Directions
Gedling Crematorium is located on Catfoot Lane, Lambley (NG4 4QH) accessed from two directions - from Mapperley Plains (Arnold to the west) or from Lambley to the east. The Postcode entered into your SATNAV is pretty accurate.
When you are in Catfoot Lane, look-out for a white sign post - 'Crematorium'. If you see that, you are there. Catfoot Lane is in a very rural area, beautiful countryside.
As you turn into Gedling Crematorium, the road bends slightly to the right. The first turning on the left, is for Hearse' only (for the Hearse to drive to the entrance of the Chapel under the Porte-Cochere). The second left is into the 'main' car park. Turn left here. If the carpark is full, carry on (down the hill) turn right and then keep right into the overflow carpark.
Car Park Spaces
There are (approximately) 83 car spaces. There are no actual designated car bays in the over-flow area.
Disabled Car Park Spaces
There are designated bays for disabled parking (Blue Badge) - close to the chapel entrance. The distance from the disabled bays to the chapel door is around 40 feet (12-metres) - easy access by wheelchairs. All the paths and routes are very much wheelchair friendly.
Assistance (Guide) Dogs
Guide/Assistance Dogs are more than welcome at Gedling Crematorium. Water bowls are provided for all dogs. Please request a bowl prior to arrival or make a note and let me know and I will make sure one is available for your dog. All areas are dog-friendly.
Non-Assistance (Guide) Dogs
ALL dogs are permitted at Gedling Crematorium Funeral services and in the grounds of the Crematorium. Once again, let me know and I will make sure the Gelding Staff know, and facilities are provided for your/the dog. As per normal, if you are bringing your dog to a Service, please don't forget your Pooh bags!
Pets
Within reason, all pets are welcome to a Service at Gedling Crematorium. Normal and safe behaviour to others around is expected. If you have any questions, or doubt about bringing a pet, please do not hesitate to ask me (email / text / phone call).
On Arrival
Vehicles should park in the main carpark (or the over flow carpark). The entrance to the Chapel is pretty obvious. The Porte-Cochere (Chapel Canopy) is pretty big and will accommodate many people from any inclement weather.
Waiting Room
The chapel waiting room is located to the right of the chapel main door. It is labelled on the door - 'Waiting Room' (see image below).
It is warm, pleasant and cosy room. A great place to meet friends and family before the Service. One advantage of the Waiting Room, is the interactive Picture wall. The photos used in the Visual Tribute are digitally displayed in 'photo frames' on the wall opposite the entrance.
Water Fountain
The Waiting Room also contains a free-of-charge Water Fountain.
The main office or administration point is located to the left of the main building (left of the main chapel door entrance). Here the Crematorium Manager and her staff can be contacted. There is a private area to discuss any personal or delicate issues.
The office is the 'hub' of the Crematorium. Phone calls in and out are handled here for both you (families), Funeral Directors and those that need information for and about a Service, the Crematorium, or specific paperwork needed/required.
Please do not hesitate to call the Office for any questions or queries you may have. They are here to help.
Address:
Catfoot Lanre
Lambley
Nottinghamshire
NG4 4QH
Telephone:
01159 675 230
Email:
Gedling@westerleighgroup.co.uk
Website:
Manager - Giulia McDonough
Office Opening times:
Monday - Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
The office is closed at Weekends and on Bank Holidays.
Crematorium Grounds Opening Times:
April - September - 9:00am - 6:00pm
October - March - 9:00am - 5:00pm
Weekends and Bank Holidays - 10:00am - 4:00pm
DIY
You can organize a funeral yourself - that is not a problem. There is however, quite a bit of paperwork to obtain, sort out and organize, plus people to talk with as well as provide the Crematorium (as well as others with). There are also a number of fees to be paid before the Cremation service. To travel this route, via Gedling Crematorium contact the Gedling Office.
Westerleigh and Distinct Cremations
Gedling Crematorium is owned and run by The Westerleigh Group. Their Funeral arm for organizing and conducting a funeral is Distinct Cremations. Contact Distinct Cremations for all fees, details and how to go about booking a Funeral at Gedling. Distinct Cremations have the same ethos, attitude and good behaviour as The Westerleigh Group.
Entry into the chapel
Entry into the Gedling Chapel is directly from the car park (under the 3m high Porte-Cochere/canopy).
There is an outer door followed by a short vestibule area before the actual doors into the chapel. By having this, not only is noise reduced from the outside of the chapel, but any 'late comers' can easily slip in without too much of a fuss and the noise usually associated with doors opening and people entering.
In the winter time, the double doors keeps the inside chapel warm and cosy.
World's FIRST Experiential Funeral Venue
Gedling Crematorium is a Super Venue. The first thing you will notice when you walk through the front chapel door is the expansive immersive Wall in front of you, the colour-setting of the room, the atmosphere lighting and sound (the audio system - the top of the range Marshall speakers - VERY impressive, if you are an audiophile) - and how emotional the Service will or can be.
