The Leader of Stafford Borough Council handed over £14,000 raised from recycled artificial hip and knee joints at the town’s crematorium to a local charity.

Councillor Aidan Godfrey presented a cheque to Lesley Bailey of the Stafford and District Bereavement Loss Support Service during an open day at the Tixall Road crematorium and cemetery.

It brings the total raised by the borough council for charities helping people in the borough to more than £120,000.

The Stafford and District Bereavement Loss Support Service (S&DBLSS) 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 S&DBLSS 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 borough council-run crematorium. Others that have benefitted from the scheme include A Child of Mine, Samaritans, and Katharine House Hospice.

More than 150 people attended the open day on Saturday (29 June).

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 Godfrey said: “I was delighted to hand over this cheque to Stafford and District Bereavement Loss Support Service and to hear the amazing amount raised by the crematorium since the start of the scheme.

“It was also a great opportunity to thank the team at the council crematorium for their very caring and professional service to the public of our borough.”

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

“I know that this money enables 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 6137