Grave to Cradle –
where Green Burial contributes to grassroots grant making
where Green Burial contributes to grassroots grant making
Natural or “green” burial is an increasingly popular choice. The alternatives are cremation or burial in a churchyard or municipal cemetery. Cremation is still first choice but both methods have a detrimental carbon impact on the environment. Whilst this contributes to the growing popularity of green burial, the main reason for its choice is that people want to be buried in “green and pleasant land”, like their local woods.
Landowners
Green burial is an opportunity for farm diversification, generating additional income from the land: golf courses, farmland, coppices – so long as there’s public access.
The market
Green burial currently accounts for an estimated 7 % of the market. There are
around 250 ‘green burial’ grounds in the UK. The umbrella organisation (Association of
Natural Burial Grounds) provides advice and has established a code of conduct for the
operation of sites. Around 11,000 people die each year in Historic Lincolnshire. If 7% elected for natural burial, the demand would be 770 burials per annum. At £700 per plot this would generate over £500,000 a year income (see Building Endowment below for split). The growing market includes older people living in the countryside, eco-conscious youth, green ambassadors, humanists and celebrities (recently the actress, Wendy Richards, chose green burial). Whilst some families plan and carry out green burials with no assistance, the majority rely on a funeral director in the usual way. The main differences are the location of the grave and its future (much lower carbon-cost) maintenance.
Building a Burials Endowment Fund
Green burial in Lincolnshire is sponsored by the Community Foundation, the Agricultural Society and the Farmers’ Support Network (counseling, debt advice, diversification). Between them, they’ve established a common fund, LARC (Lincolnshire agriculture & rural communities), fed by green burial cash contributions. Burial income* (the cost of the plot) is split between the landowner (to contribute to maintenance costs) and the LARC Fund. In Lincolnshire, we allocate £250 of the fee to the landowner and £450 to the LARC Fund. Awards from endowment go to farming families in need, education (farm-to-fork and so on) & diversification.
Setting up and managing the scheme
We help you promote the product. We advise on planning, a complicated process that may involve water source, protected species, tree and traffic surveys. We link sites to a burials Trust. We help you set up an administration system: public interface, bookings, payments, disbursements, web-based information and associated products (green memorials), information for funeral directors, statutory records
Expert advice: ian.pepperdine@btinternet.com l 01469 533966
Landowners
Green burial is an opportunity for farm diversification, generating additional income from the land: golf courses, farmland, coppices – so long as there’s public access.
The market
Green burial currently accounts for an estimated 7 % of the market. There are
around 250 ‘green burial’ grounds in the UK. The umbrella organisation (Association of
Natural Burial Grounds) provides advice and has established a code of conduct for the
operation of sites. Around 11,000 people die each year in Historic Lincolnshire. If 7% elected for natural burial, the demand would be 770 burials per annum. At £700 per plot this would generate over £500,000 a year income (see Building Endowment below for split). The growing market includes older people living in the countryside, eco-conscious youth, green ambassadors, humanists and celebrities (recently the actress, Wendy Richards, chose green burial). Whilst some families plan and carry out green burials with no assistance, the majority rely on a funeral director in the usual way. The main differences are the location of the grave and its future (much lower carbon-cost) maintenance.
Building a Burials Endowment Fund
Green burial in Lincolnshire is sponsored by the Community Foundation, the Agricultural Society and the Farmers’ Support Network (counseling, debt advice, diversification). Between them, they’ve established a common fund, LARC (Lincolnshire agriculture & rural communities), fed by green burial cash contributions. Burial income* (the cost of the plot) is split between the landowner (to contribute to maintenance costs) and the LARC Fund. In Lincolnshire, we allocate £250 of the fee to the landowner and £450 to the LARC Fund. Awards from endowment go to farming families in need, education (farm-to-fork and so on) & diversification.
Setting up and managing the scheme
We help you promote the product. We advise on planning, a complicated process that may involve water source, protected species, tree and traffic surveys. We link sites to a burials Trust. We help you set up an administration system: public interface, bookings, payments, disbursements, web-based information and associated products (green memorials), information for funeral directors, statutory records
Expert advice: ian.pepperdine@btinternet.com l 01469 533966