A local charity has received £14,000 from recycled artificial hip and knee joints at the crematorium in Stafford.

The borough council has now raised more than £120,000 for charities helping people in Stafford Borough.

And the latest £14,000 award has gone to the Stafford and District Bereavement Loss Support Service - which provides caring and confidential bereavement support to the local community.

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 established in 1984 and its volunteers are specially trained to be skilled in listening and providing emotional support for people at a time when they are going through bereavement or loss.

This latest award means local charities have received around £121,000 since the scheme began in 2013 at the award-winning Stafford Borough Council run crematorium. Others that have benefitted from the scheme include A Child of Mine, Samaritans and Katharine House Hospice.

Chair of the Trustees for the charity, Shyamali Fenton, 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.”

Councillor Ian Fordham, Cabinet Member for Environment, said “These charities are helping people through a difficult time in their lives and the recycling scheme provides our support to them.

“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 site was awarded ‘Gold’ status by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management and has held a ‘Green Flag’ as one of the best open spaces in the country for ten years.

More details about the service can be found at www.staffordbc.gov.uk/bereavement

Press Release No 6123