The Six Feet Under Convention 2012 will pilot the first Good Funeral Guide Awards Ceremony to recognise outstanding service to the bereaved.
The awards will be made in the following categories on the basis of nominations received by the general public:
The Nate Fisher Award for the Most Promising New Funeral Director
The Frederico Diaz Embalmer of the Year
The Eternal Slumber Award for Coffin Supplier of the Year
Most Significant Contribution to the Understanding of Death in the Media
(TV, Film, Newspaper, Magazine or Online)
Crematorium Attendant of the Year
Best Internet Bereavement Resource
The Blossom d’Amour Award For Funeral Flowers
Funeral Celebrant of the Year
Cemetery of the Year
Gravedigger of the Year
Funeral Director of the Year
Best Alternative to a Hearse
Book of the Year
(published after 1 May 2011)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Anyone can nominate a person for the award.The awards ceremony will be on the evening of Friday 7 September 2012 at a prestigious hotel in Bournemouth. It will be hosted by Charles Cowling, founder of theGood Funeral Guide. The winners will receive a small trophy and a certificate in recognition of their achievement.
Said organiser, Brian Jenner: “The funeral industry has many characters and styles, we want to recognise the diversity of the industry and allow the public to have some say in what they think is good. We thought we’d trial this format in 2012 to see if it’s an effective way to acknowledge outstanding service to the bereaved.
“We’ve already had some nominations. Barry Albin-Dyer and Ken West (father of natural burial) have been mentioned for their lifetime contributions. In the alternative hearse category, we’ve had a mention for Paul Sinclair, the motorcycle hearse rider, and Clare Brooks and Michelle Orton, who run the Volkswagen campervan hearse service.”
Anyone wishing to nominate should send an email with a written recommendation (no more than 100 words) to say why they think the company or individual is worthy of the award. If you think that you deserve an award, then nominate yourself.
Please include an address and telephone number. Your citation may be quoted at the award’s ceremony on Friday 7 September 2012.
Email your entry to: goodfuneralawards@sixfeetunderconvention.co.uk by Monday 6 August 2012.
Six Feet Under Convention website here.
Oh my goodness… This is very exciting – what fun we shall have!
Sounds great. May I vote for GM’s choir even if I haven’t heard it?
No you may not. It must undergo forensic audition.
Yay for the GFG! Excuse my ignorance but who are Nate Fisher and Frederico Diaz?
Jon, you must buy a box set of SFU and watch it from end to end. It is the best deathviewing ever created. Nate is the reluctant debutant FD; Frederico is the skilful embalmer.
I understand from my friend that Threnody are able to provide a rehearsal sound file, of poor quality (one mic, only a fairly early rehearsal etc) if need be, in order to satisfy old-fashioned sticklers like Charles….although quite which of the categories above the choir would fit into I don’t know. What about “a bloody good new idea in a bleakness of crematoria?”
What a very good point. It may be that a new category will magically appear. Watch, as they say, this space.
Thanks for your kind thought Richard. I can indeed supply a lousy rehearsal recording, (one mike, early days etc) but I wouldn’t want to put it on the internet at large, we really do sound a lot better in the flesh than on the file. Even when I’m singing with them.
The awards – a brilliant idea!
Great Tim. I meant TC’s choir but had genetic modification on the brain. Silly me!