Dedication service at East Lothian Crematorium

A special service has taken place to formally dedicate East Lothian Crematorium & Memorial Gardens, near Edinburgh, to the communities it serves.

The crematorium, which opened last autumn, is part of Westerleigh Group, one of the UK’s largest independent owners and operators of crematoria and cemeteries, with 42 sites in England, Scotland and Wales, and which is trusted by more families than any other provider to deliver funerals for their loved ones.

All Westerleigh's locations are set within beautifully landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide peaceful places for people to visit and reflect, while benefiting from exceptional care and support from its teams.

Westerleigh Group’s tradition is to dedicate a new crematorium to its community in the presence of funeral directors, celebrants, members of the clergy and senior representatives from many organisations within the bereavement sector. The East Lothian ceremony took place on July 8.

It was attended by a number of guests, including Professor Hilary Grainger OBE – Chair of Cremation Society of Great Britain, Adrian Saville – President London Association NAFD, Gary Staker – SAIF National President, Ross Anderson – SAIF Scotland President, Lisa Parkes – Deputy President, ICCM and Robert Swanson – Scottish Government Inspector of Crematoria, Cemeteries and Funeral Directors.

Also present was Westerleigh Group’s ambassador Alan Jose, who recently became President of the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA) for a year.

East Lothian Crematorium Manager Gemma Smith said: “The dedication service is part of our way of establishing our crematorium and ensuring it provides a positive presence within our surrounding communities.

“We have been developing strong relationships with local funeral directors, clergy, charities and organisations, as well as helping the bereaved to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones through uniquely personal funeral services and memorial options.

“The dedication service also provided an opportunity for the guests to see our SuperVenue facilities, which we are so proud of.

“Using state-of-the-art technology, we are able to help families personalise funerals to unprecedented levels to reflect the life, loves and interests of the individual being remembered.

“In the relatively short period of time since we opened, we have had the honour of supporting local families, with the exceptional care that Westerleigh Group has built its reputation on for more than three decades.

“Our crematorium is proud to play a vital role in the community and provide a place of reflection, remembrance and celebration of life for many years to come.”

For more information about East Lothian Crematorium, visit www.eastlothiancrematorium.co.uk.