By Adam Dutton via SWNS
A crematorium has started offering 4D cinema-style funerals for families to provide a unique send-off for loved ones – in what is believed to be a world-first.
Gedling Crematorium, in Nottinghamshire, is using state-of-the-art technology to give an “immersive visual experience” they say has never been seen before.
They claim to uniquely personalize services to an unprecedented level through the combination of projections, lighting and soundscapes in their chapel.
Grieving families can now select from a selection of giant-themed moving backdrops that surround the area around the coffin.
The canvases include a football stadium tailored to a person’s favorite team, a sprawling countryside, a waterfall with running water and a wintry scene with falling snow.
There are also lavender fields, floral backdrops and autumnal scenes which can all be added to the display for a “visually led funeral experience.”
Westerleigh Group says their “ground-breaking celebration of life experience” offers families the chance to experience the “funerals of the future, today”.
A spokesperson said: “Our facilities and technology at Gedling Crematorium are state-of-the-art and unique to the whole of the UK.
“We are able to provide various themes to personalize loved one’s funeral, in our chapel as well the waiting room
“Where other UK venues can only provide visual tributes and photos of a loved one on chapel screens, our canvas wall serves as the entire visual tribute backdrop for a service.”
Families start their remembrance as they gather in the waiting room by viewing the gallery – a collection of 25 digital frames uploaded with images of their loved ones.
Inside the chapel, the canvas service allows personalized visual tributes to be projected onto the front wall.
High-spec audio equipment and customizable lighting have been installed to tailor the chapel, waiting room and entrance areas to “reflect the life of the loved one being remembered”.
There are currently ten backgrounds to choose from but the group says it plans to significantly increase the options available.
The move is a partnership between Westerleigh and audio-visual providers to the bereavement industry Obitus.
Debbie Smith, chief executive officer at Westerleigh Group, said: “We’ve always been committed to making the services we host as uniquely personal as possible, which is also an ambition of our partners at Obitus.
“Now, thanks to their research and development, our shared vision has become a reality, and we’re extremely excited to be able to offer the funerals of the future, today, transforming the way the bereaved say their final farewells.
“This offers the opportunity for family members and friends to come together, not only to mourn and grieve but to become fully immersed in celebrating the lives of their loved ones in a way that nobody else in the world can do.
“Some families have already experienced the new technology and the initial feedback has been extremely encouraging, with people telling us they have been able to give their loved one a memorable send-off they would have loved.
“We would like to thank all the funeral directors and celebrants who have supported us and bereaved families through the introduction of this exciting development.
“Moving forward, in partnership with Obitus, our aim is to make this technology as accessible to as many families as possible and we’ve already been discussing and planning which of our other crematoria will be the next to have this technology installed.”
James Crossland, the founder of Obitus, said: “We launched his project in response to the growing public demand for more personalization at funerals.
“It’s taken several years to get to the stage where we’re ready to start using this, but even so, we’ve only scratched the surface of what is possible, and this is something that will continue to evolve and expand.
“We can’t wait to get more feedback from families who choose to incorporate this innovative service and will use their responses to help drive its further development.
“While there are ten backgrounds at present, what we’ve got here is a essentially a blank canvas with almost endless opportunities moving forward.
“The system is extremely flexible and adaptable.
“We’re excited to be working with Westerleigh Group to use the latest technology to take funeral services to a new level, and plan to continue the development project.”
Westerleigh Group is one of the UK’s largest independent owners and operators of crematoria and cemeteries, with 41 sites across England, Scotland and Wales.
