A celebration of life

Shropshire Registration and Celebratory Services are able to offer an alternative funeral service.

When someone passes away, families and friends are the ones left with the difficult task of planning and arranging the funeral service. The main concern is always to ensure that the ceremony is carried out with dignity and, above all, a fitting celebration and testimony of the life of their loved one.

For those with no particular religious beliefs, a civil ceremony provides an alternative to the religious ceremony.

What is a civil funeral service?

A civil funeral service is a ceremony that has no religious content and which concerns itself entirely with remembering and celebrating the life of the person who has died.

How is the ceremony created?

We will work with you every step of the way to create a truly individual picture of the life and times of the person whom you have lost. We will use your recollections, memories and anecdotes, and those of other close friends or family members to assemble the ceremony.

We will talk to you about the things that you would like to be included in the ceremony and we will make sure that you are happy with its content and accuracy before the day of the funeral, giving you every chance to make changes if necessary.

The usual format of a civil funeral is as follows, but can be adapted to suit your wishes or those of the deceased:

• Music for processional
• Introduction
• Opening words
• Reading / address by friend or family member
• Acknowledging the circumstances
• Tribute
• Reading / address by friend or family member
• Time for reflection (musical)
• Reading / address by friend or family member
• Committal / farewell (music can be included here)
• Closing words
• Music

Where can a civil funeral service be held?

A ceremony can be held almost anywhere that you wish and is appropriate for cremations, burials at non-religious burial grounds or woodland burial sites.

Who conducts the service?

The service will be conducted by one of our excellent, trained celebrants.

Fees

The fee from 1 April 2012 is £140.00. This fee will usually form part of the payments made on your behalf by the funeral director and recharged as part of their final account.

How do I arrange a civil funeral service?

Usually you would speak with your funeral director, who will contact our service on your behalf. We will then contact you directly and make arrangements to meet with you. To contact Shropshire Register Office directly please telephone 0345 678 9016.

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