Posted by Vale
The Lancashire Telegraph reported last week that it is planning to put a video streaming service into it’s Burnley Crematorium.
The chapel proved too small on over 50 occasions last year and, with the video service, people would be able to watch the ceremony on a big screen or over (a password protected) internet connection.
It’s part of a package of improvements: roadways have been upgraded and burners renewed. The money left over should run to installation of the Wesley system as well.
It’s great to hear about Council investment in these straightened times and even better to see that some of the money (only £25,000 out of an £855,000 budget – but let’s not be dogs in the manger) is going into improving the venue as a place for ceremonies and services.
It’s a pressing need all over the country. We often campaign for services to be held, well, almost anywhere other than the crem, so that people can have space and time for their service. But, if crematoria have to be used, Council’s should be encouraged to think of them as flexible spaces where people have the opportunity to create the ceremonies they need. Far too few have facilities for projecting videos or slideshows. Seating is often inflexible and, for goodness sake, there are far too many where you cannot even light a candle.
Well done Burnley – it’s a start and, maybe, you’ve thrown down a civic gauntlet for others to respond to. You can find the full article here.
Oddly enough…because I belong to the local Inter-Faith Forum, who put in a request under the freedom of information act, I know how much profit our local crem makes. It would be lovely to see it used in this way but sadly I suspect it is used to subsidise other areas of the council!
I helped with a ceremony at a crem quite recently that was streamed, onto Facebook I think. FD was very courteous in his enquiries as to whether I’d object. When I said I would always be happy to encourage that sort of thing, he then said that he thought it was probably the coming thing. He’s a small independent, strong roots in the local community, apparently quite trad but clearly, far-sighted. Splendid bloke.
All the council run crematoria I know use the profits to maintain cemeteries. It is for this reason that fees rise as fast as they do. The £1,000 crem fee cannot be far off? My local just went over £700. It has a very poor 60 seat chapel and very inflexible seating.
Fine sentiments of the council, Mr XX; but wouldn’t it be more ethical to raise standards in line with fees, considering the law that says you can’t cremate a body anywhere else? The monopolies commission ought to step in, surely?
(By the bye, ‘Burnley’ is an inspired name for a crematorium; who thought that one up, I wonder?)