Every year death care companies from around the UK gather to find out who has accelerated throughout the year. The Good Funeral Awards are an initiative of the association of green funeral directors (AGFD), a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring natural eco-friendly funerals into the death care industry mainstream. Each year the AGFD appoints 15 winners in a variety of funeral home categories, including around 12 standard yearly categories and a few new ones based on nominee voting.
2019 Good Funeral Award Winners
- Best Crematorium of the Year (Winner: West Wiltshire Crematorium)
- Most Promising Newcomer to the Trade (Winner: Holly’s Funerals)
- Best Burial Ground of the Year (Winner: Kent Natural Burial Ground)
- Coffin Supplier of the Year (Winner: Eco-Coffins (FTP)
- Low Cost Funeral Provider of the Year (Winner: Rounce Funeral Services)
- Best Funeral Information Provider (Winner: Beyond)
- Funeral Director of the Year (Winner: Jo Williamson (Albany Funerals)
- Funeral Arranger of the Year (Winner: Jodie Wood (Chester Pearce)
- Most Promising Trainee Funeral Director (Winner: Andrew Atkins (Full Circle Funerals)
- Green Funeral Director of the Year (Winner: Go Simply)
- Lifetime Achievement Award (Winner: Ken & Ann West)
New 2019 category winners
- Celebrant of the Year (Winner: Kate & Kate (Coffin Club)
- Best Bereavement Awareness Day (Winner: The Natural Burial Co (Prestwold Hall)
- Horse Drawn Carriage Masters of the Year (Winner: Sonny Hillier Horse Drawn Carriage Masters)
- Best Funeral Support Service of the Year (Winner: Guy Elliott Ltd (Aberdeen)
Winner Spotlight
To have an idea about what the companies who won the Good Funeral Awards represent take a look at some of this year’s winners.
Eco-Coffins is located in Kent focuses on the highest quality and ethical production. The company is a member of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) and sources its materials from WFTO monitored workshops. Their coffins are made out of bamboo, banana, pandanus, pine, willow and or cardboard. All of the products made by Eco-Coffins are 100% natural and biodegradable and no plastics or metals are used for the construction of the coffins.
GoSimply Funerals is headquartered in Whitley, Go Simply has won the award for Green Funeral Directors of the Year. Their commitment to be plastic free, the usage of electric hearses and giving a percentage of their profits to the charity Trillion Trees to offset climate change were key components in the jury decision.
GoSimply’s co-director Angela Ward said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this award recognising our business as the UK’s foremost Green Funeral director as it reflects not only the ethos of GoSimply Funerals but our own personal standpoint. We truly believe that the most pressing issue that faces humanity right now is the protection of our beautiful planet. For us this doesn’t just mean recycling more, flying less and eating more local food but can also be reflected in the choices we make for our funerals such as less plastic, fewer chemicals, less waste and perhaps a little more emphasis on quality of care and bespoke personal ceremonies.”
Awards from reputable organizations like the Good Funeral Awards are a great way for funeral directors to showcase their developments, be acknowledged by their peers, and be inspired about the innovation possible in their own practices.