Our Victorian Brick Kiln is in need of your help to maintain this truly special space where pet owners can be alongside their pet until the very last moment. As a Pet Crematorium, we understand how difficult it can be to say goodbye to a beloved companion. That’s why we are committed to providing a place where people can come to grieve and find comfort.
We started renovations on our beloved Victorian Brick Kiln, the heart of Dignity, in its 30th year but we discovered that there weren’t any foundations and it was in need of urgent underpinning and repair. We applied for funding to help us pay for the restoration through several grants, however our applications were unsuccessful. As a Grade 2 listed building and the largest remaining bottle kiln still standing in Hampshire, it holds a significant place in our history and has been the focal point of our Pet Crematorium since it was rescued by the founders of Dignity, from its derelict state in 1989. Steeped in history, the kiln was used as a chapel when the site was a prisoner of war camp during WW2. Despite regular maintenance over the years we have discovered that recent bad weather and ground movement has caused further deterioration, and it needs your help to restore it to its former glory. As a listed building, the cost of repairs are significantly higher due to their delicate nature and careful planning required to maintain its history.
Over the past 31 years, our kiln has provided a special and meaningful location for many families to attend ceremonies in person and pay their final respects to their loved companions. It has been a privilege for us to be able to offer our services since the first cremation in the kiln in 1992, and we take great pride in providing a place of solace for our clients during difficult times. Thousands of pet owners have expressed their gratitude for the support we have provided during their times of loss, and we are committed to continuing to offer our beautiful surroundings as a place of a peaceful sanctuary and remembrance.
Dignity Pet Crematorium was founded by Barry & Carole Spurgeon, who saw the potential of the kiln as a place of significance for pet owners to say goodbye to their pets in a dignified manner. You can read more about our history here.
Introduction to Dignity Pet Crematorium
We are not a charity but we promise that we will personally match every donation made, pound for pound, which will go towards the renovation. This will continue to help people on their bereavement journey to heal and find peace during one of the most difficult and heart-wrenching times. By contributing to this project, you will be helping our kiln to make a significant difference to the families who require our support. Essential works, in the form of phased underpinning and repair, are required to ensure the kiln will remain at the heart of Dignity for generations to come. We humbly request your support and generosity.
For any gift over £75, we would like to offer you a metal leaf that we can engrave in memory of a loved one. This will go on one of the metal memorial trees in our grounds. Each leaf will gradually form a canopy as a permanent memorial to the ones we have loved over the years (being installed later this year – please follow us on social media for more information). If you’d like a leaf in memory of a loved one please remember to select ‘I’m happy to share my contact details with Dignity Pet Crematorium for the purpose of thanking me’ on the confirmation screen.