WILL YOUR LOCAL BURIAL GROUND KNOCK 'EM DEAD?

It’s that time again; when burial grounds from all over the UK begin battling it out for a place in the eleventh annual Cemetery of the Year Competition. Entries for the awards came in left, right and centre, with applicants striving to make the judges’ short-list.

Organised by the Memorial Awareness Board (MAB), the Cemetery of the Year Awards aims to encourage and reward high standards amongst the nation’s burial grounds, whilst highlighting the important role that cemeteries play within their local communities. As well as providing an area of tranquillity and reflection, burial grounds are a vital environmental, social and historical resource.

The competition is open to all burial sites including cemeteries, crematoria, churchyards, green burial sites, and even pet cemeteries! Closing date for entries was May 30th and site visits will take place throughout the summer months. Judges will score each entrant on their sites’ design, maintenance, facilities, appearance, level of customer care, environmental awareness, community involvement and choice of memorialisation.

Awards Administrator Maria Jose Ovalle said, “year after year these awards have grown in popularity throughout the bereavement services industry. Competition remains strong across all categories; however, we are thrilled to have received a record number of entries for the Pet Cemetery and Green Burial Site Awards – demonstrating the public’s increasing demand for memorial choice.”

Winners will be announced on Tuesday 30th September 2008 during an awards ceremony hosted at the annual Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) Conference and Exhibition in Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

Just like our entrants, our judges come from all over the UK and have an array of experience in the field. To read about our judges click here.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Awards were established for two reasons: to encourage and reward high standards amongst the nation’s cemeteries and to raise public awareness of the importance of cemeteries, which can house a wealth of historical, ecological and sociological information.

The competition, sponsored by Ancestry.co.uk, Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM), Welters Organisation Worldwide, The National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM), ASSETtrac, IFZW Maintenance Ltd, George Squire & Sons Funeral Service, The Columbaria Company, Blue AV and Deceased Online.

 

Below is the complete list of the 2008 Cemetery of the Year entrants:

 

Category (A) Cemeteries up to 5 acres

Poulton New Cemetery - Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire

Gwaelodybrithdir Cemetery – New Tredegar, Caerphilly

Kynaston Road Cemetery – Oxon, Oxford

Wickford Cemetery – Basildon, Essex

Castleside Cemetery – Co, Durham

Reigate Garden of Remembrance – Reigate, Surrey

Topsham Cemetery – Topsham, Exeter, Devon

Syston Cemetery – Syston, Leicester

Wood Green Cemetery – North London

 

Category (B) Cemeteries between 5 and 15 acres

Sleaford Cemetery – Sleaford, Lincolnshire

Bridgnorth Cemetery – Bridgnorth, Shropshire

Hoddesdon Cemetery – Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire

Redstone Cemetery – Red Hill, Surrey

St Edburgs Church Cemetery – Bicester, Oxon, Oxford

Market Drayton Cemetery – Market Drayton, Shropshire

Exwick Cemetery – Exwick, Exeter, Devon

Bear Street Cemetery – Barnstaple, North Devon

Spennymoor Cemetery – Spennymoor, Co Durham

Tudhoe Cemetery – Spennymoor, Co Durham

Phillipshil Cemetery – Blantyre, Scotland

 

Category (C) Cemeteries above 15 acres

Colchester Cemetery and Crematorium - Colchester, Essex

Carlisle Crematorium – Carlisle

Paddington Old Cemetery - London

Cheshunt Cemetery – Cheshunt, Hertfordshire

East Sheen & Richmond Cemetery – Richmond, London

Thornhill Cemetery – Cardiff, Wales

Mill Hill Cemetery - London

East Finchley Cemetery – East Finchley, London

Haycombe Cemetery & Crematorium – Whiteway, Bath

Higher Cemetery – Exeter, Devon

Tottenham Cemetery – North London

Category (D) Crematoria

Colchester Cemetery & Crematorium – Colchester, Essex

South West Middlesex Crematorium – Feltham, Middlesex

Carlisle Crematorium - Carlisle

Rose Hill Cemetery & Crematorium - Doncaster

Gloucester Cemetery & Crematorium - Gloucester

Thornhill Crematorium – Cardiff, Wales

Kirkcaldy Crematorium – Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland

Chelmsford Cemetery & Crematorium – Chelmsford, Essex

West Herts Crematorium – Watford, Hertfordshire

Gwent Crematorium – Torfaen, Wales

South Lanarkshire Crematorium – Blantyre, Scotland

Bradwell Crematorium – Newcastle-Under-Lyme

 

Category (E) Green Burial Sites

Penwith Pet Crematorium – Penzance, Cornwall

Epping Forest Burial Park – Epping, Essex

Ketton Park Green Burial - Lincolnshire

Usk Castle Chase Natural Burial Ground – Usk, Monmouth

Dellifure Natural Burial Ground – Grantown-on-Spey, Highlands

Cardiff & The Vale Natural Burial Ground - Cardiff

Hundy Mundy Wood Natural Burial Ground – Kelso, Scottish Borders

Tarn Moor Memorial Woodland – Skipton, North Yorkshire

Gloucester Cemetery & Crematorium - Gloucester

Greenhaven Woodland Burial Ground Ltd – Rugby, Warwickshire

 

Category (F) Pet Burial Sites

Dignity Pet Crematorium – Hook, Hampshire

Penwith Pet Crematorium – Penzance, Cornwall

The Pet Cemetery – Brynford, Holywell

Special Awards

The NAMM Freedom of Choice Award

Colchester Crematorium & Cemetery - Colchester, Essex

 

Special Award for Community Involvement

Colchester Cemetery & Crematorium - Colchester, Essex

Colney Woodland Burial Park - Norwich, Norfolk

East Sheen & Richmond Cemetery - Richmond, London

Bear Street Cemetery - Barnstaple, North Devon

The MAB Award for Best Memorial

Redstone Cemetery - Red Hill, Surrey

Tottenham Cemetery – North London

The Special Award for Best Baby and Infant Memorial Garden

Colchester Cemetery & Crematorium - Colchester, Essex

Carlisle Crematorium - Carlisle

Gloucester Cemetery & Crematorium - Gloucester

Redstone Cemetery – Red Hill, Surrey

 

The IFZW Award for Environmental Awareness

Colchester Cemetery & Crematorium – Colchester, Essex

South West Middlesex Crematorium – Feltham, Middlesex

Carlisle Crematorium - Carlisle

Thornhill Cemetery – Cardiff, Wales

Thornhill Crematorium – Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff & The Vale – Cardiff

Bradwell Crematorium – Newcastle-Under-Lyme

 

The Welters Award for Innovation

Colchester Cemetery & Crematorium - Colchester, Essex

Thornhill Cemetery – Cardiff, Wales

Thornhill Crematorium – Cardiff, Wales

 

ICCM Award for Most Improved Cemetery/Crematorium

Bridgnorth Cemetery – Bridgnorth, Shropshire

Colchester Cemetery & Crematorium – Colchester, Essex

South West Middlesex Crematorium – Feltham, Middlesex

Reigate Garden of Remembrance – Reigate, Surrey

Redstone Cemetery – Red Hill, Surrey

Tottenham Cemetery – North London

Thornhill Cemetery – Cardiff, Wales

Thornhill Crematorium - Cardiff, Wales