Frequently Asked Questions
You can order online, and pay through our secure worldpay payment system with all major debit/credit cards. You can also place an order over the phone and we can take debit/credit card details through our secure payment system or you can order by post with a cheque.
The cost is £795 per tree or bench. This includes a standard memorial plaque and the scattering of one set of ashes if requested. Additional ashes are charged at £100. Other types of plaque or updated plaques are subject to an additional fee (Gold effect plaques are £85 and Stainless Steel are £95).
From receiving an order, dates for dedication in normal circumstances are booked 12 weeks in advance. We will try to accommodate client's wishes for specially requested dates wherever possible. We do ask for as much notice as possible as our diary gets fully booked very quickly.
20 years from the date of the last tree dedication at a memorial forest, all plaque posts will be removed. We will still maintain the site and look after the memorial trees to ensure that the woodland is safe and as accessible as possible. Eventually the management of each forest will be returned to the original landowner.
Certain sites will be cut 5/6 times a year, or as needed. This is done from March/April to Sept/Oct every year (weather dependent).
Please be aware that some sites are only cut twice a year to allow for wild flowers to bloom and reseed. Other sites are not cut at all due to ground nesting birds and these grasses will maintain themselves throughout the season. Pathways will be cut where possible to improve access.
We conduct tree dedications on the majority of Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year, except for during adverse weather conditions such as snow or extreme temperatures. If for any reason a dedication needs to be rescheduled we will do this at the earliest date possible.
Each tree can only accommodate one plaque. The sentiment on each plaque can be between 20 and 30 words depending on which site your dedicated tree is at. If you wish to add a name(s) to a plaque in the future you can purchase a new plaque and reword the sentiment to suit the addition(s).
At the majority of memorial forests the plaque can fit a sentiment of 30 words. At our St Joseph's Hospice "Jospice" and Tandle Hill Park memorial forests the plaques are smaller and can accommodate a sentiment of up to 20 words. Any date in number format i.e. "06.11.2012" is counted as one single word. A date in word format i.e. "6th November 2012" will be counted as three words.
We will send via email or post a proof of your chosen wording before having a plaque made. We ask you to confirm that you are happy with the spelling and layout at least two weeks before the dedication date. However if we do not receive this confirmation we will go ahead with having the plaque made.
For every tree we dedicate we issue a certificate containing the details relating to your memorial tree for you to keep. Copies of this certificate can be ordered for £3.50 each including P&P.
If requested we are able to collect ashes from funeral directors. For this service we do ask for a donation. Please contact us first to discuss the details and get a quote on 0161 624 2299.
Please note you will have to give written permission to the funeral director to allow Life for a Life to collect the ashes on your behalf.
Yes ashes an be scattered with a memorial tree. This can be done at the time of dedication or at a later date.
You are not permitted to carry out this function yourself as various laws and regulations must be adhered to and records completed relating to the final dispersal of cremated remains. Please note that we will require the certificate of cremation for all ashes. The certificate of cremation will be given to you when the ashes are collected from the Funeral Directors or crematorium.
Some books are located at our head office in Chadderton with others having specially chosen locations near to the memorial forest. The location can be found on the certificate of dedication and books are usuallly updated every 12-16 weeks.. You will also have the ability to view the books online through the virtual Book of Remembrance. If you have any questions regarding the inscription please do not hesitate to contact us.
When attending a dedication or visiting a memorial forest it is advisable to wear suitable outdoor clothing and footwear, depending on the weather, i.e. waterproofs and walking boots or wellies. This is also advised when visiting any of our memorial forests at any other time. We also ask that the Countryside Code is followed to protect the natural environment.
You can contact us on 0161 624 2299, through the online contact form on our website or email us directly at info@lifeforalife.org.uk. We will require details of the tree i.e. plot number or reference number. If you do not have these details we may ask for further questions to find the details on our system.
No. Whilst we do permit the dedication of certain wildflowers and woodland plants, it is very important that clients understand that it is not permitted to create shrines around a tree in a Life for a Life Memorial Forest. There are many reasons why we do not let this happen.
Our aim is to create beautiful, well managed Forests of Remembrance. Our forests are not graveyards or cemeteries, and with this in mind, we do not permit items to be placed around the tree that would not occur naturally in this environment. This includes photographs, toys, cards, poems or cut flowers. Even decorative rocks and pebbles can cause damage to our machinery which is not only dangerous but is then very costly to repair. Hanging items on or around the trees can cause damage to the branches or trunk which may mean that your tree will have to be replaced in the future.
Please contact the office if you would like a list of acceptable wildflowers or woodland plants that can be added to your plot.
The tree, plaque and the area around the memorial tree remains the property of Life for a Life and the landowner. You are making a contribution to the woodland and there do not own the tree.
As a registered Charity (1096422) all monies received are donations and therefore are not able to permit refunds. This does not affect your statutory rights.