Bluebell Cemetery, Halstead, Wins Gold at the National Cemetery of the Year Awards

Bluebell Cemetery in Halstead has won Gold in the Small/Medium category at this year's national Cemetery of the Year Awards - a step up from the Silver it won in the same category three years ago. The awards are run by the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM), working with the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM).

The competition is free to enter and open to any burial authority in Britain, split into three categories: Large Burial Grounds (over 10,000 graves), Small/Medium Burial Grounds (up to 10,000 graves) - the category Bluebell entered - and Parish, Town and Community Councils. Entrants answer around 50 yes/no questions focused on the facilities offered directly to bereaved families, rather than on grounds-keeping alone. The highest scorers in each category are then asked to submit photographs of their cemetery, with extra marks awarded for maintenance and overall appeal, before Gold and Silver places are decided. This year's competition ran from 31 March to 30 June, with winners presented at the ICCM's Learning Convention and Exhibition in the autumn.

This isn't Bluebell's first award. The cemetery won Silver in the same Small/Medium category back in 2022/23, when the competition was still run by the Memorial Awareness Board (MAB) - BRAMM has since taken over as organiser. Cemetery Manager Neil Lincoln gave an almost identical response to both wins, three years apart: "This award is such a wonderful pat on the back for our team, it acknowledges that we really go above and beyond to try and provide a reliable, friendly and quality service. My team and I are thrilled."

Bluebell Cemetery opened in June 2019 on Old London Road in Halstead, close to Junction 4 of the M25 and less than a mile from Knockholt station - a location the cemetery says gives it easy access to communities across Kent, Surrey and south London. Its 28 acres accommodate both formal and woodland burial, with a memorial garden for the placement of cremated remains, and a modern chapel available to all faiths and denominations, with webcasting for family and friends who can't attend in person.

Sources: BRAMM, Cemetery of the Year Awards, Bluebell Cemetery, About, Bluebell Cemetery, 2022 Silver award press release