CAMBRIDGE FUNERAL SERVICES LTD
FUNERAL OPTIONS
Religious or Secular?
Providing the body of the person who has died is disposed of with due reverence and dignity and within the statutes governing such matters there is no legal reason why a funeral service of any kind needs to be held. However most families still prefer to hold some sort of formal ceremony to respect the passing of their loved one.
We are happy to provide funeral services for all faiths and will do our best to respond positively to the needs of specific religious groups and individual clients in respect of their particular beliefs.
Religious Funerals
If the deceased had a religious faith it will probably be appropriate for the service to be conducted by a member of the clergy. The service could take place in the local church, chapel, synagogue, mosque or temple or in the chapel at the crematorium or cemetery (if available). A religious service can also take place at the graveside or at the deceased's home if this is what is required by their particular faith.
Civil Funerals
A civil funeral is one that reflects the wishes of the family and is focused on celebrating the life of the deceased. It is both a dignified tribute and a highly personal memoir, created by a professional Celebrant following consultation with the family or executor. The Civil Funeral can be held almost anywhere you wish and is appropriate for either a cremation or burial at a non religious or wooldand burial site. Music plays a very important part in Civil Funeral Ceremonies and you may include any that you consider appropriate. You can also include poetry and/or religious items such as hymns and prayers if you wish. A member of our staff is a trained Civil Funeral Celebrant and will be pleased to discuss your requirements with you or put you in touch with another celebrant as appropriate.
Humanist Funerals
More and more people choose to live their lives without religion and increasingly people are asking for services without hymns, prayers or any other reference to religion whatsoever. If this is what you would like then it could be that a Humanist ceremony might be right for you. Humanist officiants are trained to provide secular ceremonies tailored to the individual being remembered and the needs of their family, usually recounting the life that has ended. They will visit the bereaved family and write a tribute that celebrates as well as remembers. We would be happy to put you in touch with either an officiant of the British Humanist Association or and Independent Humanist officiant.
Cremation
We will be happy to arrange cremation using either local facilities or, if required, the services of crematoria elsewhere in the country depending on your specific requirements.
Burial
Right of burial, and in a particular the churchyard or cemetery you would prefer to use, will depend on where the deceased was living at the time of death and the room available in such facilities. We will advise you of the options available and the charges made by each of the burial authorities concerned.
Green and Woodland Burials
As a company we have taken a very pro-active stance in the matter of green and woodland burials. In response to increased environmental awareness we have become very experienced in arranging burials in woodland cemeteries and other green burial sites. We can offer you details and charges of the sites available locally or source one further afield if necessary. Alternatives to the traditional wooden coffin, such as bamboo and wicker are available and these are ideal for the purposes of green burial. Details are given on our coffin showroom page.
Horse Drawn Funerals
If you require a horse drawn rather than a motor hearse we would be pleased to obtain one for you. We use reputable Carriage Masters whose staff have worked with us many times and whose standards we can therefore guarantee. Details of the additional costs involved are available on request.
Donation of your body for anatomical study
The training of medical students has for many years depended on the generous donation of their bodies for this purpose by members of the public. If it is your intention to offer your own body for such use after your death it is important that application is made to a School of Anatomy by you personally before you die. We would be pleased to put you in touch with the School of Anatomy at the University of Cambridge (or the nearest one to you) who will send you the necessary documents to complete and explain the procedures involved. The cost of disposal of the body after anatomical study will be met from university funds unless the family wishes to hold a formal funeral in which case they will be responsible for the cost. However it should be noted that offers of bodies for study in this way may not necessarily be accepted at the time of the death as such offers sometimes exceed the needs of the anatomy schools. In such cases normal arrangements for a funeral will need to be made.
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