Woodland Burials run Woodlands of Remembrance, and their site at Shamley Green near Guildford takes both full burial and ashes interment.

The grave is permanent. Unlike municipal cemeteries, where plots are often leased and can be re-used later, these are undisturbed in perpetuity. Each grave is marked with a hardwood plaque carrying the name and lifespan, which is replaced when it biodegrades, and a native broadleaf tree is planted for every interment, ashes included.

Each woodland is managed to a scheme approved by Wildlife Trusts and the local authority, so it develops into a genuine nature reserve rather than a tidy memorial garden. The grounds never close and can be visited whenever you like.

Two practical things worth knowing. There are no parish restrictions, so you do not need a local connection to be buried there, and there is no out-of-parish levy. Some councils charge up to three times the standard fee if you lived outside the catchment. And reserving a plot pegs the price at today’s rate, evidenced by a numbered certificate, with adjacent plots available if a family wants to be together.

Services can be religious, secular or nothing at all. No particular form is expected.