State-of-the-art Hemel Hempstead Crematorium opens its doors

The crematorium has been developed by the West Herts Crematorium Joint Committee, made up of representatives from Dacorum, Hertsmere, Three Rivers, St Albans and Watford councils. The facility is a sister-site to the award-winning West Herts Crematorium in Garston - which is also overseen by the Joint Committee - and has been built to provide additional capacity for the West Hertfordshire region.

The chapel, which overlooks a tranquil reflection pond, can seat up to 140 people and sits within extensive grounds next to Dacorum Borough Council’s Poppy Fields cemetery. The new site will allow for enhanced quality of service by offering longer service times, ensuring that residents can say goodbye to their loved ones in a more personalised way. It will also provide a complementary service to the Garston site, increasing the choice available to residents and reducing waiting times in peak periods.

The Joint Committee representatives - including Three Rivers Cllr David Major, Chair of the West Herts Crematorium Joint Committee – who was a key player in the development and spoke at the event - marked the official opening on Monday 18 September, when they were able to see the finished facility and tour the whole site.

The Chair of Three Rivers District Council, Cllr Phil Williams, and the Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change and Sustainability, Cllr Jon Tankard, were in attendance.

Cllr Williams said: “It was lovely to have a look around this wonderful facility that will no doubt be valued by our residents and communities.

“Laying our loved ones to rest in a peaceful and beautiful place is very important. The new crematorium has been thoughtfully designed to host longer ceremonies in order to be a special place to say our final goodbyes to our loved ones.”

Hemel Hempstead Crematorium will operate on the same basis as its Garston counterpart, providing the same high-quality service, with funerals running Monday to Saturday.

For more information, please visit: https://www.westhertscrem.org/.

PHOTO CAPTION 1: External shot of the new Hemel Hempstead Crematorium.

PHOTO CAPTION 2: Internal shot of the new Hemel Hempstead Crematorium.

PHOTO CAPTION 3: (From left) Cllr David Major, Chair of the West Herts Crematorium Joint Committee, Cllr Phil Williams, The Chair of Three Rivers District Council, and Cllr Jon Tankard, Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change and Sustainability.