Caring for the Deceased, the funeral services exhibition planned for the NEC in Birmingham next year, has been cancelled. The decision was made after the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) decided to back the Funeral Services Exhibition (FSE) being held at Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry.

The first FSE was at the NEC in 2000. The second FSE is planned for Stoneleigh Park, 4-6 April next year. Another show organiser, International Craft & Hobby Fair Ltd (ICHF), planned to challenge FSE by staging an alternative funeral services show, Caring for the Deceased, at the NEC on the same dates as FSE.

It was always unlikely that there would be enough support from the industry for both shows to go ahead and with NAMM supporting FSE, Caring for the Deceased was cancelled.

The title of FSE is now changing to FSE 2003 + NAMM Memtex.

NAMM Memtex is the show NAMM ran for the first time last year in Telford in association with their annual conference.

NAMM say their Craftex competition for their members in recognition of masonry craft skills will be held in conjunction with Memtex and entry forms are available from NAMM head office in Rugby.

The NAMM annual conference will be held separately in September (see \'NAMM dinner-dance cancelled\'.)

Announcing the cancellation of Caring for the Deceased, ICHF said: "This event . . . will no longer be running due to the lack of support by the industry.

"ICHF, the show organisers, would like to thank all those involved with the launch of this event and regret that, after all the efforts made, were unable to convince the industry that the show had potential not only for the exhibitors but also for the associations that represent the industry."