Paul Bowley on GreenAcres Heatherley Wood
Past National SAIF President Paul Bowley talks about the new natural cemetery, and its support of the bereaved.
My partner Davina and I represented SAIF at the re-opening of GreenAcres Heatherley Wood, a unique, natural cemetery and ceremonial park set amidst acres of glorious woodland and wildflower meadows in the heart of the Hampshire countryside. We explored the grounds, and it really was a lovely setting and I’m sure families will appreciate the tranquil and beautiful environment.
The landscape will be sustained, enhanced, and preserved for future generations and it’s a place where families will feel comfortable, and I am sure will want to return to share memories and reflect.
We enjoyed a talk by GreenAcres’ CEO, Andy Tait, and from the founder of The Good Grief Trust, which has an agreement to have a pop-up cafe on the first Saturday every month for the bereaved. The organisation came about when the founder, Linda Magistris, lost her husband at an early age and set up a group for people who had lost loved ones to enable them to get together for chats and coffee.
The pop-up café is very much welcomed and the bereaved don’t feel so alone. It is also an opportunity to discover new connections with people in the same situation and struggling with the difficulty of their loss.
We had a lovely welcome and our attendance on the day was appreciated.
Tags: Andy Tait, bereavement, cemetery, GreenAcres, Hampshire, Heatherley Wood, national, Past, Paul Bowley, President, SAIF, woodland