Services at Crematorium to move during hospital build

Wednesday 28 July 2021

Funeral services at the Crematorium will be held at a yet-to-be determined location during the demolition and rebuilding of the hospital next door, it has been confirmed.

A small number of family members will be allowed to attend a short committal – which is a brief ceremony allowing mourners to say a final goodbye before cremation – at the Crematorium, but the full service will have to be held elsewhere.

The arrangements were shared at a recent meeting of the Overdale Neighbourhood Forum, which is an online gathering where residents living around Westmount can speak with members of the Our Hospital project team.

This led to a number of comments on social media questioning where services for islanders who did not want a religious service would be held.

Mary Venturini, who is a member of the Friends of Our New Hospital group and was posting on its Facebook page, said: “We have been told that services normally held at the Crematorium will now probably be held at a church or other religious location in the island. This, apparently, has already been agreed by religious leaders and by the crematorium staff.

“But what about us, the users of the crematorium? We haven't even been asked. Has it occurred to the insensitive hospital team that this is unsatisfactory? We may not want a service at ‘another’ religious location because we are not religious.

“Like all the other things that are going wrong with the planning of this new hospital there must be better and more sensitive ways to sort this out. The casualties at Overdale never end.”

However, the Government has said a location suitable for all types of services would be found.

Paul McGinnety, Director of Local Services, said following questions from Express: “Discussions are currently underway to explore the possibility of relocating funeral services during the construction of the Our Hospital project on the neighbouring Overdale site.

“The department is working with the Crematorium Service User Group to determine how best to minimise any disruption while the hospital is being built. 

“While the intention is to relocate the service aspect of funeral proceedings, all committals will still take place at the Crematorium.

“Discussions with the Crematorium Service User Group and other stakeholders is very much at an early stage, but it is hoped that a collective solution can be found in the coming months to minimise any disruption.

“In the meantime, services at the Crematorium will remain unaffected until construction work begins in mid-2022, while access to the memorial rose garden will be unaffected, both during and after the construction of the new hospital.”

Also commenting on the Friends of Our New Hospital Facebook page, funeral Director Paul Battrick MBE said: “Funeral directors are meeting in September with the Government to look if it is this possible and are the people who know what families need. 

“Senator [Lyndon] Farnham, whom I respect, has just called me and reassured me this will happen. Please rest assured, if Government do not meet the needs of all who sadly need to use this facility with compassion, we will go public.”

Jersey's crematorium was built in 1961 and caters for both religious and non-religious services. The Government has previously said that the technology at the Westmount site is reaching the end of its useful life and it is likely that a new home will need to be found.

However, Our Hospital project political head Senator Farnham has stressed that the memorial gardens will remain.