Phil Myatt, who ran his own family memorial masonry business of Myatt & Leason in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, for 25 years until it closed last year, has joined the team at The Co-operative Memorial Masonry Centre in Walsall, West Midlands.

Phil is the man who wrote the rule book on memorials – or at least did a lot towards writing it with his work on British Standard BS8415 on the fixing of memorials.

He also chaired the National Association of Memorial Masons’ Technical Committee and was one of the founders of the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM) licensing scheme for working in cemeteries.

He has now taken on the role of Project Manager at the Co-op, which will see him bringing innovation to the design and build of memorials as well as ensuring quality standards.

Philip says of his new role: “I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to join the team here in Walsall. I have been so impressed with their commitment to always going above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.

“From developing new memorial materials and designs to implementing new customer service initiatives, it’s great to be a part of such a dynamic team.”

The Co-operative Memorial Masonry Centre is owned by The Midcounties Co-operative, the largest independent Co-operative society in the UK.

The Memorial Masonry Centre recently underwent a major refurbishment and now provides visitors with the opportunity to view a huge range of memorials and to see the centre’s skilled masons at work.

When Phil’s not working, he enjoys motor racing and in October became the first British driver to win the annual Spa 24-hour endurance event at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.