BRAMM, Safer Burial Ground Film

BRAMM have produced a short fi lm to explain why the BRAMM scheme was set up in 2004 specifi cally to help burial authorities manage their responsibilities to the British Standard 8415, with the aim of establishing a network of nationally accredited businesses and registered fi xers that will ultimately replace individual registration schemes.

The short fi lm covers the history and requirements of BS8415 which underpins all construction work relating to the installation and refurbishment of memorials in your cemeteries. The British Standard has also been used in legal cases concerning issues relating to memorialisation and used as a reference point for technical details and standards of workmanship. The standard is ever evolving, and it was reviewed in 2008, 2012 and again in 2018 which looked at the various types of soil conditions found in cemeteries and the impact on the types of ground anchors that are used.

The short fi lm also focuses on the legal and ethical requirements of burial authorities and how this legislation is mandatory and failure to comply could prove very costly for the burial authority or the management team. It is the responsibility of the burial authority to ensure that all masons and fi xers are properly trained, insured and following current industry standards. As a result, some burial authorities have their own registration schemes which are time consuming and costly to administer also policing and addressing discipline is a very real challenge. Understanding the technical requirements and keeping track with regular updates of BS8415 is very time consuming and also essential if standards are to be maintained and staff and contractors informed.

The British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM) was set up in 2004 to help burial authorities meet their statutory responsibilities, improve standards, and create safer burial grounds. It provides a national register of approved masons who are all appropriately trained to fi x memorials to current BS8415 standards, they also have correct insurance as well as current risk assessments and health and safety policies.

BRAMM is the only register that is recommended and endorsed by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) as well as The Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (FBCA) and The Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC).

BRAMM Has a free registration scheme for burial authorities.

Following suggestions from burial authorities, BRAMM have now simplifi ed the criteria required for BRAMM burial authority registration.

To watch the short fi lm (approx. 16 mins) log on to BRAMM you tube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLZWMdKwlXv2iZKz_-DEVBA

ICCM Photographic Competition 2021

Would you like a photograph taken by you to appear on the front cover of The Journal?

If you have a photograph taken in a cemetery, crematorium, churchyard or natural burial ground you can enter it into the ICCM Photographic Competition 2021 for a chance to win the prestige of having it reproduced on the front cover of the Journal. The winner will also receive a £50.00 gift voucher. The Board of Directors will choose a winning entry. A selection of the images submitted will be shown at the ICCM AGM, and the winner will be announced there.

The image must not identify any individuals and must have been taken by the person submitting it.

To enter please email a maximum of TWO unique, generic images to Julie Dunk at julie.dunk@iccm-uk.com in HIGH RESOLUTION jpeg format. Colour images will be converted to black and white for judging. The judges’ decisions will be final.

The closing date for entries is 30 July 2021 Copyright of all images submitted remains with the ICCM who reserve the right to use them without further compensation, restriction on use, attribution or liability.