New site manager at Forest Park Crematorium
The new site manager of Forest Park Cemetery & Crematorium, Stephen Greenlees, is bringing more than 30 years of experience within the funeral and bereavement industry with him.
It makes him the perfect person to lead the team at the site and continue to deliver the exceptional care that the crematorium has become known for.
It’s no surprise that Stephen chose this sector for his career – he grew up within the industry as both his parents were Funeral Directors, and often worked in the coffin workshop during his school holidays.
He said: “When I left school, I decided that funerals weren’t what I wanted to pursue as a career at the time. I wanted to join the army, but that didn’t happen due to an injury, so I attended college to gain qualifications as a chef, since I loved cooking.
“But this love soon became a chore and I decided to leave the catering industry without really starting it, as I realised that funerals was what I really wanted to do, after all.”
He worked for a number of different organisations in the bereavement sector, in a number of different roles, which saw him expand his skills and develop managerial and supervisory experience, all of which have stood him in good stead for his latest challenge.
Forest Park Cemetery & Crematorium is part of Westerleigh Group, the UK’s largest 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, tranquil places for people to visit and reflect.
Overlooking Hainault Forest, the cemetery and crematorium offer a peaceful and rural retreat for the people of London and Essex.
Stephen said: “This is a completely new challenge for me. While my career over the past 30 years enabled me to work with the bereaved and support them with the planning of their loved one’s farewell, this is first time I am running a crematorium.
“I never thought I would have changed from funeral directing to crematoria and cemeteries, but when I saw the opportunity at Forest Park, I was immediately interested and intrigued, leading me to take an exciting new direction in my career.
“The team that I am now leading is great to work with, and it’s very clear that everyone wants to do the very best they can to deliver exceptional care for all our families, visitors, clients and community. This is the most important thing to me and gives me huge level of motivation.
“I take tremendous pride in providing excellent levels of service for the families we work with, as well as working closely within the local communities, which is something Westerleigh Group has a very good reputation for.”
