If you choose a cremation for a loved one, the inevitable questions you will be asked when making the funeral arrangements is what you would like to happen to the cremated remains or ashes following the service
At Jack Warwick’s our families usually request for us to collect the ashes and bring them into our care pending a permanent decision for their final resting place. Many choose for them to be scattered on the crematorium remembrance lawns. This can be done without witness, usually about a week after the service, or with witness at a time that suits the family. At our funeral homes we safely and securely store all cremated remains in our Columbarium, a locked room where all caskets and urns are carefully stored until the client family are ready to collect them.
A lot of people make their wishes known with regards to cremated remains, but if you do not know what your loved one would have wanted, we can safely look after their ashes whilst you consider your options. As a member of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) we are required to store ashes for at least five years, and we make effort return them to the rightful recipient during this time.
There are a wide range of personal and memorable options for a final resting place. If you are not sure what you would like to do, you might wish to consider the following options:
Interring (burial) ashes
As one of the more traditional approaches for cremated remains, burying or interring ashes is a popular choice. You might choose a family plot in a churchyard, cemetery, green burial ground or a mausoleum chamber. If you choose this option, there may be additional charges payable to the church, cemetery and stonemason if a headstone or memorial is required and we can support you with the permissions required. You may wish to arrange a celebrant or religious minister to conduct a short graveside service or you may wish to hold a more intimate and informal gathering to say your final goodbyes. It is even possible to bury ashes in the garden!
Grow a tree or plant with ashes
A sustainable option is to plant your loved ones ashes along with a tree or a plant. This has grown in popularity since the rise of green funerals and woodland burials. The ashes can be placed in a biodegradable urn or placed into the plot loose. This option is the perfect farewell for someone who is passionate about gardening or the environment and creates a lasting living memorial which you can visit.
Scattering ashes
Many of our families choose to scatter cremated remains at a special place. This may be one of their favourite holiday places, at sea or anywhere that has special meaning to them. Ashes scattered at sea may be placed into a water soluble urn or scattered loose. You might consider a memorial bench or plaque to honour their memory, but should you choose to do this it is essential that you get the appropriate permission from the landowner to scatter the ashes at your chosen place or put a memorial there. You may even wish to make the ultimate celebration by incorporating their ashes into a firework or sending their ashes into space as part of a memorial or celebration of their life.
Storing ashes at home
If keeping ashes at home, you may want to keep them in an urn or casket in a special place or create a memorial. Urns and caskets come in a variety of sizes. There are those designed to hold the cremated remains of two individuals, standard size urns for an adult, medium sized for a child, and small or keepsake urns suitable for a baby or to hold only a small portion so that the cremated remains may be shared amongst family members. There are a vast range of urns and caskets available. They can be simple or elegant in design and at Jack Warwick Funeral Service we have a selection made in metal, fibreglass, ceramic and eco biodegradable urns as well as wooden caskets to view at our Kettering and Wellingborough branches.
Memorial jewellery, bears, tattoos and keepsakes from ashes
Memorial jewellery is popular with our families and there is a vast range to choose from. Whether you wish to have the ashes combined with glass to form a unique stone ring, pendant, earrings, charm bead or cufflinks, or wish to have a token amount of your loved ones ashes sealed within a pendant necklace. Memorial jewellery only requires a small amount of ashes and it can help you feel close to your loved one again and is a great way to honour their memory with a beautiful keepsake.
Remembering someone with a tattoo incorporating the ashes mixed with the ink to create a unique and deeply personal memorial that is growing in popularity.
An increasingly popular choice is turning ashes into keepsakes. Typically they are designed as ornaments such as glass paperweights or candle holders. They are perfect for keeping a small amount of ashes and can be discretely placed as a lasting memorial in your home.
Memory bears are cuddly bears with a soft pouch in which to hold a small amount of ashes within a special zip compartment contained in the back of the bear.
Get in touch
Remember, there is no right or wrong way to handle your loved ones cremated remains. It is a deeply personal decision, and it’s okay to take your time and consider what feels right for you and your family.
At Jack Warwick Funeral Service, we offer a wide range of funeral options to cater for all individual budgets and needs, from simple, unattended cremation services to more comprehensive funeral services. Please get in touch to discover how we can help.
