There have been huge changes over the past few generations in the public’s attitude to cremations. Whereas in the past it was relatively uncommon for people to choose cremation, it is now very popular with as many as three out of four people in the UK being cremated. A decline in religion, increased mobility of families (leaving to live in other areas) and a rising cost in burial plots have all played a role in this.
When someone decides to be cremated, one of the big decisions to make is whether they would like their ashes to be kept or scattered, and if scattered where they would like that to happen. These might be decisions that are made by the deceased themselves, or they might be decisions that their loved ones have to make after they are gone – but what options are there?
Scattering of ashes has become a popular way of remembering a loved one and often the event becomes a kind of extension of the funeral service. However, there is nothing wrong with deciding to keep your loved ones ashes and many people will have an urn in their home where the ashes are kept. This might be because you are unsure where to scatter ashes, you don’t feel ready to part with them or simply you would prefer them to remain close.
If you do to decide to scatter ashes outdoors then there are lots of options available to you. Commonly people choose to scatter ashes somewhere that were important to their loved one – this could be the family garden, a sports pitch, in a park or even in the sea. Ultimately, the location is usually somewhere that is the scene of happy memories. Perhaps it is the area where the person grew up, where they got engaged or married, a favourite view or a favourite holiday location. Ask yourself which place was closest to their heart, which location do you most commonly associate with them, and that might give you the answer as to where to scatter.
If you decide to scatter ashes on land that is private then you should speak to the owners of the land first to ask their permission. You should also take into account whether the land is somewhere that you will be able to revisit easily – areas such as sports grounds and golf clubs might be unable to allow you to freely come and go as you desire.
Remember that the act of scattering your loved ones ashes can be a positive experience and is often seen as a way of ‘returning them to the earth’.
For more help and advice issues surrounding funerals, please contact us on 0151 228 3900, or leave us a message through our contact us page by clicking here.