Local community invited to Christmas memorial service at Exeter and Devon Crematorium

A special Christmas memorial service will be held at Exeter and Devon Crematorium and Cemetery on Topsham Road to commemorate loved ones who have passed away in the community in 2021.

Families supported by the crematorium over the past year are invited to attend the memorial service on Wednesday 15 December at 7pm in St Peters Chapel where they can dedicate a personalised star to their loved ones which can be placed on the crematorium’s memorial Christmas tree as a sign of remembrance. Refreshments including tea, coffee, mulled wine and mince pies will be served, a performance from the Summerland Singers and the memorial service will end at approximately 8pm.

Last year, restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic meant the memorial service could not be held.

The local team at the crematorium will also be making a donation to the Children’s Hospice South West. In total, the Crematorium and Memorial Group (CMG), which Exeter and Devon Crematorium is part of, will be donating approximately £23,000 to local charities across the UK.

Crematorium Manager, Deborah James, said: “This year has been another immensely challenging year for our community, and it will be particularly hard for those who are recently bereaved.

“We are delighted that we can once again host our memorial service and offer our crematorium as a place for reflection and memory this Christmas for families in our community who have lost a loved one.

“We understand that some members of the community may not feel comfortable being in a crowded space this season, so we hope our memorial Christmas tree offers comfort and we are happy to place the name of a loved one on the memorial Christmas tree on behalf of those who do not wish to attend the memorial service. We also ask that if anyone is displaying symptoms of COVID-19, that they kindly do not attend the service.

“Our teams continue to do everything possible to provide families with support at this difficult time and we are committed to ensuring that families are able to arrange a respectful funeral for their loved ones.”

To find out more about the Crematorium and Memorial Group visit www.dignityfunerals.co.uk