J. Worley (Funeral Directors) Ltd.

Below are some questions we are regularly asked by people who are arranging funerals. Hopefully they will help to answer some of your questions too, but if mot you can either visit us in person, call us or send us an email.

Q. Does my funeral have to be taken by a priest/vicar?

A. No, it doesn't. You can choose whether to have a religious or non-religious funeral. Please see our information page on this subject by clicking here.

Q. Can I have "My Way" by Frank Sinatra (or another favourite piece of music) played at the funeral?

A. Yes, you can. Nearly all crematoria have facilities for playing CDs or tapes so simply bring them to us prior to the funeral and let the minister/Officiant know your wishes. Click here for more information on this subject.

Q. Is there a more ecologically friendly way to have a funeral?

A. Yes. Whilst all of our coffins are made from sustainable timber, we are able to offer willow and bamboo coffins, which many people consider to be more "green". We can also offer the option of a woodland burial at Woodwells Cemetery. For more information on our range of coffins, including willow and bamboo, click here. For more information on green funerals click here.

Q. Can I place personal effects in the coffin with my loved one?

A. Yes. Whilst there are some limitations on what can be placed in the coffin for a cremation, you can place any legal, non-hazardous item in a coffin for a burial. If you are coming to visit your loved one in our chapel of rest this is an ideal time to do this. Alternatively if you do not wish to come to our chapels, we will place the item in the coffin for you.

Q. What happens to the ashes after a cremation?

A. The ashes are placed in a temporary storage container (a polytainer) at the crematorium. Depending on what you have instructed at the time of arranging the funeral, they will either remain at the crematorium on temporary deposit for a short time, or be returned to our offices. You can also collect them yourself directly from the crematorium. We can place the ashes into a casket or urn in preparation for them to be collected from us by you, or for interment at a cemetery or churchyard. Alternatively the ashes can be scattered in the garden of remembrance at the crematorium.

Q. Do I get my loved one's ashes back from the crematorium?

A. Yes. There are very strict laws and regulations governing crematoria, which include the fact that all cremations must be separate (there are one or two exceptions to this affection stillborns mainly, which you would be made aware of at the time of arranging the funeral). Each coffin is cremated exactly as it is received at the crematorium and when the cremation is complete the ashes are raked into a single container ready for collection or scattering.