It is the policy of Newcastle City Council to offer high standards of care and a wide variety of options at its cemetery and crematorium facilities.  This should enable each member of the community to arrange a funeral that is meaningful and can contribute to the healing process.

The need for high standards and meaningful choice is one which Newcastle City Council shares with the Institute of Cemetery and Cremation Management (ICCM). The Institute, formed in 1913 is the professional organisation representing local government officers involved in the provision of cemetery and crematorium related services.

The Charter for the Bereaved was created by the ICCM in 1996, in response to the Citizens Charter initiative, which is supported by all the major political parties.

It was created with the intention of generating interest as well as educating people about bereavement.  It was also intended to improve and update cemetery and crematoria services and related aspects of bereavement.

The Charter defines the rights of every individual who experiences bereavement.

In order to become a Charter Member, an Authority must be able to offer the bereaved 33 basic ‘rights’ relating to their service.  These ‘rights’ cover such issues as burial and cremation procedure, grave choice, cremated remains and memorialisation, funerals without a funeral director, environmental issues, and the maintenance of grounds & grave digging.  The Charter also identifies targets for an Authority to continuously improve their service for the bereaved.

The guiding principal for burial and cremation services under the Charter for the Bereaved is that all cremation and burial facilities should be managed with competence and efficiency to ensure that the entire bereavement experience occurs without error or insensitivity.  In addition they must meet the religious, secular, ethnic and cultural needs of the bereaved.

After a submission by the Bereavement Services Section, Newcastle City Council was accepted as a Charter Member in November 2000.

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Officers said, "we are extremely proud that the City has been accepted as a Charter Member.  The Charter is a written statement of what people can expect from our service and will enable people to judge the quality of service we provide.  By becoming a Charter Member, we are showing our commitment to improving and developing the cemetery and crematorium service.  The Charter sets standards of service related to burials, cremation, and funerals and we, as Charter Members, acknowledge that the views and needs of our service users should be given much greater recognition than perhaps in the past.  The Charter should enable our users to recognise a responsive service, one that meets with the expectations of the bereaved and one that is delivered with the right attitude and with a genuine desire to be helpful. We are confident that with these human qualities combined with the requirements set out in the Charter, the highest standards will be achieved by the City in the provision of the cemetery and crematorium service.”

The purpose of the Charter is to improve funerals and we would like to take your views into account.  Also, anything that interests you or leaves you with a feeling of disquiet is important to us.

A copy of the 33 rights identified by the Charter can be obtained from the Bereavement Services Office, along with any other information you should require concerning services for the bereaved.