A FUNERAL co-ordinator from Basingstoke is in line for a top honour after seeing off hundreds of other nominees to reach the final stages of the Good Funeral Awards.

Persephone Salway from A Monger Funeral Directors, based at the Old Forge, in Sherbourne St John, is in line to win the prestigious national title of Funeral Arranger of the Year.

She will find out whether she has been successful at a ceremony set to be held at Porchester Hall in London on September 7.

The Good Funeral Awards are now in their sixth year and recognise excellence in the world of funerals, rewarding the best funeral directors and all associated services that are involved in creating memorable funerals.

Wholly independent of the funeral industry, the awards are supported by consumer advocates the Good Funeral Guide and the Natural Death Centre.

Fran Hall chief executive officer of the Good Funeral Guide, a joint organiser of the awards said: “The Good Funeral Awards recognise exceptional service to bereaved people from all aspects of the funeral industry and supporting services. By progressing this far, Persephone has already demonstrated outstanding professionalism, empathy and a willingness to go the extra mile.”

Brian Jenner, co-organiser, added: “The Good Funeral Awards recognise all those unsung heroes who work so hard for the bereaved and whose role can so easily be overlooked. Some of the nicest people in Britain work in the funeral business.”

For more information about the awards, go to goodfuneralawards.co.uk.