Take a look behind the scenes of what goes on at Bretby Crematorium
Posted by rob smyth | Published: 19/02/2018
Set in the countryside of Derbyshire, Bretby Crematorium offers a peaceful haven for quiet contemplation and remembrance.
The crematorium is made up of two chapels, each with a separate and covered floral tribute area, and has been painstakingly designed to ensure that families can come together to say goodbye in the very best surroundings.
The grounds are maintained as natural woodland, with no plaques, memorial stones or rose beds, and are open to families 365 days a year.
Crematorium Manager Nick French has decided to shine a light on the team that help families in their time of need and the work that goes on behind the scenes to help.
He said: “We have five full-time colleagues who work at the crematorium – all of whom play a major part in ensuring everything is perfect when families and friends come together to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed away.
“Crematorium officers Helen Clarke and Daryll Broadhurst will often be seen in and around the office and chapel. Their duties include recording data for every service and preparing elements such as music and visual tributes. They also respond to enquiries and act as chapel attendants and assist families with the laying to rest of ashes.
“Crematorium technician Gary Cranley is responsible for maintaining and operating the equipment on site. Gary frequently shows visitors around the crematorium, demonstrating the care and dignity with which we carry out cremations.
“Darren Kirk, who is also a crematorium technician, is responsible for the maintenance of the grounds – whatever the weather. So people will see him doing everything from ploughing snow to mowing the lawns.
“My job is to oversee the whole site as well as helping with jobs in the chapel and reception areas.”
While every single day differs at the crematorium, Nick has tried to paint a picture to show what his team can be found doing.
“Colleagues arrive at the site at 8am and then help get the crematorium ready for the day by undertaking a general tidy around and opening up the chapels.
“Over a year we average around seven funeral services a day; the majority are full services at Bretby with a small number holding main services in church or chapel and then coming to Bretby for a short committal service followed by cremation.
“Services generally take place between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday but families can request funeral times outside these hours. Saturday funerals are regularly arranged.”
Funeral services are conducted either by members of the clergy or by civil celebrants. Celebrants will provide a service that incorporates the religious beliefs of the family or, where the person or their family are non-religious, a service that focuses on celebrating the life that has been lived.
One of the most recent trends Nick has witnessed has been the rise in people looking to personalise the way they say goodbye to a loved one.
“One of the many ways people do this is with their choice of music,” he said.
“Music can range from Eva Cassidy singing ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ to Frank Sinatra singing ‘My Way’.
Also available at Bretby and increasingly popular in personalising a service are screens in the chapels on which a photo slideshow can be played to a favourite piece of music.
Nick added: “I have also witnessed moments such as friends of a rugby player who performed a version of the New Zealand tribal dance ‘The Haka’ and the family of a Liverpool football fan standing at the front of chapel, waving their Liverpool scarves over their heads and singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Nick, like his colleagues, often gets quizzed about his role and the work of the crematorium.
He said: “We often get asked what happens to loved ones and what goes on following the end of our services.
“We assure people that loved ones are afforded the utmost respect and dignity from when they come to us to when their ashes are either laid to rest in our grounds or removed to another location.
“We are also proud to show visitors around the crematorium – the tour includes an explanation of how everything works and how each deceased is treated with care and respect. All the colleagues who work at Bretby have had members of their own families who have been cared for by us here.”
Nick started working at Bretby Crematorium in 1985 as a holiday job and has not looked back since, with the pride for the work of his team shining through.
He said: “We aim to provide excellent standards of care for our families during their time of bereavement. We will do all we can to help people say goodbye to their loved ones in a way that is special and personal to them.
“Bretby Crematorium provides a peaceful haven for quiet contemplation and remembrance and all of our efforts go towards ensuring that our families can come together to say goodbye in the very best surroundings.”
More information about Nick and his team at Bretby Crematorium is available by visiting https://www.centralengland.coop/funeralcare/bretby or calling 01283 221505.
Notes to editors
About Central England Co-operative
Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK.
It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, and property.
The company’s funeral business consists of over 120 funeral homes across 16 counties, 10 florists, masonry production and administration, Bretby Crematorium and Terry Smiths coffin factory.
Central England Co-operative has more than 430 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
The Society has an ambitious food store and funeral home development programme for 2018.
Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence. The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop
For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, @mycooplife and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop