A metal recycling scheme at Mansfield Crematorium raised £14,000 for the John Eastwood Hospice.

Each year the crematorium donates money it receives from metal recovered from cremations where bereaved families have given permission for it to be sent for recycling.

A cheque presented to the Sutton hospice included £246.93 that was raised from the Christmas memorial service at the crematorium.

The annual donation goes to the Joint Crematorium Committee’s nominated charities — the John Eastwood Hospice, Sutton, and Beaumond House Hospice, Newark — which receive the money on alternate years.

Mansfield Crematorium signed up to be part of the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management’s Recycling of Metals Scheme in 2011. Since then, it has distributed more than £82,000 to local hospices.

Crematorium registrar Nada Colclough said: “When someone is cremated, the remains often contain various metals. They come from the coffin and also from replacement hip and knee joints. Some of this high-grade metal is quite valuable in terms of recycling and can be made into new orthopaedic implants.

“We always ensure that any metal from cremated remains is sent for recycling only if we have the consent of relatives prior to a cremation.”

The crematorium is managed and operated by a joint committee of representatives from Mansfield, Ashfield, and Newark and Sherwood district councils.

Ashfield District Council leader Coun Jason Zadrozny added: “Most bereaved families consent to this type of recycling, which usually means that these metals do not end up buried in the ground and instead can be reused as well as helping local charities.

“This hospice offers an invaluable and caring end-of-life service to hundreds of local families every year and we are delighted to be able to support them in this way.”