Bath Crematorium Scheme Donates £17K to Local Charities

When families in Bath said goodbye to loved ones, they made another choice that would transform lives across their community.

Bath & North East Somerset Council has donated £17,000 to two local charities through a national metal recycling program. With family consent, the council collects metal medical implants like artificial joints, pins, and plates left after cremation and recycles them for charity.

Bath Cats and Dogs Home received £8,500 from the program. The rescue saves more than 700 pets every year, including animals who lost their owners to death.

Katie Love, Head of Fundraising at the rescue, said the donation helps pets whose owners have passed away find loving new homes. The funds also support the Future Paws Promise program, which gives pet owners peace of mind knowing their companions will be cared for after they die.

BRACE Dementia Research also received £8,500. The organization funds medical research across South West England and South Wales to investigate dementia causes, improve diagnosis tools, and develop new treatments.

Liberty Harrison, Interim CEO of BRACE, shared hopeful news about their progress. "For decades it was assumed that dementia is an inevitable part of ageing, but it is not," she said. "Now, we are at a tipping point of real progress."

The Ripple Effect

This story shows how one thoughtful decision creates waves of positive change. Families facing grief chose compassion, turning medical implants that would otherwise go to waste into funding for homeless pets and lifesaving research.

The Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management runs the not-for-profit recycling scheme nationwide. Council members like Bath collect the recyclable metals and distribute the proceeds to local charities doing vital work.

Councillor Manda Rigby thanked families for their generosity. "Families who have consented to this scheme have made a real difference to their communities," she said.

Every donation through this program proves that even in our darkest moments, we can create light for others.