New crematorium near national park for the people of Hampshire
- The state-of-the-art crematorium is being built by the UK’s largest independent owner and operator of cemeteries and crematoria, Westerleigh Group.
- New Forest Crematorium will serve the towns of Bournemouth, New Milton, Christchurch and surrounding areas.
- The brand new facility is expected to open in March 2022.
With 35 sites across England, Scotland and Wales, Westerleigh Group works alongside prominent local authorities who are seeking brighter solutions to help manage the transformation of their crematoria and cemeteries. Each curated site is set within beautifully-landscaped Gardens of Remembrance, with the aim of delivering caring spaces for visitors to reflect.
Upon entering the site, a serene vista will be visible across the parkland landscape, leading to a modern chapel building design with the instantly recognisable backdrop of the iconic Great Woar Copse. The 117-seater chapel building will boast views of the adjacent woodland, providing a special, tranquil environment for services. Fitted with a modern media system and tribute screen, the chapel will also be able to host visual tributes and provide live webcasts where needed, allowing for highly personalised services.
When departing the chapel, people will be led through the courtyard garden to a covered floral tribute area. The building will be surrounded by peaceful, perfectly-landscaped Gardens of Remembrance, suitable for a range of memorials and celebrations of lives.
Bill Scott, Regional Manager of the Westerleigh Group, said: “New Forest Crematorium will reduce journey times for mourners, as well as offer the bereaved a wider choice of where to celebrate the lives of their loved ones. The exceptional care for all aspects of our work, including the support provided to the families in our care, the funeral service itself, the management of ashes and the maintenance of our grounds, will ensure that families are able to mourn and remember their loved one in a way that is uniquely personal.”