If you wish to take full advantage of this this - call me and I can talk you though it - no charge!
Please note, you DO NOT need to have the immersive experience if you do not wish to.
A 'conventional' Crematorium
Crematorium Chapels are classed as either 'modern' or 'traditional'.
Modern Crematoria will have a number of 'modern' upgrades such as individual seats (as opposed to pews).
The Catafalque will generally be to one side of the chapel - not the main feature.
Allotted and Service Timings
The standard service SLOT time is 60-minutes, with the actual service time being around 40 minutes. There are shorter (and thus cheaper) time slots such as 30-minutes. The actual Service time is thus around 25-minutes.
Gedling also offer 'Double Slots' for those that wish a longer service time or a more 'relaxed' and possibly a 'rushed' service. A Double slot does not mean you have to have an 80-90 minutes service.
Attended Services (as opposed to Direct Cremation Services) usually start at 9:00am. Direct Cremations can start much earlier, from around 8:00am.
The last attended Service usually starts at 5:00pm.
Witness Charge Services
These are available, but must fall within the time frame of the Service ordered. A Witness Charge must be ordered in advance in order for it to be incorporated into the Service. I can explain the full process.
There are TWO options:
1. A Witness charge is where the family or those present can witness on the chapel screen the start of the Cremation process - the coffin entering the Cremator and the start of the cremation.
2. A Private viewing (by arrangement) of the start of the cremation process for up to 5-persons. If you wish me to be there to help and be there, I can explain and guide you through what you are seeing and what is happening as it happens and why. Attendees tend to have questions. I am there to help and answer questions.
A Witness Charge tends to happen after the Service has finished - but can, if requested, take place before the Service begins. Naturally, all the timings of the Service need to be carefully planned prior to the day of the Cremation.
Please note, there may well be a cost for the Witness Charge from the Crematorium (not me).
Chapel Seating
Gedling Crematorium has seating for 93 in the chapel. There is space at the back of the seating area for people to stand plus in the aisle (at a push). It has been known for people to stand at the front of the chapel - though the Immersive Wall may not be as impressive and spectacular with people standing in front of the projection.
The Left-hand seating aisle has 7-seats across. The left hand side has 8-seats across.
The seats are not part of a long fixed pew or linked together. As such, for wheelchair users, a seat can be removed and the wheelchair take up this space. The wheelchair user then becomes part of the congregation and not 'added' to the row of seats.
The aisle is approximately 1.5m (between the two sets of seats) - making a very easy, relaxed and spacious way for people to walk or have access.
The Exit Door
Looking from the chapel entrance (towards the catafalque and lectern), the exit door is located on the right-hand side at the front of the chapel. There are two sets of double doors. The doors lead directly onto the floral Terrace.
The Catafalque and Curtains
The Catafalque (a raised table or structure the coffin sits on) is located at the end of the chapel aisle in the centre. It looks like a 'separate' room as curtains are all around the area.
Using the Super Venue facilities and options, you can have whatever colour to bathe the Catafalque area in - and precise colour.
The colour control is operated at the back of the chapel by a separate computer screen just for lighting colours. It is truly high-tech. With a digital colour wheel, colour nuances can be set. Pink (for example) is not just 'Pink' - there are so many shades of pink that can be set. This is also true of ALL the colours of the rainbow. Blue has umpteen shades, as does red, orange, yellow, green, and of course blue! Gedling has a highly sophisticated operating system to be able to control the exact colour you would like - not just in the Catafalque area, but also the whole of the chapel. No other Crematorium company in the UK has such options and facilities - to get EXACTLY what YOU want.
Call me and I can talk you though the various options and ideas.
Catafalque Curtains
In most Crematoria in the UK, the choice is only OPEN or CLOSED.
At Gedling Crematorium (and other Westerleigh Super Venues) the choice consists of:
- Curtains left open (at the end of a Service).
- Voiles only closed.
- Main curtains only closed.
- Voiles followed by the main curtains closing.
- Choice of lighting in the Catafalque area - to fade out as the curtains close - very emotional and can have a positive effect on people.
These are the main choices. If you are uncertain, I can talk you thorough the various options - the pros and cons of each.
Toilets
There are male, female and disabled toilets located to the left of the main entrance and 'around the corner'. They are signposted and labelled on the door. See the 9th image below.
Disabled Toilet
This toilet is spacious (accommodating a wheelchair), has support rails and emergency red cord. It is regularly cleaned and meticulously maintained. I have never known it to be unclean, messy or 'a problem'. This is not the philosophy of The Westerleigh Group. They maintain a very high standard of cleanliness and service. If, if something is not quite right, you are encouraged to let the staff know. It will be immediately corrected.
There are a number of venues/places to hold a wake or even have a cup of coffee and a piece of cake close by (if the Service is very early in the morning...) I would suggest talking to the staff at Gedling Crematorium to give local and good helpful advice and suggestions.
Contact them on: 01159675230
