Christmas Carol Service at Forest of Dean Crematorium

Forest of Dean Crematorium is inviting the local community to visit the chapel on Friday 16th December to take part in its annual Christmas Carol and Memorial Service for all ages.

The festive gathering provides a valuable opportunity for families and friends to come together and remember their loved ones in the run up to Christmas.

The service will start at 6.30pm and will include popular Christmas carols and a time for reflection. Warming soup and seasonal refreshments will be available.

Visitors will be able to write messages to their loved ones which will be put into a post box during the evening and then displayed in the Book of Remembrance room for the rest of the month.

It is free to attend but people are being asked to book their place in advance by emailing forestofdean@westerleighgroup.co.uk

Forest of Dean Crematorium is part of Westerleigh Group, the UK’s largest independent owner-operator of crematoria and cemeteries, with 37 sites across England, Scotland and Wales, all set within beautifully-landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide pleasant, peaceful places for people to visit and reflect.

Site Manager Hannah Giles said: “Christmas can be a particularly difficult time of year for families who are missing loved ones, and our annual Christmas Carol and Memorial Service provides a fitting way for people to reflect and honour their loved ones during the festive season.

“For some, especially if they are quite recently bereaved, the festive period is often a time when they feel their loss more, and people can feel lonely.

“This service provides a chance for people to not only pay tribute to their loved ones but also be in the company of other people who are in a similar situation, which in itself can be a source of comfort.

“We know, from feedback we’ve had in previous years, that the service brings some solace and peace to local people at this time of year.”