Friday, June 13, 2008

MAYBE NEXT YEAR

Councils round the country have eagerly nominated their cemeteries in a prestigious national competition to decide the very best burial spots in the UK. But Brigg's, off Wrawby Road, has not been put forward by North Lincolnshire Council.
This has been the burial place for Brigg (and Wrawby) people going back to Victorian times, and there's now an extension in use, bordering on Holme Close.
Most of us down the years - going back to the days of the old Brigg Urban District Council, through the ownership of Glanford Borough Council and now the North Lincolnshire authority - have regarded it as a tastefully and well kept facility.
So why no nomination for Brigg in the National Cemetery of the Year Awards?
The helpful Barry Hutchinson, spokesman for North Lincolnshire Council's neighbourhood services, explained: "Whilst Brigg cemetery is much-loved and the council strives hard to maintain it to the highest standards, we do experience problems with the water table at times of heavy rain.
"Indeed we have had to restrict the number of double graves and ensure that sufficient space is left between single graves to avoid subsidence.
"Hence, knowing as we do the high standard that a cemetery must reach to win an award, we do not enter this particular cemetery. However, we are currently keeping our fingers crossed that Woodlands cemetery (Scunthorpe) becomes the third of our parks and open spaces to win a Green Flag award."
Now in its 11th year and organised by the Memorial Awareness Board (MAB), the National Cemetery of the Year Award is sponsored by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM), the Generation Network Inc (Ancestry.co.uk), Welters Organisation Worldwide, The National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM), Assettrack, IFZW Maintenance Ltd, Deceased Online, Columbaria Company, Blue AV and George Squire & Sons Funeral Service.
It aims to encourage and reward high standards among the nation’s burial grounds, while highlighting the important role that cemeteries play within their local communities.
As well as providing area of tranquillity and reflection, burial grounds are a vital environmental, social and historical resource.
During the summer, judges will consider sites’ design, maintenance, facilities, appearance, level of customer care, environmental awareness, community involvement and choice of memorialisation.
Awards administrator Maria Jose Ovalle said: "Year after year these awards have grown in popularity throughout the bereavement services industry. Competition remains strong across all categories. However, we are thrilled to have received a record number of entries for the Pet Cemetery and Green Burial Site Awards – demonstrating the public’s increasing demand for memorial choice."
Winners will be announced on September 30.

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