A charity for people dealing with bereavement or loss will be able to train more support workers thanks to a £14,000 donation from recycled artificial hip and knee joints at the crematorium in Stafford.
Stafford Borough Council raised the sum by passing on artificial joints, as well as nails and screws from coffins, to a recycling company in return for money.
The amount has now been handed over to Stafford and District Bereavement Loss Support Service, the latest in a string of charity donations from the scheme which has seen £121,000 given out since 2013.
Shyamali Fenton, the charity’s Chair of Trustees, said: “We are so grateful to be this year’s recipient.
“This money will enable us to provide in house training of more bereavement support workers, buy in specialist training for our existing volunteers and support a volunteer to become a supervisor.”
Under the scheme, and once consent from the families has been given, the metal is filtered out as part of the cremation process leaving the ashes to be either collected by the deceased’s loved ones or buried.
Other charities to have benefitted from the money raised this way include A Child of Mine, Samaritans and Katharine House Hospice.
Councillor Ian Fordham, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “These charities are helping people through a difficult time in their lives and the recycling scheme provides our support to them.
“It makes me very proud to see how much has been raised throughout the years and I know that the money provides funds to enable these charities to continue giving excellent support to our community.
“But I also want to recognise, and thank, the families of deceased loved ones who have allowed us to recycle metals from the cremation process at what must be a very difficult time for them.”
