Charing Crematorium

12/11/2025

This week, our site at New Southgate Cemetery & Crematorium, proudly honoured the life of Dorothy Lawrence, believed to be the only woman to serve on the front line during the First World War.

Disguised as a man, Dorothy joined the trenches in 1915 and served with extraordinary courage and resilience. Her bravery, individuality, and pioneering spirit continue to inspire generations.

A new memorial headstone has now been placed at her resting place, ensuring her legacy is recognised and remembered.

Read more about Dorothy’s remarkable story here: https://ow.ly/YS6H50XqB0P

09/11/2025

This Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day, we honour and remember all those who have served, sacrificed, and lost their lives in service. 🌹

As we come together this weekend and on Tuesday, let us pause, reflect, and show our gratitude to those who fought.

06/11/2025

Work continues to progress well on our new site in Cramlington, Newcastle. Below is a brief update alongside the latest images from site showing how things are shaping up as we close out week 2:

🔹 Plate bearing tests are booked
🔹 Piling scheduled to begin week commencing 17th November – with efforts underway to bring this forward
🔹 Works on the overflow car park are progressing steadily

Great to see strong momentum on this project so early on. More updates to follow as we continue building this important new facility.

31/10/2025

🌺 Poppy Appeal at Charing 🌺

We are proud to support the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal this year.

Every poppy helps to provide vital support to members of the Armed Forces community — past and present — and their families.

You’ll find our Poppy Appeal box in the waiting room, where you can pick up a poppy, wristband, or wooden cross and make a donation.

You can donate to this great cause by scanning the QR code in front of the box, to donate easily and securely.

Together, we remember and honour those who have served. ❤️

31/10/2025

In our latest episode of Before You Go, Matt sits down with Ross Hickton, Managing Director of Hickton Family Funeral Directors, 4th-generation Funeral Director, and National President of SAIF.

Together, they discuss what it means to lead a family business through four generations, the evolving landscape of independent funeral care, and Ross’s vision for the future of the profession.

This episode offers an insightful look at leadership, legacy, and the balance between tradition and innovation in one of the UK’s most compassionate sectors.

Listen now on Spotify: https://ow.ly/krf450XkMiZ

28/10/2025

And we’re off again!

Works on our latest crematorium near Newcastle have started with T. Manners & Sons. We look forward to providing updates and announcing the name and other details about this development in due course.

28/10/2025

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

November calls for a new challenge.
30 miles in 30 days.

Danni says:
I’ll be posting updates as the days go by of my adventures and tally up of miles.

The Salvation Army has worked for over 160 years, transforming lives all over the UK, it’s our turn to give back!

If you can, whether it’s big or small, please donate to this amazing Charity using the link below.

Thank you!

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Help Danni Sear raise money to support The Salvation Army

27/10/2025

We’re proud to announce the official opening of our brand-new crematorium in Musselburgh, near Edinburgh — the first in Scotland to offer families an unprecedented level of personalisation when celebrating their loved one’s life.

At the heart of this beautiful new site is our innovative canvas technology, which transforms the entire front wall of the chapel into an immersive experience through visuals, lighting, and soundscapes — creating a truly unique farewell that reflects each individual’s personality and story.

As part of Westerleigh Group, East Lothian Crematorium represents the next step in our commitment to providing exceptional care, comfort, and choice to families, while setting new standards in sustainability and accessibility.

Learn more about what makes this new site so special: https://ow.ly/HIj150XikaF

27/10/2025

Meet The Team Monday 💫

Gary has been a valued member of the Charing team for 23 years, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to his role as Crematorium Assistant. Before joining Charing, Gary spent 26 years working as an Under Butler at Leeds Castle, where he developed exceptional attention to detail and a strong sense of service.

With his extensive knowledge of all aspects of operations at Charing, Gary is a vital part of the team.

Outside of work, Gary enjoys golfing and clay shooting.

24/10/2025

We’re proud to share highlights from our launch event- the unveiling of Scotland’s first immersive funeral venue at East Lothian.

The event brought together funeral professionals, our colleagues, and partners from Obitus to experience first-hand how innovative sound, lighting and visual technology can help families say goodbye in a more personal and meaningful way.

24/10/2025

Bringing the super venue to the South West.

Last night, we welcomed our industry colleagues to Sedgemoor Crematorium to share our exciting plans to introduce the super venue concept here this December.

Thank you Obitus for your help on the night.

Find out more: https://lnkd.in/e9XWfkXP

Images of the chapel after installation have been kindly provided by Basildon and District Crematorium & Cemetery, also operated by Westerleigh Group.

23/10/2025

We wanted to give you a little glimpse into our beautiful grounds, so today we’re taking you on a tour of our East Lawn

West Lawn tour coming next …

16/10/2025

The future of funerals is coming to Vale Royal!

This week, Vale Royal Crematorium was proud to host a preview evening for local funeral directors and celebrants, offering a first look at the immersive Super Venue technology arriving this November.

As the only crematorium in the north of England to introduce this innovative technology, we’re proud to be leading the way in transforming how families can honour their loved ones — creating farewells that are more personal, meaningful, and reflective of individual lives.

Featuring dynamic Canvas walls, atmospheric lighting, and carefully curated soundscapes, this technology brings a new level of personalisation and experience to the funeral service.

A big thank you to our colleagues and to the team at Obitus for the engaging presentation and Q&A session.

Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we share more glimpses of this exciting development.

03/10/2025

Our new podcast Before You Go is now live — with the first three episodes available to listen to today from Dr Bill Webster, Emma Britton and Duncan Reynolds.

Hosted by Matt Brook, the podcast invites guests to share open and honest conversations about death, grief, and the way we remember produced in collaboration with Empica.

Listen now to all three episodes and follow us on Spotify to stay up to date with future episodes: https://ow.ly/KZNL50X4emh