Antrim and Newtownabbey Council's Award-Winning Cemetery and Crematoria Team

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council was awarded the Best Service Team: Cemeteries and Crematoria award at the APSE Service Awards 2026, recognising its commitment to providing compassionate care to bereaved families.  

Building on its success as the winner of the Best Service Team in 2024, the Council has introduced innovative solutions, invested in continuous staff development and strengthened community engagement to ensure the service can successfully meet the needs of local residents.  

In 2023, in response to the steadily declining burial space and low cremation rates in Northern Ireland, the Council invested £5 million in a modern, state-of-the-art crematorium to encourage greater uptake of cremation and provide a dignified alternative to traditional burial.  

Since opening, the facility has reduced waiting times between death and funeral, shortened travel distances for families and enhanced the overall experience for mourners through high-quality, thoughtfully designed facilities.  

Demand for the service has continued to grow, with cremation numbers rising year on year, demonstrating both increased acceptance and the vital role the facility now plays within the community.  

The service is guided by a culture of continuous improvement with a strong emphasis placed on learning, innovation and staff engagement, enabling the team to identify opportunities for enhancement and implement meaningful change. In addition to working closely with the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management, the service has implemented a structured training programme to ensure consistent understanding and application of new procedures.  

Strong relationships with local communities, faith groups, funeral directors and professional partners are also central to the service's success. By actively seeking feedback and undertaking regular consultation activities, the team gains valuable insight into local needs and expectations, helping to shape decisions and deliver ongoing improvements for residents. 

The Council's commitment to bereavement support extends beyond the provision of cemetery and crematoria services. Working closely with local charity Fresh Minds Education, the Council supported the Bamber Puppy initiative which provides bereaved children with emotional comfort, reassurance and gentle guidance as they navigate their grief journey. Since 2023, the Council has donated a total of £65,100 to local organisations, demonstrating their commitment to making a tangible difference to the local community.  

In addition to providing compassionate care to bereaved families, the team has successfully enhanced biodiversity across all operational sites. Last year, the Council successfully achieved Green Flag status for 32 sites across the borough, representing one of the highest totals awarded to a single local authority.  

More than one million native wildflower seeds are sown across the Borough each year, with several cemetery sites now featuring established wildflower meadows that have received positive feedback from the public.  In 2022, the Council launched their One Million Tree initiative in partnership with the Woodland Trust and other stakeholders. The scheme has already delivered 315,595 native trees, improving biodiversity, enhancing site appearance and delivering efficiency savings through reduced grass cutting.