Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council and Oak Hill Crematorium donate £14,000 to Isabel Hospice
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC) and Oak Hill Crematorium have donated £14,000 to Isabel Hospice, a local charity that provides care and support to people with life-limiting illnesses.
The donation was made possible thanks to the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) metals recycling scheme, which allows crematoriums to recycle metals left over from the cremation process, such as surgical implants and coffin fittings, with the consent of the bereaved families.
The metals are collected and shipped to the Netherlands, where they are sorted, weighed, and valued. The ICCM then distributes the funds to the participating crematoriums, who can choose a local good cause to support.
Oak Hill Crematorium joined the ICCM scheme in 2022, along with several other UK-wide crematoriums and received its first donation of £14,000 last November. The crematorium decided to donate the funds to Isabel Hospice, which was chosen for its close connection with bereavement and its vital role in the community.
Isabel Hospice provides a range of services, including in-patient care, community nursing, day services, family support and bereavement counselling to more than 2,000 people every year. The charity relies on donations and fundraising to cover 75% of its £7 million annual running costs.
The donation from WHBC and Oak Hill Crematorium will be used to fund 500 nursing hours, which will benefit not only the patients, but also their loved ones.
Cllr Max Holloway, Executive Member for Community and Leisure at WHBC, said:
“We are very proud to be part of the ICCM metals recycling scheme, which enables us to support a fantastic local charity like Isabel Hospice. It is something positive to come out of a sad time for our bereaved families, who have kindly agreed to donate the metals for this worthy cause. We hope that this donation will make a difference to the lives of those who need the hospice’s services.”
Claire Melinte, Community and Events Fundraiser at Isabel Hospice, said:
“We were astonished to receive the call about the £14,000 donation from Oak Hill Crematorium. It’s a staggering amount and we had to confirm the total by email as we couldn’t believe our ears! Our services cost us £7 million per year, so donations like this are invaluable to help keep us running. We are very grateful to WHBC, Oak Hill Crematorium and the ICCM for their generosity and support. It will make a huge difference to our patients and their loved ones.”