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Natural Death Handbook Awards 2003

PRESS RELEASE: On Sunday April 18th 2004, as part of the National Day of the Dead ceremonies organised by the Natural Death Centre, the following five National Awards (and 36 Regional Awards) will be publicly presented.

• The Natural Death Handbook Award 2003 for the Best Natural Burial Ground in the UK goes to South Downs Natural Burial Site at East Meon, Hampshire (tel 01730 823005), which provides an exceptionally friendly and helpful service - a complete funeral at the site, including the grave, the digging, backfilling and top-soiling by hand, tree planting and staking, 4x4 transportation for elderly or infirm mourners, A3 page in memorial book, and staff attendance at funeral, costs £602-50.

  - Best Natural Burial Ground North West Region: The Friends of Nature Burial Ground, Graveyard Farm, Newton Hall Lane, Mobberley, Cheshire (tel 0161 432 2131).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground North East Region: Northumbrian Woodland Burials, Bockenfield, Felton, Nr Morpeth (tel 01670 787067).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground in Wales: Coed Bell Cemetery, Llanasa Road, Prestatyn, Denbighshire (tel 01824 706938).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground West Midlands Region: Westhope Church Meadow Green Burial Ground, Westhope Craft College, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 9JL (tel 01584 861293).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground East Midlands Region: Golden Valley Woodland Burial Ground, Nr Newlands Road, Riddings, Nr Alfreton, Derbyshire (tel 0114 253 0505).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground East Anglia Region: Barton Glebe, The Arbory Trust, Bishop Woodford House, Barton Road, Ely (tel 01284 749974).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground South West Region: Great Bradley Cottage Natural Burial Ground, Templeton, Tiverton (tel 01884 256098).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground South Region: South Downs Natural Burial Site, Sustainability Centre, Droxford Road, East Meon (tel 01730 823005).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground in Greater London: City of London Cemetery Woodland Burial Ground, Aldersbrook Road, London E 12 (tel 020 8530 2151).

  - Best Natural Burial Ground in Scotland: Clovery Woods of Rest, Brackenrig, Fyvie, Turriff, Aberdeenshire AB53 8QR (tel 01651891654).

• The Natural Death Handbook Award 2003 for the Best Cemetery in the UK goes, along with the crematorium award, to Carlisle. The Bereavement Manager in charge of both places is June Carswell (tel 01228 625310) and the services she and her colleagues provide consistently win awards. The Carlisle Cemetery makes available not only cardboard and regular coffins, but its own woollen shroud. In addition they publish excellent guidance for those arranging funerals without funeral directors.

  - Best Cemetery North West Region: Carlisle Cemetery in Carlisle (tel 01228 625310).

  - Best Cemetery North East Region: Boston Cemetery in Boston Lincs (tel 01205 364612).

  - Best Cemetery in Wales: Lon Newydd Cemetery in Anglesey (tel 01248 723332).

  - Best Cemetery West Midlands Region: Stapenhill Cemetery in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire (tel 01283 508572).

  - Best Cemetery East Midlands Region: Luton Church Cemetery in Luton, Bedfordshire (tel 01582 722874).

  - Best Cemetery East Anglia Region: Maldon Cemetery in Maldon, Essex (tel 01621 875836).

  - Best Cemetery South West Region: North Cemetery in Bournemouth, Dorset (tel 01202 526238).

  - Best Cemetery South Region: Langney Cemetery in Eastbourne (tel 01323 760637).

  - Best Cemetery Greater London Region: Croydon Cemetery (tel 020 8689 7795).

• The Natural Death Handbook Award 2003 for the Best Crematorium in the UK goes to the Carlisle Crematorium run by June Carswell and her colleagues in Carlisle's Bereavement Services (tel 01228 625310). They offer a reduced fee for those choosing a fuel-saving 'Environmental Cremation', which involves a cardboard coffin and cremation the same day or by the following morning, thus saving on pre-heating of the cremator. They publish excellent guidance for those arranging funerals without funeral directors and can help the public by providing cold storage for the body. They accept a wide variety of body containers from home-made to wicker coffins. They can provide cold storage for the body before the funeral and extra bearers to help the family.

