Alberto Costa has congratulated Blaby Parish Council as it scooped a prize at the National Cemetery of the Year Awards. The ‘BRAMM Bereaved Community Award’ Silver Prize was presented to Blaby Parish Council.
This is a new category in the Cemetery of the Year Awards 2023 and is open to all Burial Authorities in the UK. Any Cemetery or Burial Ground who have completed any local initiative which has helped the bereaved in any way within the last 5 years are eligible to enter for this award.
Philip Potts of the Memorial Awareness Board said;
‘There are many enterprising Cemeteries that are willing to make a special effort to help bereaved families and this category was designed to showcase some of the best examples and hopefully inspire other Burial Authorities’
The “The Forget You Not memorial garden” was designed to provide a therapeutic support for the bereaved. Situated in the unique tranquillity Peace Meadow area within Blaby Cemetery Leicestershire, encourages visitors to take a moment reflecting and remembering cherished memories of relatives and friends that have sadly left us.
The tree made from Corten Steel hosts 240 green granite heart shaped leaves, each leaf is engraved with the name of a loved one along with a small inscription and emblem, allowing the names of the deceased to live on whether they have been cremated or buried within Blaby cemetery or elsewhere.
Situated next to the Memorial Tree is the “Forget You Not Post-box” positioned in a dedicated wildflower garden, where cards and envelopes made from 100% recycled paper can be purchased encouraging messages, thoughts, and memories to be put onto paper and posted in the dedicated post-box. Each envelope includes a packet of wildflower seeds that can be scattered within the garden this helping to preserve the wildlife, especially the bees and butterflies.
Positioned in a dedicated wildflower garden within the Peace Meadow area, each eco-friendly “Forget You Not envelope contains 100% a recycled card and a small packet of wildflower seeds, where thoughts and memories can be put to paper and posted in the “Forget You Not” post box, and the seeds scattered in the wildflower Garden, hopefully in the months and years to come the garden will develop into a place of reflection and calm.
Blaby Parish Council Manager Mrs Vicki Jepson said: ‘We are all extremely pleased to be recognised with this national award, it acknowledges that we go the extra mile to help and support the bereaved’.
Mr Alberto Costa the MP for South Leicestershire who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the tree in December 2022, on hearing of the award said “I am delighted that Blaby Parish Council have received this Silver Award in recognition of The Memorial Tree, which was opened last year. This award recognises the hard work that the parish council have done in creating a truly beautiful place to remember loved ones."
