4th Annual Memorial Awareness Board

House of Commons seminar:

“Memorialisation in Stone vs. other materials”

On Thursday 27th November, The Memorial Awareness Board (MAB), the organisation that campaigns to raise awareness of memorialisation and related issues, held a seminar and reception at the House of Commons. The seminar, sponsored by Keith Simpson MP, discussed the use of stone vs. the use of other materials for memorialising our loved ones.

The following three speakers presented at the event:

• Nick Thomas, Vale Memorials – “The Importance of Stone Memorials”
• Steve Amos, AB Memorials (Gelligaer) - “Faux Marble: A 21st Century Material”
• Dr. Kate Woodthorpe, Open University Lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Social Care - "Teddy bears or bluebells? Memorialisation in the Context of a Natural Setting"

A range of professionals from across the bereavement services industry were in attendance, including; cemetery managers, funeral directors, memorial masons and other interested parties.

Mike Dewar, Campaign Director of the Memorial Awareness Board says, “This was our best seminar to date as the topic was one that cultivated an enthusiastic group discussion. Most importantly, the event brought together people from all sides of the industry to discuss a topic of great interest – one that defines the future of the memorialisation in the UK.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

The Memorial Awareness Board (MAB) is a campaigning organisation working to raise awareness of memorialisation issues and to promote the industry.

The MAB Executive Committee comprises memorial masonry wholesalers and retailers, a funeral director, a member of the Institute of Cemetery and Cremation Management and representatives from the Chief Executive and President of the National Association of Memorial Masons.