Westerleigh Group announces new build crematorium

Westerleigh Group has announced that Sirhowy Valley Crematorium has been built.

The new site became operational on 4 February 2021 and is the 35th site to be operated by Westerleigh nationwide, which includes three other facilities in Wales.

The crematorium, which is located in Caerphilly County Borough, has been “sympathetically designed” to offer a place of peace and seclusion within the picturesque natural setting in the heart of the valley.

The chapel is light and spacious, finished in Welsh pennant stone, render and bespoke hardwood joinery with neutral colours and with picture windows along one side. It is fitted with a modern media system and two large screens, providing live webcasts and visual tributes and will be surrounded by well-maintained memorial gardens.

The four-hectare site also features a floral terrace, set slightly away from the chapel, offering a “tranquil area” for families and friends to gather following their service.

Kevin Davies, regional manager at Westerleigh Group, said: “We are delighted to have developed this new crematorium in Sirhowy Valley. We believe it will provide local families with a wider choice of funeral services. Prior to Sirhowy Valley Crematorium opening, the nearest alternatives were all more than 10 miles away, and journeys take over 30 minutes in a funeral cortege.

“We are pleased to be able to offer a facility that will significantly reduce this travel time, improving the experience for the bereaved and ensuring that their time can be fully focused on the funeral service itself. Sirhowy Valley Crematorium will offer standard service times at one-hourly intervals, ensuring families are not rushed.”

Davies added that the crematorium will also include “state-of-the-art” digital technologies to provide webcasting of services for remote viewing, as well as visual tributes which can be shown during a service.

Former funeral director Jon Deacon, the site manager at Sirhowy Valley Crematorium joined Westerleigh Group last December to lead the new team and share his experience of delivering the highest levels of care and compassion to bereaved families.

He said: “I am proud to be the first Site Manager at Sirhowy Valley Crematorium and I am looking forward to serving our local communities at the time when they’re experiencing exceptional levels of pain and heartache from losing a loved one.

“Our new premises, set within beautiful grounds, coupled with our absolute commitment to delivering uniquely personal services, will provide a dignified place of rest or final tribute.”