Frequently asked questions

The following are some of the questions that people have asked us over the years:

• How do I find out the date and time of a funeral?
• How is a cremation arranged?
• How long is the service in the chapel?
• Can I have longer for the service?
• Do I have to have the local minister to take the service?
• Who decides on the content of the service?
• How many people can the chapel hold?
• Is it possible to look around the chapel and grounds before the service?
• What sort of music can be played?
• Do I have to have an organist?
• Can the coffin be in place before we arrive?
• What happens at the beginning of the service?
• What is the committal and do I have to have the curtains closed?
• What happens at the end of the service?
• Where do the floral tributes go?
• How long are the floral tributes left in the flower display area?
• Is it possible to view the charging of the coffin?
• How soon after the service will the cremation take place?
• Is the coffin cremated with the body?
• Can more than one coffin be cremated at a time?
• How are cremated remains kept separate?
• When will the cremated remains be ready for collection?
• What happens to the cremated remains after cremation?

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How do I find out the date and time of a funeral?

Please contact the relevant cemetery office.

How is a cremation arranged?

The cremation regulations are complex and many people approach a Funeral Director immediately death occurs to advise them that they wish to arrange a cremation. The Funeral Director will ensure that all the necessary statutory forms for cremation are obtained and presented to the crematorium.

How long is the service in the chapel?

Services are booked on the hour and half hour. The actual time allowed in the chapel is 20 minutes. The remaining 10 minutes being used for the entry and exit of the mourners and the removal of the coffin, floral tributes.

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Can I have longer for the service?

You can have longer for the service. An additional half an hour can be booked at a charge. If you think you are expecting a large attendance or wish to have a service which has more than two hymns and a number of people getting up to speak then the additional half hour should be booked.

Do I have to have the local minister to take the service?

No. You can have any minister of your choice or a family member/friend could take the service if wished. The Funeral Director will be able to advise you on ministers and officiants.

Who decides on the content of the service?

The family decides on the content of the service. This can be made up of poems, prayers, hymns, personal music and tributes about the person. The service must fit into the allocated time booked either 20 minutes for a single time or 50 minutes when an additional time has been booked.

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How many people can the chapel hold?

• Efford chapel can seat 70 with space for standing.
• Weston Mill chapel can seat 100 with space for standing.

Is it possible to look around the chapel and grounds before the service?

Yes, it is possible to have a look around. Please contact the relevant cemetery office to organise a date and time when it is possible to have a look in the chapel. The grounds are open 365 days a year so please feel free to have a look around them at your leisure.

What sort of music can be played?

Any type of music can be played and each chapel has a music system for compact discs. Please speak to your Funeral Director.

Do I have to have an organist?

No, you do not have to have the organist. If you are to sing hymns then it is advisable to have the organist. If you do wish to use the organist this is arranged by the Funeral Director and there is a fee payable. Please speak to your Funeral Director.

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Can the coffin be in place before we arrive?

Yes this is possible. Some families prefer this option. Please speak to your Funeral Director.

What happens at the beginning of the service?

The mourners will normally gather at the crematorium in the waiting room or close to the entrance of the chapel until the cortege arrives. The coffin is conveyed into the chapel followed by the mourners.

As each family’s needs are different, if you would like an alternative please discuss this with your Funeral Director.

What is the committal and do I have to have the curtains closed?

While the service is in progress the coffin rests on the catafalque (platform for the coffin). The committal ceremony usually takes place towards the end of the service. At this point the curtains are usually closed, screening the coffin from sight.

The curtains are driven by an electric motor and they are activated by pressing a button on the lectern (reading stand). The coffin remains where it rests until all the mourners have left the chapel. If preferred, you may request that the curtains are not closed, although the words of committal will still be said. If the coffin curtains are not closed the coffin remains in sight the whole time and mourners leave the chapel with the coffin still visible.

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What happens at the end of the service?

The Funeral Director will come into the chapel while the exit music is being played. They will greet the main mourner asking them to follow them out of the chapel to where the floral tributes are on display.

Where do the floral tributes go?

The floral tributes will be placed in the flower display area for viewing after the service.

How long are the floral tributes left in the flower display area?

The floral tributes will be placed in the flower display area for viewing for five days. They can be left here, donated to the crematorium for use in the chapel or you can ask your Funeral Director to take them to another place of your choice.

Is it possible to view the charging of the coffin?

Yes it is possible to view the charging of the coffin but due to health and safety the number of people will be restricted.

The relevant cemetery office must be informed that you wish to witness the committal when the cremation is booked so that staff can be informed who will then make the necessary preparations on the day.

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How soon after the service will the cremation take place?

The cremation is usually carried out shortly after the service and certainly on the same day. On rare occasions a cremation may not be carried out on the same day, however the applicant for cremation will have been notified.

Is the coffin cremated with the body?

Yes.

Can more than one coffin be cremated at a time?

No, each cremation is carried out separately. The aperture (opening) through which the coffin passes in the cremator and the cremation chamber are of dimensions that will only accept one coffin.

How are cremated remains kept separate?

A cremator can only accept one coffin at a time and all the remains are removed from the cremator before the next cremation. An identity card is used throughout the whole process therefore ensuring correct identification.

When will the cremated remains be ready for collection?

The cremated remains are ready for collection (normally by your Funeral Director) on the next working day. If they are required the same day then the service will need to be in the morning.

What happens to the cremated remains after cremation?

The law relating to cremation requires that cremated remains are disposed of in accordance with the instructions of the applicant (usually the executor or nearest surviving relative). There is no need to make a hurried decision with regards to the final resting place of the cremated remains.

The crematorium has a range of options which include scattering in the Garden of Remembrance or interring in a burial plot or a sanctum vault. There are several memorials available. For further details please see Efford cemetery and crematorium memorials or Weston Mill cemetery and crematorium memorials pages.

Cremated remains may also be scattered on or buried in a family grave. Please contact your Funeral Director or the cemetery office for further details.

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