  - Best Crematorium North West Region: Carlisle Crematorium in Carlisle (tel 01228 625310).

  - Best Crematorium North East Region: Great Grimsby Crematorium in North Lincolnshire (tel 01472 324869).

  - Best Crematorium in Wales: Llwydcoed Crematorium in Aberdare, Mid Glamorgan (tel 01685 874115).

  - Best Crematorium West Midlands Region: Mid-Warwickshire Crematorium in Leamington Spa (tel 01926 651418).

  - Best Crematorium East Midlands Region: Kettering Crematorium in Northamptonshire (tel 01536 524209).

  - Best Crematorium East Anglia Region: Mintlyn Crematorium in King's Lynn, Norfolk (tel 01553 630533).

  - Best Crematorium South West Region: Weymouth Crematorium in Dorset (tel 01305 786984).

  - Best Crematorium South Region: Kingston Crematorium in Kingston-upon-Thames (tel 020 8546 4462).

  - Best Crematorium Greater London Region: Kensal Green in London W10 (tel 020 8969 0152).

• The Natural Death Handbook Award 2003 for the Best Funeral Director in the UK goes to Peace Funerals of Sheffield (tel 0114 253 0505). They see it as their role to offer flexible options and to empower the bereaved. Their service is widely available and they have their own range of willow coffins and run two woodland burial grounds. The Natural Death Centre receives many unsolicited plaudits for this firm from the general public.

  - Best Funeral Director North West Region: S. Wellens & Son Ltd in Middleton, Manchester (tel 0161 643 2677).

  - Best Funeral Director North East Region: Peace Funerals in Sheffield (tel 0114 253 0505 or 0800 093 0505).

  - Best Funeral Director in Wales: W. O. Williams in Anglesey (tel 01248 430312).

  - Best Funeral Director West Midlands Region: Fred Stevens Funeral Directors in Nailsworth (tel 01453 832188).

  - Best Funeral Director East Midlands Region: G. & L. Evans in Faringdon, Oxon (01367 242762).

  - Best Funeral Director East Anglia Region: R. Gwinnell & Sons in Manningtree, Essex (tel 01206 391506).

  - Best Funeral Director South West Region: D. Williams in Bideford, Devon (tel 01237 472108).

  - Best Funeral Director South Region: Masters & Son (Lindfield) Ltd in Lindfield, West Sussex (tel 01444 482107).

  - Best Funeral Director Greater London Region: J. E. Gillman & Sons Ltd in Tooting (tel 020 8672 1557).

  - Best Funeral Director in Scotland: P. B. Wright & Sons in Greenock (tel 01475 724248).
  

• The Natural Death Handbook Award 2003 for the Best Coffin Manufacturer in the UK goes to William Wainman and his firm SAWD Ltd in Sittingbourne, Kent (tel 01795 472262). With the introduction of the Bamboo Eco Coffin they have pioneered the use of bamboo in coffin manufacturing. Made almost entirely from bamboo, strong, light, and less expensive than the wicker models, the Natural Death Centre receives favourable comments regarding these coffins from both the public and the funeral trade.

  In making these Awards, the editorial team relied on their own surveys and investigations and on feedback to the Natural Death Centre from the general public, so as to decide which services were the most helpful, the most innovative and the best value. The Natural Death Handbook was published by Rider on November 6th 2003 (obtainable for £14.99 or £15.50 by credit card incl. p&p from the Natural Death Centre, phone 020 7359 8391 or order online via http://www.naturaldeath.org.uk).

For further information contact the Natural Death Centre (tel 020 7359 8391 or e-mail: contact@naturaldeath.org.uk).

The Natural Death Centre is a project of the Global Ideas Bank.