Peak Online, Author at UK Memorials

Quality Brass for a Traditional Memorial

Posted on 25th July 20249th October 2024 by Peak Online

Quality brass for a traditional memorial is one of those timeless traditions that many still choose to uphold today when selecting a memorial plaque for a loved one. With their history dating back as far as the thirteenth century, it isn’t surprising to us as memorial specialists that engraved brass plaques continue to be a popular choice.

The quality of brass is what strikes most of us when we think of a brass plaque. Brass has a distinguishable finish that is unique and recognisable. Suitable for interior and exterior display, a brass memorial can be utilised for years to come. It is worth us mentioning now, that some regular maintenance will be required either way.

Generally, brass memorials tend to be accompanied by traditional designs and presentations. While we can facilitate this, our speciality is crafting bespoke memorials that are crafted with your specifications in mind. This enables you to choose the finish that best suits the memorial you are looking for. Our priority is you, and crafting a memorial that brings your vision into reality; whether straying from tradition or aligning with it.

Honouring Tradition

Traditional engraved brass plaques exude a classic quality that is hard to compete with. Speaking of quality, at UK Memorials, we use top-quality CZ120 brass which has a good corrosion resistance. When a brass plaque adopts the conventional formatting, the memorial can speak for itself without any additional distraction. Depending on the intended location of your memorial, and your design preferences, honouring tradition might be just right for you. If you’re curious about memorial formatting or have found yourself wondering what to include in your memorial, we have published a blog on memorial inscriptions that you may find helpful.

Honouring tradition, however, isn’t just about your choice of material. When working with UK Memorials, you’re working with an experienced team of craftspeople. We choose to honour traditional methods of craftsmanship (while still benefitting from modern technology and machinery). This enables our team to achieve the very best finish on a memorial for you. We know how important a memorial is to individuals, families, and communities which is why tradition and quality are two words that we used to define ourselves with.

Giving Traditional Memorials The Modern Edge

The versatility of brass loans itself well to a variety of engraving techniques. It is this quality that enables us to modernise the appearance of a brass plaque if that is something you’d be keen to explore. From a design perspective, there are endless possibilities. Each memorial that we craft is bespoke, allowing you to get exactly what you want and need from a brass memorial plaque crafted by our team. With the support of our award-winning team, for whom nothing is too much trouble, and by using the latest engraving technology, we can give a memorial the modern edge. This can be achieved by straying from traditional formatting or by including imagery and photography within your plaque design.

The design of the brass memorial plaque will change the entire look and feel of the plaque. Our designers can create traditional designs to completely unique and interesting designs. With modern techniques, we can include bright colours and intricate detailing. Our helpful office team are available to chat through your thoughts ideas until we can come up with a design you are 100% happy with. For example we can add different colours, crests, images, fonts and more.

Displaying A Brass Memorial Plaque

In some instances, affixing a brass plaque directly to a surface works perfectly well. For example, with a brass bench plaque or a wall-mounted memorial, requesting holes may be enough for you. However, we do offer several design alternatives for those seeking the appropriate display for their specific brass plaque.

One way that you can enhance the display of a brass plaque is with a handcrafted wooden backing board. As you can see from several examples, a backing board can elevate the appearance of the plaque. We work with numerous timbers onsite, enabling us to match the plaque with a timber that works for you. We would say that oak is the most traditional and complimentary style of timber, but does take the most amount of maintenance, while our Iroko wooden backing boards require less care. For more information on our timbers please contact us.

If you are looking to have the plaque free-standing then you might want to opt for one of our popular Wrought Iron spikes. You can choose to have a wrought iron spike which fixings to the back of the wooden backing board or you can have a wrought iron spike with a plate where the brass adheres directly to the metal plate.

Moulded plaque holders are an ideal choice for plant stakes, grave markers, and memorial tree stakes. Partnering an engraved brass plaque with a plaque holder is a poignant way to pay tribute to a loved one at a place of rest or commemoration. The plaque itself can follow the traditional formatting, or be led by a more modern design. This might look like choosing to include images, borders, or additional words of your choosing.

So, whether you’re seeking quality brass for a traditional memorial, or you fancy working with our team, get in touch with UK Memorials today. We’d be glad to serve you.

Can’t see what you’re looking for? Don’t hesitate to contact us and we’ll see how we can best help you.

