We’re delighted to announce that Rainbow Bridge Pet Funerals has been named the winner of the Best Customer Service award at the Bolton Business Awards 2026.

The winners were announced at the Bolton Business Awards ceremony at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Thursday 17 September, bringing together businesses and organisations from across Bolton to celebrate their achievements.

For us, being recognised specifically for Best Customer Service means an enormous amount.

Putting families at the heart of what we do

Rainbow Bridge was created following our own experiences of saying goodbye to much-loved pets. We believed there was an opportunity to provide families with a more personal, compassionate and transparent approach to pet aftercare.

Since opening our doors in Bolton, that principle has remained at the heart of everything we do.

The families who contact us are often experiencing one of the most difficult days of their lives. We believe good customer service in those circumstances goes far beyond simply providing a service.

It means being available when someone needs help. It means listening rather than rushing. It means explaining choices clearly, being transparent about costs and giving families the time they need to make decisions.

Most importantly, it means treating every pet entrusted to our care with the same dignity and respect we would expect for our own.

From a new Bolton business to an award winner

Rainbow Bridge Pet Funerals is an independent, family-run pet crematorium based in Bolton and run by husband and wife, Michelle and James Bancroft.

When we opened Rainbow Bridge, our aim was simple: to provide the kind of care and service we wished we had experienced ourselves.

Just over a year later, being recognised amongst businesses from across Bolton and named Best Customer Service Winner 2026 is something we are incredibly proud of.

The award is also a reflection of the standards we have worked hard to establish across Rainbow Bridge – from the first telephone call and the care of each pet through to returning their ashes home and the support available to families afterwards.

We’re extremely grateful to every family who has chosen Rainbow Bridge, recommended us to somebody else or taken the time to leave a review. The trust families place in us is something we never take for granted.

More recognition for Rainbow Bridge

The Bolton Business Awards are separate from the Pet Industry Business Awards (PIBA), where Rainbow Bridge is also currently a finalist.

Following more than 16,000 nominations from across Greater Manchester, we have been shortlisted in two PIBA categories:

• Business of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare.

Voting for those awards is still open, so there is hopefully a little more to celebrate yet.

For now, though, we’re incredibly proud to bring home the Bolton Business Awards 2026 Best Customer Service award to Rainbow Bridge.

Thank you to everyone who has supported our independent family business since we opened our doors.