Bereaved families in Salford have helped to raise £12,000 for Salford Heart Care.
The money has been raised from metal which is recycled after cremations in the city and with the full consent of the families of the deceased.
Following a cremation of a deceased person, the cremated remains contain metals; such as items used in the construction of the coffin, and on numerous occasions, orthopaedic implants such as hip and knee replacement joints. The metal is recycled through a specialised company and the proceeds are donated to local charities associated with bereavement support.
It is all part of a charitable scheme operated by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM), of which Salford Council Bereavement Services is a member.
The cheque was presented to Serena Rice from Salford Heart Care at Salford Civic Centre by the City Mayor Paul Dennett and Councillor Barbara Bentham.
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “Salford Heart Care has been in existence in the city since 1987 and it was an absolute honour to be able to present the charity with this cheque on behalf of our bereaved families. My thoughts go out to all those who have lost a loved one in our city.
“If people want to join in the activities of the group I would encourage them to look up Salford Heart Care and meet a fantastic group of people that they can join in with at their own pace.”
Councillor Barbara Bentham, Lead Member for Environment, Neighbourhoods, Sports and Leisure said: “It is such a pleasure to be able to hear about all the great work that Salford Heart Care is doing, the charity is one of the unsung heroes that we have within our communities.
“The bereavement services team at Salford City Council treat all our bereaved families with absolute care and compassion. The recycling of metals is done with full consent of all families and is carried out with great dignity at our two crematoria at Agecroft and Peel Green cemeteries.”
Serena Rice, Coordinator of Salford Heart Care said “We’re delighted to be nominated by Salford Council’s Bereavement Services for this award. The donation will make a huge difference to our work and means that we can provide additional one-to-one counselling support to bereaved families across the city. I would encourage anyone who feels they may benefit from bereavement support to contact our service. The Bereavement Support Group meets fortnightly on Tuesday mornings at Cadishead Band Room in Irlam.
“We also hold Healthy Heart Clubs across Salford offering gentle exercise, dancing, bingo, holistic therapies, day trips and group parties.”
For more information about the Bereavement Support Group or Healthy Heart Clubs, contact Serena on 0161 707 7402, email admin@salfordheartcare.co.uk or visit the Salford Heart Care website.
Salford Heart Care is a small, independent local charity with a team of more than 50 volunteers who are doing their absolute best for local people. Their aim is to improve the health and wellbeing of local people, prevent heart disease and heart attacks whilst reducing social isolation.