Stafford Crematorium’s recycling scheme hits £120k milestone
The Stafford and District Bereavement Loss Support Service was the latest to receive £14k from the scheme
Stafford Borough Council has raised more than £120k through Stafford Crematorium’s recycling scheme of artificial hip and knee joints since it first began in 2013.
The artificial joints, along with nails and screws from the coffins, are passed on to a recycling company in return for money, which is then donated to deserving organisations.
Once consent from the families has been given, the metal is filtered out as part of the cremation process, leaving the ashes to be either collected by the deceased’s loved ones or buried.
The Stafford and District Bereavement Loss Support Service was the latest to receive £14k from the scheme towards its mission of providing caring and confidential bereavement support to the community.
Local charities, such as A Child of Mine, Samaritans and Katharine House Hospice, have benefited from around £121k since the scheme was first introduced in 2013 at the council-run crematorium.
Shyamali Fenton, chair of trustees for SDBLSS, said: “We are so grateful to be this year’s recipient. This money will enable us to provide in house training of more bereavement support workers, buy in specialist training for our existing volunteers and support a volunteer to become a supervisor.”
Cllr Ian Fordham, cabinet member for environment, added: “It makes me very proud to see how much has been raised throughout the years and I know that the money provides funds to enable these charities to continue giving excellent support to our community.
“But I also want to recognise, and thank, the families of deceased loved ones who have allowed us to recycle metals from the cremation process at what must be a very difficult time for them.”
The Tixall Road crematorium was awarded Gold status by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) and has held a ‘Green Flag’ as one of the best open spaces in the country for 10 years.
