Hospice thanks Stafford crematorium for recycling cash donation

A hospice has received £11,600 raised from recycled artificial hip and knee joints at the crematorium in Stafford.

Receiving the money, Richard Soulsby, Chief Executive of Stafford-based Katharine House Hospice (KHH), said he was grateful to the borough council for donating to local charities and without the support of the community they would not be able to provide the ongoing care to patients.

The hospice provides vital free palliative care services in the county town and surrounding areas for people faced with an illness that cannot be cured.

The latest award brings the total raised by the crematorium for charities that help people in Stafford Borough to more than £132,000 since the scheme began in 2013. Other recipients of the award have included ‘A Child of Mine,’ Samaritans and ‘Stafford and District Bereavement Loss Support Service.’

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.

On Thursday (30 January) representatives of the charity met with the borough council to receive the donation.

Councillor Ian Fordham, Cabinet Member for Environment, said “So many within the community have been grateful for the care and support they and their loved ones will have received from Katharine House Hospice and it gives me great pleasure to be able to give something back to them.

“We must also recognise, and thank, the families of deceased loved ones who have allowed us to recycle metals from the cremation process at a very difficult time for them.”

Senior Hospice Care Manager, Nichola Smith, said: “We are incredibly grateful for this donation of £11,600. It will make a huge difference to our patients and their families. This amount of money will pay to provide all our services, completely free of charge, for 24 hours and will reach so many local people who need our care and support. Thank you for your generosity.”

Leader of the council, Aidan Godfrey said: “The council has raised a considerable amount of money for the benefit of charities that give excellent support to our community - and many thanks to the great team at the crematorium for their caring and hard work, and the families who allow the metal to be donated.”

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