EVERY day Rachel Lawton feels lucky to be alive. For when you work at a cemetery you learn not to take life for granted.

“It certainly makes you appreciate life much more,” she agrees.

Although it seems an unusual role for a 44-year-old mother of four, Rachel says she enjoys managing the Harbour View Woodland Burial and Memorial Gardens in Lytchett Minster.

“It can be a bit of a conversation stopper when people ask what you do for a living,” she admits.

“But I do enjoy it most of the time because I get to meet lots of lovely people who I see on a regular basis when they come to visit the cemetery.”

The 40-acre site in Poole is owned by the Tapper Funeral Service – a local family-run business that started in 1904.

Rachel, who is related to the family, has worked for the company for nearly six years. Her office is a purpose-built wooden lodge that’s also used for the funeral services.

She not only helps with the day-to-day running of the site, she also arranges the services and even helps with the refreshments afterwards.

It’s a place for full burials or cremated remains. She hands me a pretty, heart-shaped cardboard casket just one example of the eco-friendly urns available.

“Everything is bio-degradable,” she explains. “We ask people to remove cellophane from flowers as everything has to be as natural as possible.”

We then hop on to her golf buggy for a tour of the grounds.

“One man said it was the most cheerful cemetery he’s ever been to,” says Rachel.

And it’s easy to see why. It looks more like open parkland than a cemetery with its panoramic view of Poole Harbour and array of trees.

Memorials are a simple stone tablet – no headstones are permitted and there is an abundance of flowers and wildlife. There is also a field of ponies and alpacas.

Rachel adds: “Children particularly like seeing the animals – they can be a useful distraction.”

Woodland burial is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional burial and cremation.

“Woodland burial makes a positive contribution to the environment and unlike cremation does not pollute the atmosphere or waste fossil fuel,” Rachel adds.

“I used to want my ashes scattered at sea because I love sailing but working here has made me realise the importance of memorialisation. It’s important for your loved ones to a have a place where they can go to remember.”

Rachel is used to catering for every type of religious and secular service and some rather more quirky requests too.

“We had one man who was a keen dinghy sailor so rather than using the wheel bier we used a dinghy launching trolley to transport his coffin to the graveside,” she reveals.

“We also had one man who was a keen line dancer so everybody turned up in cowboy hats!”

But the very nature of her work means that Rachel has to deal with many tragic cases too and she admits it does affect her sometimes.

She said: “I have to try to stay focused and ensure that everything runs smoothly but that’s not to say it doesn’t get to me occasionally because it does.”

It’s no wonder working in an environment where you are constantly reminded of your mortality has altered Rachel’s perspective on life.

“Working here has changed the way I live life,” she agrees.

“It’s made me realise the importance of living for the moment rather than worrying too much about the future.”