Telephone: 01769 618585 | Email: sales@uk-memorials.net | https://linktr.ee/thesignmaker

Sustainably Crafted Memorials

Posted on 4th August 20234th August 2023 by Peak Online

Green funerals and sustainably crafted memorials have never been higher in demand. With many keen to lower their carbon footprint, it is unsurprising that memorials have had a greener shift too. At UK Memorials, we have always been passionate about the environment. So, we wanted to share some of the ways in which craft with a mindfulness of the environment.

Sustainable Craftsmanship

Utilising renewable energy is perhaps the biggest way that UK Memorials operates sustainably. Just six months after we moved onsite, we had a wind turbine installed. A number of years later the biomass boiler arrived. This has given us two renewable sources of energy for our workshops, offices and the Price family home! Consequently, our business is run more efficiently in terms of our energy usage. This year, we also installed solar panels – expanding our green energy structure one step further. We care about our environmental impact, and we care about the customers that we provide for. This is why we continue to make significant sustainable changes for our business.

We are keen to advocate for the idea that even the seemingly insignificant eco-conscious acts make a difference. Whether caring for the wildlife to increase biodiversity, planting up a small patch of wildflowers, or making an effort with your recycling – every little helps. These are all things that we like to implement within our business, which in turn gives you the peace of mind that you are purchasing a memorial that has been crafted with the environment in mind.

Memorials Suitable For A Natural Burial Ground

The majority of our memorials that would be suitable for a natural burial ground are crafted from wood. While this might feel like your options are limited, we specialise in bespoke memorials and will aim to get these pieces just right for you. With options when it comes to timber, style and design, there is versatility to play with even within sustainable measures. The most common timbers that we work with for sustainable memorials are Oak, Iroko and Balau.

Oak is known for its traditional class, Iroko is ideal for an outdoor memorial due to its natural oiliness and Balau has a reputation for durability. While these are three timbers that we would recommend for a sustainably crafted wooden memorial, please do enquire about any other timbers that we craft with. We’d love to find the perfect match for you and our experienced team are in a position to support you through the process.

It is also worth noting that some natural burial sites also permit small slate memorials which we also craft. Slate is becoming one of our favourite materials to work with due to is versatility and classic appearance with each piece that we craft.

Memorials Crafted From PaperStone

PaperStone is one of our newer materials, but it is one that our team have really got behind. The material itself is made up of layers of recycled paper and cardboard, before being saturated with a petroleum-free, pigmented natural resin. The resin, much to our surprise, has been extracted from the shells of cashew shells!! Once the elements have been pressed together under extreme heat, PaperStone is formed. This lightweight, sustainable material would be perfect for someone looking for a low-carbon memorial. As far as eco-friendly memorials, you’ll be challenged to find something as well-suited and unique as our sustainable memorials crafted from PaperStone.

Eco-Friendly Caskets

While sustainably crafted memorials are growing in demand, as are eco-friendly caskets – particularly for natural burials or the sustainably conscious. Our eco-friendly caskets are crafted from Oak, just as many of our other caskets are. However, the big difference is that our eco-friendly caskets don’t require metal fixings. We use wooden doweling to fix the box together. This may be a requirement of a natural burial site, or you may find it to your preference.

Nothing is too much trouble for our team. You won’t miss out just because you’re choosing an eco-friendly casket – we want to make these memorials work for you as best as we can. These caskets can be crafted in several sizes, and we can even laser engraved the box so that you don’t miss out on what a plaque might have offered you. Do get in touch with us to find out more.

If you’re at all curious about our crafting processes or our materials, please do get in touch with us. As a member of the Association Of Green Funeral Directors and a business partner of The North Devon Biosphere, we know that these conversations are important – particularly for those who are passionate about securing a sustainable memorial. We craft and operate as consciously of the environment as possible. We aim to do this without compromising on the quality that we deliver to you. Our experienced and award-winning team would love the opportunity to come alongside you to bring together an eco-friendly memorial.

Telephone: 01769 561355 | Email: sales@uk-memorials.net | https://linktr.ee/thesignmaker

Making Space for Grief at Christmas

Posted on 19th December 202224th May 2023 by Peak Online

In a season surrounded with seemingly endless festive cheer, making space for grief at Christmas time might feel a little strange. There are expectations of family fun and a universal prerequisite for feelings of hope and of joy. However, at UK Memorials, we appreciate that those experiencing feelings of grief (whether over a recent loss or for somebody who died many years before), may be seeking comfort throughout this particular period. We first want to say that our hearts go out to anybody seeking space for their grief this Christmas. Our thoughts are with you and we hope that this short blog post can offer a few words of advice for this season.

Ways To Make Space For Your Grief At Christmas Time

Talk About It!

