Meet the family who launched an unusual new business - tending graves in Milton Keynes

A dad looking to launch a new business after lockdown came up with a dead brilliant idea - looking after graves

Andy Stephenson launched Memories Gravetending last year and already the business is going from strength to strength in MK and surrounding areas.

He offers everything from cleaning graves and headstones and laying flowers to repainting inscriptions that have faded over the years. They also re-stain memorial benches, level sunken graves and prune memorial trees and shrubs.

"We generally make sure the grave looks in tip top condition for those who live too far away, or aren't physically able to do the work themselves,” he said.

Andy is not alone in his unusual profession. His wife Chris is involved in the back office admin but doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty when deadlines are tight. She also does the posies and wreaths which are left at the grave after a job is successfully completed.

Their son Mark, a painter and decorator, has a steady hand and does all the intricate painting work on the inscriptions as well as detailing on the marble work.

The final member of the team is Andy’s three-year-old granddaughter Willow, who loves the job of spraying the flowers with her watering can.

Andy prides himself on being one of only a few grave tenders in the area. “Grave tending is well established in certain regions of the UK but not here,” he said.

"I’ve had great support from the Association of Grave Tenders (of which we are proud members) and all the local funeral directors, who have been so welcoming.”