Westall park is a member of the Association of Natural Burial Grounds. This organisation was first set up by the Natural Death Centre which was founded in 1994. It encourages all natural burial grounds to become members so that it can provide effective guidance and a framework of best practices which members can adhere to. It also provides a degree of protection for families using member’s services, and a formal body to approach with concerns or complaints which may not have been resolved with the member themselves.
The association and its role
Although the association does not enforced membership, it is a really good way of ensuring that you have confidence in the service we provide at Westall Park. Membership means that we take our standards of service very seriously. It also shows that we operate in accordance with the best natural burial practices. One of the most vital rolls for the ANBC is to monitor its members. In order to make sure our practices and procedures are transparent we must provide families with opportunities to give feedback on our services direct to the Association. This means that any problems raised come to their attention immediately and you can be confident that a positive experience of natural burial is the priority for both us at Westall Park, and the ANBC. The association is also there to offer their technical advice and experience to us as we develop our natural burial site and the services we provide.
Insuring the best practices for you and your family
Because we are members of the ANBC we have agreed to follow their code of conduct which is aimed at making sure members operate according to best practices. Best practice not only applies to the way in which we cater for the families and friends of the deceased, but it also applies to the woodland burial ethos, and how we ensure that our burials are ecologically sensitive. It guides our policies on the use of caskets, grave markings and the manner in which we manage our woodland burial ground now and in the future.
One of the most important directives from the ANBC , is that all members must allow families to forgo the use of a funeral director and organise the funeral themselves. In addition they stipulate that we must have an efficient and sensitive procedure for handling any complains, and provide a formal body which you may go to if you feel your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction. If you would like to learn more about how we are regulated and the work of the Association of Natural Burial Grounds then visit www.naturaldeath.org.uk.