Memorial ideas in Cambridge

When a loved one dies and chooses to have their ashes scattered, their family and friends may want to designate a space in their memory to visit instead of a grave. 

A memorial, such as a dedicated tree or bench, can be a meaningful way to remember your loved one. It can give you a spot to visit and think about your loved one in an area that was significant to them, such as the town where they grew up or their favourite spot in the park. 

In Cambridge, there are a number of ways you can set up a memorial for your loved one, including their own tree in a Cambridge park, or a bench in their honour at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. 

Celebrate the life of your loved one with a dedicated bench in the tranquil Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Place a bench in their memory where you can sit alone and reflect, or meet up with a family member or friend to share stories about your loved one.

You could visit as frequently as you’d like year round, taking time to wander the impressive grounds and soak up its stunning scenery on a sunny day, stopping at the bench for a rest and a moment of reflection. Or you could settle into the bench with a flask of tea on a brisk day and watch the world go by as you remember your loved one.

A new bench with a personalised plaque costs £3,000 and will remain in the garden for at least 10 years. You can request that the bench be placed in one of three chosen areas, as long as there is availability, which would be a lovely way to honour your loved one’s favourite spot in the garden.

The Cambridge University Botanic Garden is just a 15 minute walk from the city centre and standard adult tickets are £6.30 while an annual membership is £44 a year, or £75 for a joint membership. 

Cambridge residents can sponsor a tree in memory of their loved one. One option invites locals to sponsor a tree which will be planted along a street in their local area, which could be a lovely way to commemorate a home or building that is special to you and your family. This costs £100 or £200, depending on if you want to be responsible for the watering costs, or if you’d like the council to water the tree.

The second option invites people to sponsor a tree in a Cambridge park, such as Jesus Green, Midsummer Common, and Christ’s Pieces, which would give family and friends a place in nature in the city center to remember their loved one. This option costs £200 and Cambridge council will water the tree.  

Plaques cannot be placed on the trees, but the tree itself will act as a memorial for your loved one. It could act as a place for you and your loved ones to visit when they want to remember the person who has died. 

Honour your loved one’s memory by adding an engraved leaf to The Wildlife Trust Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Northamptonshire’s celebration tree. The donation goes towards supporting nature in the three counties, so this could be a lovely way to honour someone who loved Cambridge’s flora and fauna.

The options include a copper leaf which will stay on the three for three years, a stainless steel leaf which will stay on the tree for five years, and brass oak leaf which will stay on the tree for 10 years or permanently with a higher donation. 

Donation costs range from £150 to £500 and the leaf can be sent to you after a fixed number of years on the tree, so you can display it in your home or garden. You can also ask for the leaf to be returned to you at any time.