As 2021 draws to a close, Sarsfield Memorials would like to thank all our customers for the continued support during the year which has been another challenging one.

The ongoing issues with Covid have obviously continued to affect the way we work, with many customer consultations having to be done remotely. We have always preferred to see customers face to face in their homes and have been continuing this way, if it could be done safely. However we also appreciate that even if the rules allow meetings there are some who wish to limit who they interact with and we have respected this when discussing orders.

We have also done many appointments at the graveside or a loved ones favourite outdoor location. This has often made it easier for clients to discuss their wishes for the memorial at a difficult time. As a customer-led business, we remain attentive to their needs and do all we can to make our customers feel as comfortable as possible when dealing with them.

Dealing with basic health and wellbeing due to Covid has been difficult enough but the extra challenges faced by the container crisis has been an extra burden. This has led to delivery delays in granite memorials from India and China, as well as price hikes but we have managed to honour original quotations. However our current prices are not sustainable longer term and we will have no option but to increase our prices in 2022.

We head into 2022 not knowing how the Omicron variant will affect our daily lives, but are hopeful our customers can have a safe and healthy New Year. Throughout 2022 we will be marking the 75th anniversary of Sarsfield Memorials foundation with a number of special offers as well as supporting community events and charities. Please keep an eye on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages for updates, which will be updating at least once a month.

Once again, thank you to all our customers for their continued loyalty and support and we look forward to providing a service over the next twelve months and beyond.

2022 is nearly upon us and that means the Sarsfield family will have been offering memorial services to bereaved families in Liverpool for 75 years. To commemorate this milestone Sarsfield Memorials will be supporting community events and making special offers available for customers.

We were founded in 1947 and have been very fortunate that most of our customers are through word of mouth and recommendations. This has led to us getting many repeat customers and serving many generations of the same family over time. We visit you in the comfort of your home or at the graveside, but can also work with you and confirm orders by email for families further afield. We are customer led and aim to make the process as simple as possible for you.

At Sarsfield Memorials we pride ourselves on the first class service we offer, which has been passed through the generations. Ursula and the team love to hear stories from customers about their loved ones. So many of these have changed throughout the generations and always sound more interesting years later.

Throughout 2022 Ursula and the team wish to share their achievement of 75 years as a family business with families who have graves in the Liverpool area. Each month, we will be offering discounts or something for free to customers and the wider community.

In January (Covid 19 permitting) we will be funding a community event with Smile & Experience TLC . This is a Community Interest Company supporting those affected by dementia. It will be held at Mossley Hill Athletics Club with a singer and buffet, date to be confirmed. A further community event will be funded in May, with details to be announced nearer the time.

Between February and April, then June and December, please check our special offers page regularly. They will have one off offers added and once they are gone they will not be repeated.

These offers will take the form of discounted new memorials, free cleaning of an existing memorial, free insurance, free coloured glass chippings on kerb memorials, a free goodie bag, bottle of wine, chocolates and flowers. We really look forward to sharing them with our customers during 2022.

In recent months we have become aware of damage to and thefts from memorials in two of Liverpool’s cemeteries, Allerton and Everton. This is despicable behaviour but grave thefts are something local authorities are not liable for. It is the grave owners responsibility to arrange insurance cover against such acts. 

The incidents were obviously deeply upsetting for those visiting graves of their loved ones, only to find ornaments mindlessly smashed, or in some cases stone chippings taken. Whereas it is easy to ask what the council or police are doing to stop such acts, the reality of doing so is somewhat different. Cemeteries cover such a large area that even if the resources were available to have mobile patrols on site at all times, there remains opportunity for someone determined enough to commit the act. 

The logistics and cost of covering every plot with CCTV is far too prohibitive, not to mention intrusive on mourners. This means that those who are damaging or stealing items know that there is little chance of getting caught once they have done what they set out to. 

If your memorial or associated ornamentation is damaged in any way, the blow can be softened somewhat if you have insurance. This is something we recommend via Stoneguard Memorial Insurance, provides cover against theft and vandalism as well as a range of other problems, including storm and frost damage. Policies are available for as little as £6.20 a year.

Most local authorities will only accept liability for damage to memorials if negligence can be proven. When applying for permission to erect a memorial in any of Liverpool city council’s cemeteries, the applicant must declare whether or not they have accepted memorial insurance. The form is clear in that the council accepts no responsibility for any damage caused by vandalism or maintenance operations unless there is proven negligence. Therefore, we really do recommend you take out memorial insurance to cover against either wanton or accidental damage to your memorial.