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| Parents share grief in moving ceremony By Peter Walsh of Norwich Evening News 12 March 2007. |
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| A flock of beautiful white doves were released into the skies above a woodland burial park as parents who have lost their loved ones united in grief. Dozens of bereaved parents looked on as the doves were set free to mark the end of an emotional half-hour ceremony at Woodland Hall at the Colney Wood Burial Park, near Norwich. The annual event was held to remember youngsters who died during pregnancy or were stillborn. Pat Atkinson, a chaplain at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, led the service which featured readings and poems from people who had lost babies in the past, but who had found strength in the support given by staff at the burial park. "Today is sad and difficult but an opportunity to share together and that's the important part." she said. "Everyone here, me included, has been through the trauma of losing an unborn child. It's not an easy thing to do, but you just have to get on with it. "We're not going to try to give answers at what is a very difficult time, but we're all here to love together, to share together, and to remember together." During the service some parents sobbed quietly as they reflected on their loss to moving music including Eric Clapton's Tears from Heaven. During a reading called Four Flowers, four bulbs were planted to represent grief, courage, memory and the love that each parent had for their baby. Kaye Thaxton, 33, from Thorpe, who attended the service following the death of her daughter Emma in 2004 when she was five months pregnant, said: "The hospital put me in touch with Colney Wood and Emma is buried here. It's just such a beautiful place to come and be with your loved ones and services like this bring people like myself together so you can share your experiences and your grief if that's what you want to do." Mrs Thaxton, who wrote a poem for her daughter, which was read out by her husband Jeremy at the service, used to work as an administrative assistant at Norwich Magistrates' Court but started working at Colney Wood last October. |
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 "It's just such a beautiful place to come and be with your loved ones." "We started coming here before Emma was buried and even though it was one of the worst times in our lives this place seemed to really uplift the both of us because it's just so beautiful," said Mrs Thaxton, who has a 21-month-old son called Joshua. "We did consider a cremation, but having found this place it just seemed the right thing to do - it's really about the cycle of life and everything returning to the earth." Samantha Twiss, 32, from Hockering, near Dereham, who lost her baby Willow in January last year, said the staff and surroundings at Colney Wood were fantastic. "They are just very supportive and very understanding," she said. After the service, parents were given the chance to plant bulbs in the grounds, and there was also a collection to raise funds for a permanent memorial at the 12-acre site. Last October, the Evening News reported how parents of aborted babies would have a designated haven at Colney Wood to mark their loss. The park already offers its services to bereaved parents who have miscarried or suffered a stillbirth. Monday 12th March 2007. [Go to source] |
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Bank Holiday Opening Hours 2008 Please note that we will be open on all Bank Holidays throughout 2008 from 10.00am - 3.00pm, with the exception of Christmas Day and Boxing Day when we will be open from 9.00am - 12.00pm. Many Thanks All at Colney Woodland Burial Park |
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GREEN FLAG WILL FLY AT COLNEY A It is one of the few privately run parks in the country to receive an award and the staff are delighted: “It’s a tremendous endorsement of our green credentials and our attitude to open spaces. It is very satisfying to know we meet the exacting standards of the awards and we’re delighted to win a green flag,” said Managing Director Nick Taylor, who is to be presented with the award at a ceremony in The Green Flag awards are run by the The Civic Trust, the country’s leading urban environment charity. Judges look at seven key criteria including sustainability, community involvement, management and conservation. Visitors are welcome seven days a week – whether they want to enjoy a woodland walk, visit a grave or find out more about alternative funerals. A programme of nature-themed events includes school holiday activities for children such as themed picnics, pond dipping and bird box making. “Colney is a place where death is shown to be part of the cycle of life and not something to be feared or hidden. Those who have been bereaved find a peace and healing in the tranquillity of the woodland and may draw renewed hope from the changing seasons,” added Nick Taylor. The concept has proved such a success that it has formed a blueprint for woodland cemeteries. The Norwich-based team opened a second larger cemetery in Epping Forest opened earlier this year – which has also received a Green Flag Award - and work is about to start on a 72-acre park in the Chilterns. The first dedicated woodland burial park in the country to be awarded the Investors in People Award, Colney Wood has also received awards from South Norfolk Council and the Campaign to Protect Rural England. |
