The Egyptians believed that you die twice…
… Once when you take your final breath, and then again the last time someone says your name. When a grieving man was given the cremated remains of a lost loved one, he felt the seriousness of his responsibility. Thus started the journey to create a more personalised and respectful means to encapsulate those remains, and to tell the story of the important life that was lost. His journey led him to create a brand that would become a beacon, to those looking to preserve the memory of their lost loved ones in a familiar but unique fashion
Hurstwood Keepsakes Ltd. was developed with the aim of helping preserve memories and remains of lost loved ones, in the most respectful way possible. Their range of memorial plaques and urns really do come from the heart; handmade to a high standard and personalised with engravings of the decease persons image and an inscription describing the person’s life.
What makes these plaques unique is they come with an option to have the hair and ashes of the deceased encapsulated in what is known as an ‘Eternal Heart’; a miniature resin heart shaped inlay that is embedded into the plaque design. All the products arrive in a luxury gold printed presentation box with a ribbon and sympathy card
Andrew Thomas, the Managing Director of Hurstwood Keepsakes had this to say about his experience in seeing people’s reaction, on receiving plaques of people they’ve lost. “When those grieving have received their plaques, it is an emotional moment. Watching someone run their fingers over the contours of the engraved face of their loved one is very touching. Many who receive a plaque have said they feel as if they are touching the face of their lost loved one. It is our privilege to see that our products bring a sense of relief and helps in the mourning process.”
All the Hurstwood Keepsakes wooden plaques come with a mirror heart set into the wood, which allows for the use of the plaque at the funeral (before receipt of the ashes in the instance of a cremation). The plaque can be placed on the coffin at the service and can be placed at the entrance to a wake. This can help commemorate the life of the deceased, as the plaque includes a lengthier inscription than that on a traditional headstone.
Once the cremated remains have been received, a sample can be sent to Hurstwood Keepsakes to create an ‘Eternal Heart’. A petite masterpiece crafted using resin to encapsulate the hair and/or ashes of the deceased. This replaces the mirror heart and can be easily interchanged.
As well as a range of premium wood and stone wall plaques, Hurstwood Keepsakes also offer a range of acrylic wall plaques and a unique range of miniature head stones that include a small metal urn for in the home.
The products have been carefully priced to make them as affordable as possible, whilst creating a new revenue stream for Funeral Directors through the Hurstwood Keepsakes reseller programme.
Cremations are currently at 82.4% of UK funerals, and Hurstwood Keepsakes memorial plaques are set to become the new standard, providing an alternative where burial headstones are not applicable.