In British culture especially, we tend to shy away from conversations about death or grief, but we know how important it is to talk about those that we miss having around us. When crafting memorials for people, we find that individuals want the space to be able to express how they are feeling at a time of grief – so remember to continue having those difficult conversations; even at Christmas time. You could open with a memory, reflect on your feelings of missing somebody or intentionally ask others around you how they are feeling at this time to pave way for honest conversation.

Tangible Reminders

While there is no right or wrong way to express or experience grief, sometimes having a more tangible reminder can be a way of acknowledging your grief. Something might immediately jump out as to what that might be for you, but if not – here are a few ideas.

A chosen decoration or something engraved may provide a gentle reminder of somebody special. Below you can see pictured a snowglobe that one of our team keeps out all year round, but it takes a more prominant place at Christmas as a reminder of their Nana. Certain foods or songs can also be beautiful ways of introducing your memories to Christmas time without them being upsetting. For example, we know individuals who recreate a specific pudding their parents made at Christmas to honour their lives in a subtle but tangible way.

As memorial specialists, we have also crafted numerous bespoke memorials that allows individuals, families and communties to create a tribute that celebrates a loved one. Whether for a home memorial or a final resting place, many find a memorial to be a special way of celebrating the life of a loved one.

Tangible Memories and Memorials | Making Space for Grief at Christmas by UK Memorials

Making Space In Nature

Surround yourself with life by making space in nature. If you’ve followed along with us (or our sister company, The Sign Maker) for a while now, you’ll know that we love keeping an eye on the local wildlife. We know there to be numerous benefits from spending time out in nature; from lowering stress to creating a space to remain in the present moment, finding your way outside this Christmas might give you the breathing space necesary to grieve in a way that isn’t so overwhelming.

They say ‘Robins appear when loved one’s are near’, so maybe try and spot their vibrant redbreast on a wintery walk. Perhaps you find the same sense of hope in the appearance of a rainbow that we do. It might be that you’d enjoy a wander along the beach, or a moment in a local garden. There are infinate tiny snapshots of nature to find and explore, and our hope would be that making this space is somewhat restorative to you too.

Make Space In Nature - Robin and Rainbow | Making Space for Grief at Christmas by UK Memorials

Surround Yourself With Support and Community

Experiencing grief can be challenging enough without trying to do it all alone. Grief can have a way of making us feel isolated, so knowing where you can find support and communtiy could make all the difference. One charity that we always recommend is Cruse. Cruse are the UK’s leading Bereavement charity offering a helpful website, national helpline and even counselling sessions. Their helpline will be open across various hours throughout the festive period, so if you’re looking for support from trained volunteers who can come alongside you at this time – we’d recommend looking in to the support that they offer. The good grief trust also have some great resources that you might like to make use of.

As a result of the pandemic, online communites are also more prominent than ever before. It might be that you’re not looking specifically to talk about your grief, but are instead looking for a communtiy to share this time with. For the past few years, Sarah Millican has been hosting #JoinIn – a virtual campaign for strangers to connect internationally in online spaces. Last year in particular, the feedback was that this was a friendly outreach campaign, so it might be that something like this brings you a little comfort this year.

Click Here for Bereavement Support | Click Here to #JoinIn with Sarah Millican on Christmas Day

Allow Yourself To Feel All Your Feelings

Last, but not least, remember that it is okay to feel multiple things at once. It is possible to both feel and acknowledge grief while still experiencing moments of joy. The two need not be mutually exclusive – it is okay to let a little Christmas magic in no matter what other feelings you experience across this festive season. This might bring up some challenges of it’s own (for instance, feelings of guilt or a heightened sense of grief from time to time), however it serves as a good reminder that life is both beautiful and painful all at the same time.

We’d like to wish you a very Merry Christmas from our whole team here at UK Memorials, and we hope that these little reminders prove helpful no matter the time of year. If there is anything that we can do to support you from a memorial perspective, then please do get in touch and our team will get back to you in the new year.

Telephone: 01769 561355 | Email: sales@uk-memorials.net | https://linktr.ee/thesignmaker

Granite Memorials and Plaques

Posted on 3rd November 202224th May 2023 by Peak Online

Each material that we craft with at UK Memorials can make a memorial stand out in its own way, but we’ve always found there to be an outstanding finish to our granite memorials and plaques. Granite has been a long-lasting popular choice for memorials (traditionally and specifically headstones due to its toughness and durability). This is why we have chosen to continue the tradition of crafting memorials from granite – but we also choose to offer granite memorials with a modern twist.

