A.W. Lymn chairman awarded MBE in New Year Honours

Nottingham-based funeral provider A.W. Lymn has revealed that its chairman Nigel Lymn Rose has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year 2026 Honours list for services to the bereaved. 

Lymn Rose has spent more than 50 years working in the funeral profession across Nottinghamshire and South Derbyshire. He is the fourth generation of his family to lead the business, which was founded in 1907.

He has also been credited with playing a prominent role in the sector nationally, including serving as president of the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) during its centenary year in 2005. He received the Good Funeral Awards lifetime achievement award in 2015 and was made an honorary member of the NAFD in 2019, an honour held by a small number of individuals in the association’s history.

Lymn Rose joined the family firm in 1979 after studying management science at the University of Warwick and training as a chartered accountant. He qualified as an embalmer at the age of 17 while still at school and obtained his diploma in funeral directing in 1973.

Under his leadership, A.W. Lymn expanded to 25 branches across Nottinghamshire and South Derbyshire. In 2007 the company established the A.W. Lymn Centenary Foundation, which supports local charities and community causes. The business has also used Gift Aid arrangements to channel funds to charities, including almost £400k to Nottingham University Hospitals Charity since 2018.

Lymn Rose has been closely involved in policy and regulation affecting the sector. He gave evidence to parliamentary select committees, contributed to reforms of death and cremation certification, and was a witness to the Shipman Inquiry in 2002. He also helped establish the All-Party Parliamentary Funeral and Bereavement Group and served on advisory groups linked to the Ministry of Justice.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he continued to work with families while helping the business comply with safety requirements and contribute to national public health efforts, including participation in a pilot scheme led by Public Health England to assess Covid-19 deaths in the community.

Lymn Rose said: “It was the most wonderful surprise to receive the letter and for a good while I simply could not believe it. My first thought was ‘why me?’ followed by how grateful I am and have been throughout my entire career for the support of my wonderful wife Penny.

“It really is the accolade of a lifetime and one which I feel I am in receipt of on behalf of all of the dedicated, selfless and caring colleagues I’ve worked alongside at A.W. Lymn over the years.”