Plans to create national woodland burial leader unveiled
Woodland Burial Parks has changed its name to GreenAcres Woodland Burials and is planning to create a nationwide network of woodland cemeteries.
The award-winning company currently operates three sites in Norfolk, Essex and Buckinghamshire, and has announced plans for an increase in the number of cemeteries it owns or manages by 2020.
Year-on-year rises in the demand for burial and internment services at GreenAcres Woodland Burials’ three existing parks, coupled with an increase in the number of woodland burial sites across the country – from five in 1995 to 260 in 2012 – has resulted in the announcement.
Sir Michael Bibby, managing director of Bibby Line Group, of which GreenAcres Woodland Burials is a wholly-owned subsidiary, said: “The plans to expand are in recognition of where we see the woodland burial market going in coming years.”
Andy Paling, managing director of GreenAcres Woodland Burials, added: “The move to the new name of GreenAcres Woodland Burials is designed to send a strong and positive message to the public and, in particular, funeral directors, who recognise that we offer a level of service and professionalism that is consistent with what they themselves offer.
“We are determined to be the woodland burial park against which all others are measured in terms of our service, quality and trust.”
GreenAcres Woodland Burials has recently secured planning for a fourth site in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, and currently has five other sites across the UK progressing through planning.
“We were an early arrival to the industry and opened our first park in 2001. Given the growth and the wide variation in the funeral experience that is being offered we needed to differentiate ourselves and demonstrate that we offer impeccable service in a natural environment for a totally personal funeral,” Andy Paling added.
“The name change and investment programme, combined with the quality of our team, is at the heart of our belief in the business.”
