Cemetery to offer seven-day burials

BURIAL services are to improve at Greenacres Cemetery thanks to a £40,000 improvement plan.

The council money will be used to extend a section of the cemetery for Muslim burials and to improve access and the general lay-out.

Muslims will also get water facilities to perform wuzu or ablution, and it will be possible for graves to have a concrete lining to fit in with Islamic belief about the journey of a dead person’s spirit.

To improve facilities for all faiths, funeral services will be offered seven days a week.

In Islam it its customary to have a burial as soon as possible and the current five-day arrangement was hindering that practice.

Cemetery manager Jane Murphy explained: “We have been in talks about extending burials to seven days for over two years.

“Most of the improvements will come as a result of feedback from members of the Muslim Burial Working Group (MBWG), which was formed 12 months ago.

“We want to improve services for all sections of the community. We also cater for Hindus.

“This is the only Muslim burial site in Oldham, but the group will be looking for a new section with other Oldham Council cemeteries in the future.

“The MBWG has been fantastic in helping us to improve the service.”