Silloth 'inclusion jewellers' announce new memorial collection

Cumbria Life Casting, on Station Road, is expanding its range of memorial jewellery which can include a range of sentimental 'inclusions' - from semen and breast milk to ashes and hair.

This violet glass inclusion ring is part of the new collection launched by Cumbria Life Casting (Image: Cumbria Life Casting)

Victoria Rudkin, owner of the 'niche' local business has shared her excitement after the launch of their new range, alongside opening up about the struggles the business has faced during the pandemic.

She said: "I am massively proud of the jewellery.

"I wanted it to sparkle and look as beautiful as possible."

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The business, which now specialises in the memorial jewellery, started seven years ago and initially focused on life casting of the feet and hands of babies.

It was based in Carlisle before moving to its current base in Silloth.

However, due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the business was forced to reshuffle with a new focus on online sales and what Victoria describes as a 'boom in interest' in inclusion jewellery.

All the jewellery featured in this new collection, including this sarah glass pendant, are hand cut and cast at the Cumbria Life Casting's Silloth studio (Image: Cumbria Life Casting)

She said: "Over the past few years, memorial inclusion jewellery has grown massively."

Despite the current success of the business, Victoria did admit that the initial responses to the jewellery was mixed.

She said: "When we first started selling the jewellery we got a lot of positive and negative reaction."

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Victoria also even conceded that this type of jewellery does not appeal to every customer.

She said: "It is not everyone's cup of tea."

However, she believes that the thought and care put into the manufacture of the products - coupled with what they symbolise - makes them stand out and appeal to those who have lost loved ones.

These pieces in Cumbria Life Casting's new glass collection can be customised to include ashes or breast milk and an engraving (Image: Cumbria Life Casting)

She said: "These things in the glass mean a lot to people.

"People look at what we do and think that it is a beautiful way to keep someone with you.

"It also offers comfort to people.

"When we first started my idea was to make our pieces the most beautiful and as wearable as possible."