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Beginners Guide to Alternative
Funerals
By N Taylor
The information is written in a matter of fact way to
keep it clear and straightforward. Our intention is not
to cause distress. Please keep this in mind if you
decide to read further.
There are very few regulations covering the disposal of
a body in the UK. You must undertake either to bury or
cremate it, and you must have a death certificate signed
by a doctor and a Certificate for Burial or Cremation
from the Registrar of Deaths. This last document is very
important, and most hospitals and mortuaries will not
release the body until they've seen it.
Donating your body to Science - Bequeathing your body
for medical science is a courageous alternative to the
traditional funeral. However there are criteria that you
have to fulfil in order to be able to leave your body to
science. These include the death has occurred from
natural causes i.e. old age or a heart attack or similar
and up to the time of death the person was generally
fit. The hospital is not full at the time of donation,
That no post mortem has occurred, that no limbs are
missing and that no infectious agents (HIV aids etc.)
can be found as this would deem the body non acceptable.
Should you still be interested contact your doctor or
your nearest teaching hospital and request a
registration form this will need witnessing by your next
of kin and you should discuss your ideas with all the
close family.
A body may be kept for medical teaching purposes for up
to 3 years. The medical schools will arrange and pay for
a simple funeral, or the relatives can do this
themselves. The medical school can advise relatives when
the body is available for funeral.
This could be a very satisfactory way to help doctors
and nurses and indeed mankind after death but is not for
everyone. For more info contact: HM Inspector of Anatomy
Woodland Burial - Some people are choosing a woodland
burial site instead of a cemetery or crematorium. There
are now many in the UK, some run as annexes to local
authority sites, some as charities and others as
businesses. The cost varies greatly from site to site.
Each woodland burial site will have its own criteria and
it is best to contact the one you wish to use as soon as
possible in order to make sure you avoid later
complications.
Burial at sea - You should tell the registrar that
you're planning a sea burial and obtain a coroner's 'Out
of England' form. The licence is free and can be
obtained from the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Burial at sea is a complicated
process and one that is best planned and researched well
in advance.
Less that 50 burials at sea are conducted each year.
There are only a few places where these are permitted,
mainly due to the technicalities of the body being
washed to shore, caught in currents and tides and other
various issues that most of us land lovers wouldn't even
consider.
It is important to know that a body that has been
embalmed will not be able to be buried at sea. You will
also need an appropriate certificate stating that the
body is clear of infection or fever.
DEFRA for the reasons mentioned above tends to advocate
scattering the ashes at sea for which you to do not need
a licence under the Food and Environment Protection Act
1985.
Tributes & memorials Diamonds - A touching way for some
to remember their loved one is to have the ashes turned
into diamonds Prices range from £2,250 for a 0.5 carat
to £11,950 for a 1 carat gem
Fireworks - It is now possible to have ashes put into a
firework, the cost ranges from approximately £370 -
£1000. There are companies within the UK that will
choreograph and entire display including creating the
ashes firework and can be found on most reputable search
engines. This isn't an option for the faint hearted but
you would certainly go out with a bang!
Memorial websites - Memorial websites can be a touching
tribute to someone's life, allowing friends and families
from anywhere across the world to gather at one place ,
share memories and support each other through the grief.
Do-it-yourself Funerals A growing number of DIY funerals
are conducted each year, some encouraged by the desire
for personal involvement and some to find an inexpensive
or greener alternative to the conventional funeral. You
will find that some funeral homes will aid you in the
process, a list of local funeral directors can be found
in our directory.
Conducting a DIY funeral can be a very personal but
difficult process. Most people who take on the
arrangements do so with advance planning. However you
can, with the help of a good funeral home be involved in
the funeral arrangements without having to take on the
entire process.
Initially a death certificate signed by a doctor the
next of kin or the person arranging the funeral must
take the certificate issued by the doctor to the
Registrar of Births and Deaths within five days from
death.
After the death either yourself or the local district
nurse can carry out the last offices. This is where the
body is laid on its back, eyes closed and the natural
outlets of the body are plugged with cotton wool. The
body may also be washed and dressed at this point.
If you are storing the body at a home until the funeral
you will need to keep the body in a well ventilated,
cool room.
If the death occurs in hospital, the mortician may agree
to keep the body in the hospital mortuary until the day
of the funeral, there may be a charge for this and you
will need to discuss this will the hospital mortician.
If the death occurs at home, a local funeral director
may agree to provide a mortuary facility only.
You can make or obtain a coffin (although not all
funeral directors sell them without also providing the
undertaking service), and ask staff at the hospital or
public mortuary to put the body into it. It is worth
noting that if you plan on moving the body as well it is
advised that most funeral directors place the body into
a coffin once it is out of the hospital for logistic
reasons including, amongst other things, manoeuvring a
coffin down stairs and round corners.
Environmentally-friendly coffins are available
throughout the uk. Almost all crematoriums now accept
cardboard coffins. Some crematoriums and cemeteries
accept bodies without coffins if placed in a body bag
and supported by a plank but it is essential that you
check with them first. They will give you instructions
on labelling the coffin and any requirements that they
need you to fulfil.
Burials at sea have their own criteria for coffins and
you should check that with them initially. Woodland
burials are advocates of 'green' coffins that are
biodegradable. In some cases no coffin is required at
all. Again you should check with your chosen site to
confirm their requests.
Even in a 'traditional' funeral a large selection of
coffins can be available for you to use. Your home will
be able to give you a choice of the coffins they supply.
To book a date and time for a burial or cremation,
you'll need to fill in an application form as soon as
possible.
If you'd like a priest to take the service, or to hold
it in a religious building, you need to book these as
soon as you can, too.
A truly personal service can be held if you ask someone
who knew your loved one well to conduct the ceremony. No
special requirements are needed just confidence and
courage.
If the burial is conducted in a church yard you will
need to find a grave digger, the best person to consult
on this is your vicar or priest.
Transporting the body You can transport the coffin in
any vehicle, such as a hearse, estate car or horse and
carriage; as long as it's big enough there is even a
motorcycle company that specialize in Harley Davidson
hearses (Google search UK). Some funeral homes will hire
just the hearse to you and supply a driver. If you're
considering a particularly unusual mode of transport,
check with the cemetery or crematorium first.
Four pall-bearers are normally enough. Friends and
family usually consider it an honour to be asked to
carry the coffin. |
