What happens to ashes after cremation?
After cremation, the remains go through a further process called cremulation, which results in what we usually call “ashes”. Once complete, the crematorium will place the ashes into a container to return to the funeral director or hand back to the family. At the funeral director, the ashes may further be transferred into a permanent urn. If the family wishes to share the ashes the funeral director may return them in a number of individual urns or keepsakes.
How do I collect my loved one’s ashes?
Depending on your own arrangements, you may collect ashes from your funeral director or from the crematorium. Wherever they are stored before collection, you can be sure that your loved one’s ashes will be handled carefully and respectfully at all times.
What if I want to share ashes with my family?
If members of a family wish to divide the ashes of their loved ones, there are many lovely options for doing so. Family members can choose the urn or keepsake that best reflects the relationship that they each had with the deceased. Urns and keepsakes can be personalised to create unique memorials that are constant, comforting reminders. You can speak to your funeral director about this when arranging the funeral or you can divide the ashes later. Your funeral director will be able to assist you with an ashes transfer service if you wish to do this later.
How can I take my loved one’s ashes abroad?
The deceased may have wished their ashes be repatriated to the country of their birth, or to be scattered in a country that meant a great deal to them in life. If transporting ashes is needed a special repatriation ashes urn is recommended. Our Findon Urns were designed with this in mind and hold the ashes securely and discreetly, whilst allowing official inspections where required. They have special features including storage for certification or identification documents and are fully biodegradable.
Scattering, burial or storing ashes
Many families choose to scatter ashes and, indeed, this may be the request of the deceased. Scattering ashes can be done easily with specially designed attractive containers such as our Scatter Tubes, which can be chosen as the urn in which ashes are returned from the funeral director or crematorium. There are many beautiful designs to choose from, and different sizes are available which are perfect for families choosing to share the responsibility of scattering the ashes. If you choose Scatter Tubes they will be supplied by your funeral director.
Scatter Tubes can also be chosen as urns for burial, in particular the fully biodegradable solid colour options. Wooden caskets are also a popular choice for ashes burial as they are made from natural biodegradable materials. Wooden urns or caskets come in many styles from traditional to contemporary. A more modern concept for ashes burial is the HighDown Urn which was developed with relocation in mind. Families may worry that if they move house they may not be able to visit the burial place of their loved one’s ashes. The HighDown was developed so that it can be retrieved and relocated easily.
What are my options for keeping ashes at home?
Storing ashes at home is a very popular choice nowadays and there are so many options from classic and traditional to stylish and contemporary that there will be something suitable for every home. You can choose to keep ashes together or to divide them into smaller urns or keepsakes to share with family members. Photo urns are very popular as they are such a discreet way to keep ashes at home.
Whatever you choose to do with your loved one’s ashes after cremation you will find something to suit each family’s individual needs for reminders and memorials. You can also be assured that, at every stage, your loved one’s ashes will be treated with dignity and respect by all involved until they are safely back with you and your family.
