Does anybody know how you go about getting a memorial bench?

[fairyfly]

In the park or somewhere, tia

Maybe ask the council?

My friend had a tree planted when her dd died,she did it through the council.

Thats a lovely idea gg, i've emailed the park division of the council.

Does anyone have any clue about how much these things cost. Thankyou.

Would you be able to ask friends / family / other mourners to donate a little towards it? It may feel more personal than just flowers or some pen pusher at the council's contribution.

Yes, everyone will want to put towards something.

A robust bench costs around £500-600. Then there would be the hard-standing for it as well.

What's a hard standing?

Then do you have to pay for the plot?

hardstanding is the concrete base the bench would sit on

I don't think you usually have to pay for the plot as such. the council should be able to quote you a price and whether they have someone who supplies the benches and you choose one, or whether you get your own. Then as long as you can get donations to cover the cost, it can go up. I expect all councils have a slightly different way of doing it though

It's a lovely memorial

Aw, ff, what a nice idea.

There was a feature on memorial benches in the Guardian on Saturday - the family seat - there were pics too in the paper. Some very touching stories.

It is a lovely idea. But be careful where it goes. We have several memorial benches in our village, and they have been vandalised and/or stolen in the past, which is of course quite distressing for the people involved. Your council will know which benches are most vandal- and theft-proof (through bitter experience sadly).

Good luck with your council.

Thanks for the tips, hopefully they will get back to me.

It's not my idea, i'm just wanting to help my boyfriend as he's sad and it's shit tbh.

He mentioned it before so i just want to have the info at hand when he needs it.

That would be horrible to find it vandalised or damaged.

yep just like when people trash gravestones

Is there any kind of memorial that wouldn't get trashed, do you think?

An electricity pylon, a flask of mercury, a sheep?

Rubbish, isn't it? You can't even plan something nice without having to consider if some prick is going to ruin it.

There is a lovely lake near me and all the benches around it have little plaques on 'in memory of Ethel' etc so I imagine it is all old people who used to sit and watch the world go by.

Sad but moving at the same time.

sorry to hear about your bf's friend ff.

xxxx

yes it kind of depends on where they are as to whether they get vandalized or not
I love memorial benches.

Cheers OO, i think it would be a good place to sit and contemplate how fucked up things can get and then smile.

i have jus done one for dd's friend but we put it in the school.
Just wanted to wish you luck.
There are some good web sites.

I bet a bench in a school touches a lot of people, how very sad,

Berkeley Square, in London, has loads of benches with little plaques on. Always brought a lump to my throat as I'd try to imagine the person feeding the birds or reading in the park.