The Good Funeral Awards names 2017’s winners

Sometimes called ‘The Death Oscars’, the Good Funeral Awards celebrate the hard work and compassion of the people within the funeral sector. In 2017, the annual event took place on 7 September at Porchester Hall in London.

Judges make their section based on nominations from members of the public and people working within the profession. Winners receive a statue of Anubis – the Egyptian god of embalming – presented in a miniature cardboard coffin.

Nigel Lymn Rose, of AW Lymn The Family Funeral Service, was delighted to have received an award in 2017. He commented: “The whole Lymn Rose family is immensely proud of its family firm and was honoured when it received the nomination, particularly as it was for the “Best Traditional Funeral Director”. The family was also delighted that two of its employees, being Louise Cook from its Long Eaton office and Dominic Lister from its Bingham office, received individual nominations. We believe these came quite independently from a minister of religion and a client that they  had served.

“We did sit awaiting the announcement of the final result with some trepidation as all three nominations were for the same award. We were however delighted when our company, A W Lymn The Family Funeral Service, coupled with its employees Louise and Dominic, was announced as winner of the national award. Although Louise and Dominic were specially mentioned we could not have achieved this without the support and dedication of each and every member of staff, who as Matthew, my son and managing director, often says, go the extra mile on a daily basis.

“I would like to thank A.R. Adams Funeral Service for its sponsorship of the award, and Brian Jenner and Fran Hall of the Good Funeral Guide for arranging the ceremony.”

The complete list of winners is as follows:

Most Significant Contribution to the Understanding of Death

• Joint Winners: Liz Rothschild and Lucy Coulbert
• Runner Up: Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief – It Takes a Village.

Supplementary Award for Innovation

• J.C. Atkinson for the Pathway coffin

Best Death Related Public Engagement Event

• Winners: Life, Death, Whatever and BrumYODO
• Runner up: Home Funeral Network (Funerals to Die For)

Most Helpful Funeral Advice Website

• Winner: Nelson’s Journey Youth Panel’s Smartphone APP
• Runner up: Veterans Bereavement Support Services

Doula of the Year

• Winner: Felicity Warner
• Runners Up: Lizzie Neville, Nett Furley, Jane Henderson & Anna Lyons

Anatomical Pathology Technician of the Year

• Winner: Dr. Wendy Birch
• Runner Up: Lara-Rose Iredale

Care of the Deceased Award

• Winner: Cara Mair and the team at ARKA Original Funerals
• Runner Up: Kirsty Sailes

Coffin Supplier of the Year

• Winner: Ecoffins
• Runner Up: Earth to Heaven

Funeral Florist of the Year

• Winner: Rebecca Sharp of Dazzle Me Daisy Do
• Runner Up: Rosie Orr, of Flowers by Rosie Orr

Minister of the Year

• Winner: Fr. Christyan James
• Runners Up: The Right Revd. Charles Muglestone & Emma Curtis

Celebrant of the Year

• Winner: Justine Wykerd
• Runners Up: Kathryn Sansom, Stuart Preston & Wendy Coulton
• Highly Commended: Terri Shanks

Gravedigger of the Year

• Winner: Martin House of Eden Valley Woodland Burial Ground
• Runner Up: Julie Hillman of The Eternal Forest

Best Burial Ground in the UK

• Winner: Heatherley Wood, Greenacres
• Runner Up: Eden Valley Woodland Burial Ground

Best Crematorium in the UK

• Winner: South Oxfordshire Crematorium and Memorial Park
• Runners Up: Kettering Crematorium, Mortlake Crematorium and Seven Hills Crematorium

Crematorium Attendant of the Year

• Winner: Richard Hooker at Mortlake Crematorium
• Runners Up: Paul Jansen at Golders Green Crematorium and the team at Cardiff Crematorium Thornhill

Best Direct Cremation Provider

• Winner: Holly’s Funerals
• Runner Up: Respect Direct Funeral Services

Best Low Cost Funeral Provider

• Winner: Fosters Funeral Directors
• Runner up: Memoria Low Cost Funerals Ltd

Most Eco-Friendly Funeral Director

• Winner: Leverton & Sons
• Runner Up: Woodland Wishes

Funeral Arranger of the Year

• Winner: Lorraine Aitken (Youngs Independent Funeral Services)
• Runners Up: Barbara Scrimshaw (Edd Frost & Daughters) & Persephone Salway (A. Monger Funeral Directors)

Most Promising New Funeral Director Business

• Winner: Compassionate Funerals
• Runners Up: Crescent Funerals and O’Dwyer Funeral Directors

Most Promising Trainee Funeral Director

• Winner: Sarah Ellis (Bewley and Merrett Funeral Directors)
• Runners Up: Rhys Askham (Rosedale Funeral Home) and Sarah Tully (Compassionate Funerals)

Best Modern Funeral Director

• Winner: Full Circle Funerals
• Runners Up – Dandelion Farewells and Bewley & Merrett

Best Traditional Funeral Director

• Winner: A. W. Lymn – The Family Funeral Service (with especial mention of two staff members, Louise Cook and Dominic Lister)
• Runners Up: Bungard Funeral Directors and Southall Funeral Service

Best Funeral Caterer

• Winner: Rocket Catering
• Runner Up: Tea and Sympathy

 The ‘What to do with the Ashes’ Award

• Winner: Sacred Stones Willow Row
• Runner Up: Ann Bates Ceramics

The Lifetime Achievement Award

• Clive Leverton

The Outstanding Achievement Award

• Jon Underwood