The GFG Blog
2016Sep
Exploring the stigma around baby loss
Fran Hall
Sep
25
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Guest post by Debbie Howard – Director/Producer – Big Buddha Films During the making of my previous short film Peekaboo, I had already built up close relationships with many families who had lost babies, so I had their trust from the beginning of this documentary and was able to gain remarkable
Best Maker of Hand Carved Memorials in an Indigenous Material
Fran Hall
Sep
25
1 comment
Hannah Wessel of Stoneletters Fergus Wessel, founder of Stoneletters, is a master of his craft, and provides a personal, sensitive service for bereaved families. He operates from his workshop in the Cotswolds with his small team, and prospective clients are encouraged to go and meet him there to see his
Most Significant Contribution to the Understanding of Death
Fran Hall
Sep
24
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Amanda Woodward of Tamworth Co-operative Funeral Service Tamworth Co-operative Funeral Service is leading the way in working with their local community to understand the myriad of emotions and potential difficulties they may have to endure during a bereavement. Around six years ago, the company took the bold decision to invest
Best Alternative to a Hearse
Fran Hall
Sep
22
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Gordon Tulley of Respect Bentley Gordon’s 1948 Bentley Birkin Special is this year’s classiest and most distinctive addition to the range of alternative hearses available to bereaved people who want to personalize their funeral. Gordon Tulley is a restlessly entrepreneurial innovator in the funerals business. He owns natural burial grounds,
Best Funeral Caterer
Fran Hall
Sep
21
No Comments
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
Best Internet Bereavement Resource
Fran Hall
Sep
21
No Comments
Jonathan Davies of MuchLoved.com MuchLoved, the UK’s best and most ethical memorial website, is ten years old this year, and has facilitated more than £25 million of donations to charities. The award celebrates these achievements together with the unpaid input of co-founder Andy Daniels. Andy Daniels, who founded MuchLoved.com with
Crematorium of the Year
Fran Hall
Sep
19
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Martin Birch of Thornhill Crematorium, Cardiff This year’s winner is particularly praised for addressing funeral poverty in imaginative ways, not least through participation in the pioneering initiative of the local authority funeral scheme, which challenges the rising cost of funerals, while making the funeral purchase more transparent. Approximately 12% of
Cemetery of the Year
Fran Hall
Sep
18
No Comments
Mohamed Omer from Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery Against all the odds the Trustees of the Gardens of Peace have transformed wasteland into a beautiful and sustainable burial ground. The story of the creation of the Gardens of Peace is one of gentle heroism. The shortage of burial space in
Gravedigger of the Year
Fran Hall
Sep
17
No Comments
David Homer Nominated by many of the funeral directors he works with, this year’s winner set up his own grave digging business in 2007. David has quickly become the favoured contracted gravedigger for many funeral directors, both corporate and independent, in the Midlands area. Digging by hand, and completing around
