Look at the wonderfully moody sky at the Riverview Natrual Burial Ground in Kent. I have been spending quite a lot more time there at the moment and it is becoming a place I find relaxing and peaceful. Sian and the team there are very welcoming and we always chat about the people who are now resting there, underneath the stars for eternity.

The views are incredible in this newly opened site, and just taking time to explore with your eyes immediately opens up other senses.

It won’t be long until more trees are planted and then, in the future, the land will be woodland that will hold some wonderful stories at the root of each tree. There is a sense of timelessness about the place that rolls over into the way a funeral can be constructed. There are no real constraints and we are able to really start with a ‘blank piece of paper’ for each person.

As a practicing funeral celebrant here in Kent it is a real honour to be able to work directly with the families and guide them through the options that are available to them. Often, the period between a person passing and their funeral celebration is like being in ‘limbo land’ so it’s productive to have something positive to be involved with. Unlike at a Crematorium, there is no specific amount of time allocated to each funeral, meaning, that you are able to get a little ‘creative’ in celebrating the passing of your loved one. There won’t be another ceremony taking place on the same day so you really do have the place to yourselves to be able to craft the kind of ceremony

Not such a ‘moody’ sky

that you would like. It really is true, that no two funerals are ever the same.

Every time I return to the site, I always say hello to the other people I have been there with and I can tell you stories about each of them, almost as though I had actually met them when they were alive.

People don’t realise that you don’t have to live locally to be able to ‘rest’ here. People have travelled some distance to be placed by this beautiful view. Local Funeral Director, (Independent) William Whitmey are extremely familiar with the site and would be able to guide you towards creating lasting memories through beautiful ceremonies. Alternatively, you can speak directly to Sian and the team at the  Riverview Site

Although funerals can be sad times and full of mixed emotions, it is lovely to be able to give a celebration fitting of the character of the loved one who has passed. This can be reflected in decorations, the choice of music or some other quirky elements that can be discussed and made to happen. You are able to include religious content if required, or not…the beauty of this type of funeral is the amount of choice available.

Hilary Steel, Independent Funeral Celebrant

I have been inspired to write a selection of original poems and readings that I show to each family I meet with. Many of these writings have been inspired by my visits to Riverview and also by the people I see there each time. The bench in the picture above is where they seem to start.

If you would like to talk to Sian, then please do visit their website www.kentnaturalburials.co.uk/and then why not, take a visit to the actual site.