Christmas 2023 at Forest of Dean Crematorium
Forest of Dean Crematorium is issuing an open invitation for local people to visit on Friday 15 December to take part in its annual Christmas Carol and Memorial Service.
The festive gathering provides a valuable opportunity for families and friends to come together and remember their loved ones in the run up to Christmas, a time when people can particularly feel their losses.
The service starts at 7pm and will include a selection of readings and popular Christmas Carols. Doors open at 6pm for anyone who would like to enjoy complimentary refreshments consisting of soup and mulled wine, prior to the service.
It is free to attend but those intending to visit are being asked to let the team know in advance by emailing ForestofDean@westerleighgroup.co.uk or calling 01594 826624.
People will also be able to post messages in the crematorium’s Christmas post box in the chapel. These messages will then be displayed in the Book of Remembrance room throughout the Christmas period. People may also take the opportunity to visit the Letters to Loved Ones Post Box outside in the Garden of Remembrance, if they wish, and post a private letter to their loved one.
Cards and pens will be provided prior and after the service.
Forest of Dean Crematorium is part of Westerleigh Group, one of the UK’s largest independent owners-operators of crematoria and cemeteries, with 40 sites across England, Scotland and Wales, all set within beautifully landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide pleasant, peaceful places for people to visit and reflect.
Manager Aaron Carter said: “Our annual Christmas Carol and Memorial Service provides a fitting way for people to reflect and honour their loved ones during the festive season.
“For some, especially if they are quite recently bereaved, the festive period is often a time when they feel their loss more.
“The Carol Service provides a chance for people to not only pay tribute to their loved ones but also be in the company of other people who are in a similar situation, which in itself can be a source of comfort.
“We know, from feedback we’ve had in previous years, that the service brings some solace and peace to local people at this time of year.
“Our Christmas carol service is open for anyone and everyone who lives, works or who is visiting the surrounding communities in leading up to Christmas. Everyone is welcome.”
Those who are unable to attend on the night but wish to view the service as a live webcast should visit https://events.obitus.com/, enter the username ‘forestofdean’ and the password ‘star'.
For those not able to watch it live, or those who attend but who would like to see it again, the service will be available to view online as a ‘watch again’ option, using the same details above, from Tuesday 19 December, for 28 days.
Christmas can be a particularly poignant time of year for the bereaved, which is why Westerleigh Group is also running a special offer of 10% off memorials purchased between 1 November 2023 and 31 December 2023 (terms and conditions apply).
For more information, visit www.forestofdeancrematorium.co.uk
