Crematorium helps raise £5000 for Sands Charity

November 12, 2018 by Southend Borough Council

Following on from Baby Loss Awareness Week (Oct 9 – 15), the Council’s Bereavement Services has made a £5,000 donation to Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity.

The team are just one of a small number of cremation authorities to take part in the recycled orthopaedic metals scheme, run by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) to help raise money and help the environment.

Following a cremation the remains may contain metals from orthopaedic implants such as hip or knee replacements. With the permission of the bereaved families, these metals are recycled through a specialised company contracted by the ICCM.  The proceeds are then shared between a host of charities and organisations associated with bereavement and bereavement support. The Council successfully submitted a nomination on behalf of Sands to the ICCM for consideration.

The ICCM initiative has been running since 2006 in partnership with a family run Dutch company called Ortho Metals and have raised over £5.2million for various charities since it began. The Southend-on-Sea Bereavement Services team has now raised over £35,000 in the last 5 years.

Cllr Mark Flewitt with cemetery and crematorium operations manager Stephen Taylor presented the £5000 donation to Brian English, chair of Essex Sands. The charity helps to support anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby, working to improve the care for bereaved parents and promotes research to reduce the loss of babies’ lives.

Cllr Mark Flewitt, cabinet member for public protection, said: “Many of us will have experienced loss at some point in our lives and it is devastating and so I am therefore very pleased and humbled to have made this donation to Sands knowing the work they do to support grieving parents and families through what must be the darkest time in their lives.

“This will help those at Sands to continue their amazing work supporting families and loved ones going through such an exceptionally difficult time, and I would like to thank the bereaved families and friends who allow us to participate in this scheme which does so much good.”

Brian English, chair of Essex Sands said “The work of Sands is totally dependent on donations and we are extremely grateful for this generous donation from the ICCM, that has been organised and supported by the Southend-on-Sea Bereavement Services Team. The funds will be put to good use supporting bereaved parents, and working with hospitals in the local area.”