For many having a memorial is an important part of remembering someone special. It’s a place that you can visit and take a moment to remember and reflect. While we offer simple natural memorials in the memorial frames and shelters at our natural burial grounds, we understand some families also like to have something a bit closer to home. If you have decided that you would like to do something special at home or in a place you shared, or maybe even that would like plant a tree or a favourite flower in your garden in memory of someone special this may be something you would like to commemorate with your own personal memorial plaque. UK Memorials have very kindly written a blog for us about the different type of natural memorials families may wish to use for their own personal memorials away from the natural burial ground. 

As many of the families that visit our natural burial grounds know we love to reduce, reuse and recycle wherever we can. This includes encouraging locally sourced tributes for our natural burial grounds and we love seeing foraged and handmade floral tributes. Sarah, at our natural burial ground in Pembrokeshire, has made a wreath from foliage that she has foraged with her son Jesse. She wanted to share this with us and how she found the experience of 'making your own wreath'.   

​We recently heard about a very special book on woman's hour which helps families to talk about death in an open way with children. ‘The Fox: A Circle of Life Story’, written by Isabel Thomas and illustrated by Daniel Egnéus, helps to answer a really big question that many children will ask at some point, ’what happens when we die?'  

​The book is not linked to religion or after death beliefs but instead explains the concept of death itself, - “Fox: A Circle of Life Story answers the big scientific question: What happens when we die?” - Bloomsbury.

​Funeral gatherings are facing ever-changing restrictions and rules and it is heart-breaking to hear how family groups and household ‘bubbles’ have been separated, unable to offer comforting hugs or a hand to hold at a time they need it the most. We have seen ourselves the no-entry signs, barrier tape, warnings, isolated chairs and one-way systems which add to the bleakness of what is already a distressing situation. We want families to know that it doesn’t have to be this way. Funerals can still be compassionate even amidst the pandemic. At the natural burial meadow at Usk Castle Chase Rosie has been working with families to make sure they can arrange safe, but compassionate funerals.

We recently had the pleasure of talking to Amanda from Wyldwood Willow who was at our natural burial meadow in Usk Castle Chase for a socially distanced 'willow coffin workshop'. She has put together a few words for our guest blog about her coffin making workshop, which helps families who want something a bit more personal and unique...

​​We have added our details to the test and trace app. There are individual QR Codes for each of the Natural Burial Ground in England and Wales. Please feel free to share these for family and friends who may be visiting or attending a funeral to help keep everyone safe. In Scotland we are also following the Test and Protect Guidelines, if you are attending a funeral some information may be requested to ensure these are being followed. 

Stay safe and stay well,  you can find the NHS QR Codes for our natural burial grounds in Wales and England in this blog.

You can find our up to date guidance on funerals, visiting the natural burial ground and coronavirus  here...

​Usk Castle Chase is well known for offering families peaceful and beautiful resting places in beautiful Monmouthshire countryside. The natural burial meadow is also somewhere private to hold a different type of send off, perhaps one that is simpler and closer to nature. It's a place where families can be as modest or extravagant, traditional or off-beat, celebratory or ceremonial as they wish - with the freedom to choose what they want.

When someone becomes a part of the natural burial ground they become a part of its history and we are often privileged to hear about their life history, who they were and why a natural burial was right for them. Occasionally, during these conversations, their own family members even find out something about their life that they never knew, a hidden gem that conjours up a smile. ​

​We thought it was about time that we shared some of our hidden gems that maybe even people who have visited the burial ground never knew about.

We recently had a catch up with celebrant Deborah Morgan Lewis of Morfa Civil Ceremonies who has been right in the centre of organising funerals during the Covid-19 pandemic. Deborah is based in Cardiff and has conducted natural burials at our natural burial grounds in both Cardiff and Usk. 
 
We wanted to discuss how she has been finding the changes that have had to be implemented and how this had impacted on funerals. What came across, when we discussed this, was that socially distanced funerals don't have to be impersonal; in fact, they can be much more intimate and rewarding.