Enigma Communications creates national publicity snowball for gravedigger firm

Enigma Communications’ story on a client who won the unusual title of the UK’s Gravedigger of the Year was picked up by the national press and television after being published in the Sunday Express.

David Homer turned to us to help him publicise his triumph in the annual Good Funeral Awards and was rewarded with more coverage in a string of nationals, including The Sun, Daily Mail and Express.

The publicity snowball turned into an avalanche when he received further invitations to appear on The One Show and his local radio station. The BBC and Metro also ran the story, along with several regional newspapers covering Measham in Leicestershire, where his business, DTH Burial and Churchyard Services, is based.

David had The One Show hosts Alex Jones and Matt Baker in stitches after joking to the millions of viewers watching that his mother, who was with him, also helped him dig graves.

BBC Radio Leicester’s Helen McCarthy literally gave him a hand, digging her first grave when she joined the ex-miner to report on the story.

David set up his grave digging business in 2007 and has become the contractor of choice for many funeral directors in the Midlands. Digging by hand, he completes around 300 graves a year and 150 plots for cremated remains with his small team.

His motto is: ‘it’s not just a hole in the ground, it’s someone’s final resting place’ and he takes huge pride in his job, putting flowers in the corners. He even buys house curtains which he drapes down the sides and sprinkles sawdust at the bottom.

David said: “I can’t put a price on the publicity I achieved, thanks to the support of Enigma Communications.  The story was also shared online. So I certainly got value for my money and the coverage gave my business a huge fillip.”

He received his award from former GMTV presenter Penny Smith at a glittering ceremony in London in September 2016.