Supporters’ fundraising stories
Memoria partnership grows
In October 2025, the north Oxfordshire branch of leading crematorium operator, Memoria, nominated Katharine House Hospice as their local charity of the year for the second year running.
Memoria’s mission is to provide exceptional standards of service, facility and products to the bereaved families that use its funeral directing services, crematoria, cemetery gardens of remembrance or prepaid funeral plans. They have 14 sites across the UK.
Their north Oxfordshire site is at North Oxfordshire Memorial Park and Crematorium near Tackley. The site opened in October 2020 and offers cremation and natural burials, all set in a beautifully located park with manicured gardens and restful country views.
Their partnership with Katharine House started in August 2024, as part of their work with the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) Metals Recycling Scheme. The scheme recycles metals recovered during cremation, with family consent, in partnership with Orthometals, donating proceeds to bereavement charities. From 2025, each local branch could choose their own local charity, where previously it was split between a national and a local charity and the North Oxfordshire team chose Katharine House Hospice.
Site Manager, Vanessa Moor, said, “We are incredibly proud to select Katharine House Hospice as the beneficiary of our ICCM Charity Partnership, recognising it as our essential local charity. Based just 12 miles away in Adderbury, Katharine House provides specialist palliative care for adults with a life-limiting illness across north Oxfordshire and south Northamptonshire. They truly make every moment matter for their patients and families, whether at home, in the hospital, or at their hospice.
“The moment you walk through the doors, you feel loved and embraced. There is a genuine warmth from everyone who works there; they care so much, showing deep compassion and understanding.
“By choosing Katharine House Hospice, we can help give back to a cause that touches so many lives and help secure the future of this incredible local service.”
“Katharine House is a lifeline for our community. They ensure their patients and their loved ones are treated with compassion, dignity and respect during the most difficult times. So many of our families have benefited from the hospice’s support and speak highly of the charity.” – Vanessa Moor, Site Manager, North Oxfordshire Memorial Park and Crematorium
As well as proceeds from the metals recycling scheme, the north Oxfordshire team have supported the hospice with collections at their remembrance events and hosted a Katharine House representative at their User Panel Group meeting, where they presented a cheque to the charity.
The team have also been involved with various volunteer activities, including at our annual Lights of Love remembrance events and in the spring of 2026, Vanessa helped our Living Well team tidy up and spruce up our Living Well art room, creating a calming and creative space for our patients to enjoy artistic activities.
In June 2026, Memoria donated a further £17,000 to the hospice, taking their overall total to an incredible £37,982 in just 18 months.
Sue Blank, Corporate Engagement Officer at Katharine House Hospice, said, “We are thrilled to have Memoria’s support for another year. The team at the North Oxfordshire site are a pleasure to work with and very keen to support the hospice in anyway then can, including volunteering and awareness raising of the incredible work we do. This partnership is invaluable and will continue to help us raise the £5.9 million needed each year to run all our hospice services.”
If Memoria’s story has inspired you, get in touch to find out how your business can get involved and support your local hospice. We would love to hear from you. You can contact the team at [email protected].
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