Sandy Weatherburn accepting the award on behalf of Dawn Thompson of Claret Catering
What sets Dawn apart is her vocation to create and cater for appropriate and meaningful funeral after-parties.
Dawn is unusual among caterers in having a special calling to cater for funeral after-parties – wakes, teas, call them what you will. For Dawn, catering is not just about feeding people on happy occasions. It has always been her ambition to be the person whom families call to cater for all the special occasions of their lives from birth to death.
Dawn said: “I am not afraid to talk about death, nor do I shy away from those who are bereaved and grieving. It is my policy to always visit the family members who are arranging the wake. I am happy to sit for as long as is needed, talking and more importantly, listening to stories and memories of a person I will never meet but who will be the centre of my attention, making sure that ‘what he/she would have liked’ is catered for and taken care of. A wake is part of the rite of passage which, after the funeral, gives people “permission” to move on with their lives again.”
Dawn has even looked after the family dog whilst the bereaved family is at the crematorium.
Runner Up in this category: Tamworth Co-operative Funeral Service
