A NEW burial ground offering families the chance to bury their loved ones in a woodland or meadow has been launched.

Old Park Meadow, in North End, near Dunmow, was opened last Friday, signalling the beginning of a project hoping to provide a lasting environmental legacy.

The leader of Chelmsford City Council, Roy Whitehead, opened proceedings by talking about the special relationship the council has with the project, a co-operative venture with Strutt & Parker Farms, making Old Park Meadow the first council affiliated natural burial site in the region.

Charlie Fillingham, managing director of Strutt & Parker, followed with a brief word on the burial ground’s aim to provide a long-lasting and sustainable contribution to the area, emphasising the billions of tons of concrete, steel and embalming fluid are deposited underground every year.

Old Park Meadow is part of the movement to put an end to such waste.

Josefine Speyer, a founder member of the Natural Death Centre gave a talk on the importance of environmental burial and having freedom of choice when it comes to planning for death.

To find out more visit oldparkmeadow.co.uk.