New award for funeral directors' community support

A new annual awared scheme has been launched to recognise the voluntary efforts of funeral directors in supporting their local communities.

The SAIF Community scheme has been established by the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) and is open to any of their 700 members.

Awards will be made to any project or initiative which will help deliver real benefit to a community. The project can include charity work, crime prevention, sponsorship, the creation of a new facility, or any active participation in local support.

Six regional awards will be made and the overall winner announced in March 2004.

For this first year of operation the projects entered for awards will be those identified by the funeral directors themselves. It is hoped that in future years suggestions for projects to support will come from within the communities themselves.