Donation to Hospital
North Devon hospital charity Over and Above is the latest charity to benefit from North Devon Crematorium's role in a national metal recycling scheme.
The charity was presented with a cheque for £12,000 on Monday, 5 June. The donation has been generated from the proceeds of the recycling scheme run by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICMM), which enables metals from cremated remains to be safely recycled.
The money will be put towards a refurbishment of the hospital's bereavement suite, which gives grieving families a quiet and comfortable space away from the busy wards.
The cheque was presented at North Devon District Hospital by crematorium manager Mark Drummond and Councillor Helen Walker, in what was her final engagement as chair of the North Devon Crematorium Joint Committee.
Councillor Walker says: "We are delighted to be able to present this money to our local hospital charity. It is a brilliant amount of money and it will help support families going through what can be a very difficult and upsetting time, so I'm in no doubt that it will be very well spent."
Over and Above Fundraiser, Julie Whitton, says: “We’re hugely grateful to North Devon Crematorium for the £12,000 donation towards the refurbishment of the bereavement suite at North Devon District Hospital. The hospital provides emotional and practical support and advice to hundreds of bereaved families every year, and this donation will mean we can offer them a quiet, comfortable and caring space, away from the busy activities on the wards.
“Simple things like offering a comfy chair, a cup of tea, a friendly face and a listening ear make such a difference to the families when they need it most, and we can’t thank the crematorium enough for helping us to provide a facility ‘over and above’ what’s possible with NHS funding.”
For more information about Over and Above, head to the charity's website, www.overandabove.org.uk/
The metal recycling scheme is run by the ICCM and is only carried out with the consent of the bereaved.