Southampton Crematorium & Cemeteries

23/11/2025

Thank you to everyone who came along to this morning’s Grief Café 🩵

It was a really lovely session, and the Christmas tree decorations you made were absolutely beautiful. Here are a few photos from today’s craft activity ✨

Our next Grief Café will be in January, so keep an eye out for our 2026 dates.

We also have our Christmas Memorial Service on Thursday 11 December at 7.00pm. Refreshments will be available afterwards, and everyone is welcome to come along if they’d like to join us in remembering their loved ones. 💫

13/11/2025

All welcome to November grief cafe on Sunday 23rd 10am-12pm Southampton Crematorium West Chapel.
Optional crafting making Christmas decorations in memory of your loved one, tea/coffee, pastries and friendly chat 🎄
Harlee's Angels

11/11/2025

10/11/2025

Yesterday we were honoured to attend the Remembrance Sunday service held at Southampton Old Cemetery, organised by the wonderful volunteers from the Friends of Southampton Old Cemetery.

It was a privilege to be part of this important annual event and to lay a wreath on behalf of Bereavement Services in remembrance of all those who served and sacrificed.

Our sincere thanks go to the Friends group for their dedication, not only for arranging this moving service, but also for the care and time they give throughout the year to help maintain and share the history of this special place.

📷 Photographs kindly provided by Bruce Larner.

30/10/2025

Our new Reflection Service:
We understand that families can sometimes feel torn when their loved one has expressed their wish for a Direct Cremation.
Increasingly, we have noticed more families attending the crematorium to witness their loved one’s arrival. This can obviously be very distressing for families who are longing for a chance to say a final goodbye in the chapel but are unable to do so. Our new Reflection Service, now available, bridges that gap, providing a dignified and meaningful alternative.
Held in our peaceful West Chapel, this is not a traditional funeral service. There are no spoken tributes, eulogies, or readings. Instead, the time is focussed on quiet reflection, with the following included:-
• West Chapel
• 15 Minutes in Chapel
• 10 Attendees
• 3 pieces of music
• Halo photo
For more information you can call a member of staff on 02380 766405 or speak with your local Funeral Director 🕊

29/10/2025

Our Christmas Service will be held on Thursday 11th December from 7pm in East Chapel. All welcome to join us for Christmas Carols, readings, music and refreshments. The Salvation Army Band will greet you on arrival which is always a great way to start the evening. If you would like to join us please email bereavement.services@southampton.gov.uk so that we have a rough idea of numbers. You can also add a photo of your loved one to the email so that it can be added to the beautiful visual tribute on the night 🎄✨

19/10/2025

We were pleased to welcome so many people to our Grief Café this morning at Southampton Crematorium.
Today’s theme was pumpkin carving, and it was heart-warming to see conversation, creativity, and community spirit shining through.

A huge thank you to Harlee's Angels for funding these sessions and helping us provide a safe, welcoming space for anyone coping with loss. 🩵

18/10/2025

We are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at Southampton Crematorium for the grief cafe. Pumpkins 🎃 will be waiting 🎃

10/10/2025

Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October) is first and foremost a time of remembrance, a chance to honour the little lives lost too soon and to connect with others who understand. It’s a space to reflect, to come together as a community, and to know you are not alone.

08/10/2025

Marking Black History Month at Hollybrook Cemetery and Memorial
Representatives from the Army and Royal Navy were joined by local school children for a poignant ceremony at Hollybrook Cemetery and Memorial in Southampton to mark Black History Month.
More than 30 serving members of the Armed Forces Multi Cultural Networks and Navy attended, alongside students from The Gregg School in Southampton, for the annual ceremony on Wednesday October 1. Students paired up with service personnel to explore the cemetery and memorial, as well as listening to stories shared by CWGC staff working on site.
Casualties commemorated at Hollybrook include those who served with the British West Indies Regiment, Indian Army and the South African Native Labour Corps are commemorated on Hollybrook Memorial.
Cdr Robert Jaffier RD VR FCMI CIWFM RN, Deputy Race Advocate at the Royal Navy, said: “We were very happy to be present at Hollybrook during Black History Month, in recognition of those who served and for their contributions during the First and Second World War.
“They set the foundations for the rest of us, allowing us to stand on their shoulders, because they made the ultimate sacrifice. When the Motherland called, members from across the Commonwealth answered.”
Simon Bendry, Director of Education, Engagement and Volunteering at the CWGC, said:
“We want to thank all those involved for organising and for coming together at Hollybrook for this poignant event to mark Black History Month.
“Our cemeteries and memorials, both in the UK and around the world, tell a powerful story of the global impact of the World Wars. Every community is represented among those we commemorate, and we warmly welcome all to explore the legacies of the Commonwealth men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
The CWGC co-hosted the event at Hollybrook with the British Army’s Multi-Cultural Networks and the Royal British Legion.
October is Black History Month across the UK. In cemeteries and on memorials right across the UK, you can discover the stories of those from the black community who served in both World Wars.
This month’s events include tours of the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial in Surrey, and of the graves of British West Indies Regiment casualties at Seaford Cemetery.
To find out more, visit: Black History Month 2025 | CWGC