Blandford Forum Town Council’s Cemetery on Salisbury Road has scooped a prize at the National Cemetery of the Year Awards.
The Memorial Awareness Board (MAB) has been promoting and organising the Cemetery of the Year Awards for nearly 20 years. Blandford Forum Town Council won the 2023/24 Gold prize in the Parish, Town and Community Council category of the National Competition and received the award in September.
Philip Potts of the Memorial Awareness Board said;
“The awards are an excellent opportunity to reward hard-working staff and demonstrate the central role Cemeteries can play in the community. They provide places of peaceful contemplation and beauty, as well as their ecological importance.
The team at Blandford Forum Town Council performed exceptionally throughout the extensive judging period, which is focused on Industry Standards, Environmental Issues and Good Practice.”
Cllr Lynn Lindsay, Chairman of the Town Council’s Recreation & Amenities Committee said: “This award is such a wonderful pat on the back for the staff who work hard to maintain and administer the cemetery. It acknowledges that they really do go above and beyond to provide a professional and quality service and the staff are thrilled with this recognition. My husband is interred at Blandford Cemetery and I take great comfort knowing the cemetery is well maintained and cared for. I recently raised the high standards of the grounds maintenance work throughout the town at a council meeting, which was supported by fellow Councillors.”
The Town Council is also grateful to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for their part in maintaining the war graves sections within the Cemetery and, therefore, helping us achieve this award.
The Cemetery of the Year Awards are supported and endorsed by the following leading industry Associations –
Memorial Awareness Board (MAB)
Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM)
The Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA)
The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC)
British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM)
