Family funeral directors keeps memories alive through gravestone maintenance scheme

An award-winning East Midlands-based funeral directors is helping the bereaved keep the memories of those they have lost alive through its gravestone maintenance scheme.

A.W. Lymn The Craftsman in Stone, part of A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service, which operates 28 funeral homes across the region, has grown a talented and experienced team of stonemasons, based at its Robin Hood House headquarters in Sneinton, Nottingham, to restore and maintain its customers’ gravestones.

The independent fifth-generation funeral firm is currently maintaining several graves regularly, some on a monthly basis. According to the Masons' General Manager, Sarah Fisher, there are several reasons why an individual may consider a grave maintenance package.

She said: “A gravestone is highly personal and is often the final symbolic choice in a traditional funeral and burial arrangement. It can be seen as a reflection of the individual who has passed away and part of their legacy.

“There are many reasons a gravestone may fall into disarray. Common instances we see are families moving away and being unable to regularly maintain a grave, or someone no longer being mobile enough to get to the cemetery.

“At A.W. Lymn, we’re committed to supporting the communities we serve not just during the funeral arranging and directing process, but for however long they may need us for after. Our service is about treating the deceased with dignity and respect long after the funeral service has finished.

“The gravestone maintenance option is available to anyone using A.W. Lymn’s services for themselves or someone else. For example, some people choose gravestone maintenance as they don’t want their family to feel obliged to look after the gravestone. We have one customer who has sadly now passed, but has paid for the service until 2083.”

A.W. Lymn offers three packages for its gravestone maintenance scheme – bronze, silver and gold - which range from a one-off visit to monthly upkeep. Each visit includes washing the gravestone down, adding fresh flowers, tidying, and removing any rubbish which may have accumulated around it. Once completed, an image can be taken and shared with the relevant family members if desired.

It comes after the stonemason team at A.W. Lymn was recently recognised for its excellence by the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM) at its 2024 Memorial Masons Awards.

A family approached A.W. Lymn, requesting that an image of a husky dog and cat be added to a gravestone. Foreman Joseph Parton-Buckeridge was able to use his graphic design skills to lift the images of the animals onto a stencil and trace them on. Up against more than one thousand entries, the design scooped bronze in the Memorial Design Category of the national competition.

Speaking on the award, Joseph said: “I’m thrilled that this design work has been recognised by such a prestigious national organisation. A gravestone is such an important part of someone’s memory and is a way that they can continue to live on with us. Some people sadly may not remember the deceased well. For example, a young child who has lost a grandparent or parent, but will always remember their gravestone.

“To have received such an accolade, while also having received such positive feedback from the family, is a real honour and I’m proud to have been part of such an excellent project delivered by our talented team.”

With 28 funeral homes across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and most recently Leicestershire, A.W. Lymn prides itself on offering a variety of services available at an affordable price to the families it has served since 1907.