Handcrafted Granite Memorials

Granite has a stand-out, high-quality appearance (particularly when polished by our thorough and expert team). Specialising in bespoke memorials is something that we are incredibly proud of. No two memorials need to look the same, allowing some to honour the traditional layout of a memorial, and others to personalise and modernise a memorial to celebrate the loved one that they’re honouring in a way that feels right for them.

By nature, granite has a natural appearance as a result of being quarried which gives some variation in each piece of stone. Additionally, granite is available in several different colours including shades of black, blue, grey and green – allowing space for our customers a choice when designing a memorial. Our granite memorials and plaques are also available in different thicknesses, shapes (including wedges) and sizes. While we stock some sizes as standard, our talented craftsmen can work with you to achieve the final appearance that you had in mind.

Granite Memorial Wedges and Plaques | The Sign Maker — Granite Wedges

Designing A Bespoke Granite Memorial

Layout and lettering are important features of memorial design. Using a blend of traditional and modern crafting techniques, we can craft granite memorials and plaques that can be cherished for a long time to come. In terms of lettering, we can use a wide range of fonts, and recently we have seen an increase in those choosing to include images in memorials (whether they are photographs or small graphics).

Depending on the level of detail you’d like and the finish you want to achieve, we may choose to sandblast or impact engrave the final design once you have approved a proof copy from us. Impact engraving is still a relatively new technique for us, but one that we have had great success with so far turning out some revolutionary results.

At Uk Memorials, we are proud to craft with quality precision, but we are also proud to be memorial specialists who are able to keep your wishes at the forefront of our craftsmanship and service. Being a family business means that we appreciate the challenges that come with designing a memorial, but we are here to support and advise you throughout the process.

Why Granite?

Granite is a timeless classic of a material when it comes to memorials and plaques. Granite’s effortless ability to honour and celebrate the lives of loved ones has been evident since we first began crafting memorials. This material is long-lasting, versatile in terms of design, and a wonderful way to create a tangible record of a life and legacy.

Telephone: 01769 561355 | Email: sales@uk-memorials.net | https://linktr.ee/thesignmaker

PaperStone Memorials

Posted on 6th October 202224th May 2023 by Peak Online

Over the past number of years, there has been a considerable increase in individuals choosing a natural burial. With natural burials having a lesser negative impact on the environment, it is easy to see why a green burial may be preferable. Natural burials have also been considered a more gentle way of coming to rest, allowing the individual to ‘return to the earth’ as a means of conserving it. As a manufacturer of memorials for all, and in keeping with our own sustainable ethos, ensuring that we offer a range of memorials that would be suitable for a natural burial is something that we are passionate about. This is why when we stumbled upon PaperStone, we were glad to be able to add this material to our growing memorial range.

What Is PaperStone?

You might be wondering, what is PaperStone? Fortunately, we can explain a little more about how this material comes together. PaperStone is a unique material constructed of recycled FSC paper and cardboard layered up and bound with a petroleum-free, pigmented natural resin (the photo below illustrates what it looks like on the inside). Fun fact – the resin is extracted from the shells of cashew nuts! These layers are pressed under extreme heat thus creating PaperStone. It is smooth to the touch, lightweight and (perhaps above all), sustainable. PaperStone is supplied to us in a range of select colours, and we can work with this material to achieve a wide range of results.

PaperStone Memorials | UK Memorials | Sustainable, Eco-friendly and perfect for natural burials

When we put PaperStone to the test, we were in awe of the way that it showcased a variety of designs. From intricately detailed imagery to bold and simple designs, this versatile material is something special! These qualities should allow you to design a memorial that is just what your mind’s eye imagines. This is something that we pride ourselves on doing across each memorial that we craft. We appreciate how tough it can be to go through the process of ordering a memorial which is why we make each piece to order so that we can get your memorial just right for you. From size, shape and design – our priority is that you receive a memorial that celebrates and honours the life you are celebrating.

Benefits Of A PaperStone Memorial

PaperStone is a one-of-a-kind material, and, in our safe hands, it is the perfect sustainable choice. The product is crafted from recycled materials while also being, in itself, recyclable. In addition, we craft all of our memorials with sustainable processes including renewable energy and recyclable packaging while also caring for our local environment and reducing our carbon footprint where possible. For a memorial with a minimal impact on the environment but a quality finish, PaperStone Memorials, crafted by UK Memorials, is the perfect pick for you.

Telephone: 01769 561355 | Email: sales@uk-memorials.net | https://linktr.ee/thesignmaker