Great Glen Crematorium is already proud of its efforts to serve the diverse surrounding communities, being one of the few facilities of its kind to offer a dedicated Pooja Hall and prayer room, a purpose-built space close to the main chapel, which provides a private setting for mourners to observe their traditions.
Last year, Great Glen introduced a natural burial ground for those who value sustainability, simplicity and a deep connection with nature.
The natural burial ground is next to a protected area, which is a habitat for Great Crested Newts, ensuring it will remain a treasured green space for years to come, and only uses simple slate memorial plaques on wooden stakes to mark graves, which helps support the preservation of the environment.
Marc said: “Our wish is to provide the most comforting and supportive funeral experience as possible for the bereaved, by investing in increased choices, enabling the whole experience to feel more uniquely personal.”
For more information about all the services and exceptional support offered by Great Glen Crematorium, visit www.greatglencrem.co.uk.