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A BIRD’S EYE VIEW AT COLNEY Visitors to a Norfolk wood can now get a bird’s eye view of spring – thanks to the family of a man buried there. For a nest box, complete with camera, has been installed at Colney Woodland Burial Park – in memory of wildlife lover Mervyn Greatbatch of Taverham, who died from cancer in March 2006. His widow Lorraine, said her husband - who served in the Royal Navy for 35 years and latterly worked as a crime analyst for Norfolk Constabulary - would have loved watching the activity: “My husband loved birds and anything to do with nature, hence his decision to be buried at Colney Wood. I wanted to create a living memorial and this is just perfect – once when we had blue tits nesting in the garden he set up his video camera in the evening and then got up at 4am to switch it on so he could watch the fledglings as they left the nest. “Colney Wood is such a beautiful place and I wanted to do something that would live on – I also released two rescued hedgehogs near his grave and have sponsored a memorial beech tree,” she added. Woodland Manager Tim Strudwick said that this was the first time a camera had been installed in a memorial nest box: “We’re very excited about the prospect of being able to watch what goes on inside the box at close quarters. Over 50 different species of birds have been spotted at Colney Wood and we’re looking forward to a busy nest building season. “The cycle of life is what we celebrate at Colney Wood and the nest box camera will offer visitors a rare opportunity to watch life in the making.” He said that footage captured by the camera was screened into the park’s woodland shelter, which provided a peaceful refuge for visitors. And as well as giving all the park’s memorial nest boxes a spring clean, Colney Wood also hosted a nest box making event for children earlier this month, ahead of Valentine’s Day and the start of the courting season. The award winning mature woodland burial park was established in 2000 to provide an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional funerals. It is open 365 days a year for burials, interments and the scattering of ashes. |
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PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN GO GREEN Rubbish, waste and junk were on the curriculum during an eco-week at a Norfolk primary school. With its sights set on becoming an ‘eco school’ Little Melton Primary School kick-started its green quest with a week-long programme of special activities (Monday 21 January – Friday 25 January). While some of the 61 pupils considered topics such as energy and waste, others tried their hand at making musical instruments from junk. Neighbours Colney Woodland Burial Park also lent a hand, helping to organise nestbox making sessions, led by South Norfolk ranger Steve Hammond. “The children are very enthusiastic about looking after the environment and our week of activities was designed to get us all thinking about how we can make a difference,” said Headteacher Joan Hughes. Anne Beckett-Allen from Colney Wood said that they were delighted to see the school embracing eco ethics: “It’s great to see young children getting involved in environmentally friendly activities and for them to see what a positive impact their actions can have.” Set in 12-acres of mature woodland, Colney Woodland Burial Park offers an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional funerals. It has been named the country’s top green burial site for the last three years running. |
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New Woodland Manager A man who has worked with top racing teams across the world is gearing up for a new challenge at Colney Woodland Burial Park. Tim Strudwick is the new woodland manager at the 12-acre burial park – a role which caught his eye after he quit life in the fast lane to retrain as an arborist. And now it’s a finishing line with a difference he’s focusing on – supporting families as they lay their loved ones to rest. “Trees were something I’d always been interested in and after 18 years in the motorsport industry I jumped at the chance to retrain for a job that wouldn’t involved being away from home all the time,” he explained. “This is beautiful woodland and it’s a real privilege to be part of a team which helps families through a really difficult time. It’s very rewarding.” Married, with two children, Tim lives near Barnham Broom. A keen golfer, he now spends much of his spare time accompanying his 13-year-old son Matthew - who represents the county in the sport – to tournaments across the country. Established in 2000 Colney Wood is an award winning mature woodland burial park, set up to offer families a meaningful and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional funeral options. A haven for wildlife, the park is open 365 days a year for burials, interments and the scattering of ashes. |
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