Westerleigh Group is introducing vegan Books of Remembrance at its crematoria, an indication of its increasing green and sustainable credentials.

Westerleigh is working with Epsom-based FG Marshall, the firm which supplied the very first memorial book to a crematorium in 1938.

The new, ‘greener’ Books of Remembrance use a vegan-friendly cactus alternative as opposed to the traditional leather and sheep vellum materials previously used.

But all the entries in the books are still hand-lettered by FG Marshall’s in-house expert calligraphers and illustrated by their own team of talented artists.

Westerleigh Group, which has its headquarters on the outskirts of Bristol, is introducing the books initially at its Waseley Hills, New Forest and Aylesbury Vale crematoria but plans to introduce them to all its sites over time.

Westerleigh Group is the UK’s largest independent owner and operator of crematoria and cemeteries, with 37 sites in England, Scotland and Wales, all set within beautifully-landscaped gardens of remembrance which provide pleasant, peaceful places for people to visit and reflect.

Daniel Dunn, General Manager of FG Marshall, said: “We have been looking at manufacturing vegan books for several years but there has not been much of a demand from established crematoria due to the fairly conservative memorial book culture.

“Westerleigh Group is the first group to take the plunge and we are absolutely delighted to be working with them on this ground-breaking project, not only making the memorial industry more sustainable but also pushing the boundaries of innovation, making the Books of Remembrance more accessible to a younger generation.

“Westerleigh is our first client to opt for a vegan alternative.

“A traditional Book of Remembrance is normally made in the Monastic style and is as far away from vegan as you can get. The outer cover is made from calfskin vellum and would normally require three skins.

“The pages would normally be made from a sheepskin parchment.

“For our vegan books, we use cactus leather, 160gsm Canaletto paper, beeswax and PH neutral PVA glue.

“We tested about 14 samples from different suppliers. The mango alternative we first investigated turned out to be far more expensive than normal leather and the supplier could only provide limited quantities.

“We also tested mushroom leather, cork leather, pineapple leather, fruit waste, stone and various artificial combinations.”

Matthew Brook, Head of Memorialisation for Westerleigh Group, said: “Books of Remembrance are a very traditional form of memorial, with beautifully-handcrafted books which last for hundreds of years.

“Our partnership with FG Marshall is the perfect blend of traditional trades and modern values.

“Not only are our new books vegan in nature, but they are all being digitised, too, so that people who are not able to visit our crematoria to view them in person will be able to view them from the comfort of their own homes, online.

“The beautiful Books of Remembrance provide families with another option for them to honour and pay tribute to their loved ones.”

In 1933, after years of research and development, Frederick George Marshall introduced the first ‘Book of Remembrance’ as a way for people to commemorate their loved ones in the crematoriums which were becoming more widespread in Britain.

Today, nearly 90 years later, FG Marshall enjoys an international reputation for the outstanding quality of its work and proudly claims its books remain the ‘finest in the world.’

The introduction of the vegan books is just the latest in a series of steps taken by Westerleigh Group to become greener and kinder to the environment as well as to evolve its services in line with changing needs and lifestyles of its bereaved communities.

Vegan Books of Remembrance are expected to be available at Waseley Hills, New Forest and Aylesbury Vale Crematoria this autumn. To enquire, please contact memorial specialist at your selected crematorium.