Our beautiful churchyard, graveyard and the Garden of Rest where ashes are interred are much-loved green spaces for the whole village community, and places of comfort and reflection for those grieving loved ones. They are also a haven for wildlife, insects and wild flowers.

As such, we are committed to the ongoing upkeep of these areas, making sure they look their best all year round. We have a dedicated team of churchyard volunteers who spend many hours each month mowing, clearing, weeding and planting. We also work with people from the Community Payback Scheme who visit weekly to assist with all areas of maintenance.

Looking After the Garden of Rest

In order to keep this particular area tidy and under control, it is important that we all keep to the regulations which are provided to  families when ashes are interred.

These are in line with churchyards across the country, and are designed to allow for mowing and maintenance, to protect wildlife and for the safety of our visitors.

Permitted:

• Natural flowers (not in any packaging please) may be laid on the lawn
• Plaques no larger than 8″ x 6″ / 20cm x 15cm – only in the Rose Beds

Not Permitted:

• Artificial Flowers
• Vases or flower tubes
• Plant Pots
• Any other form of memorial

Please note that flowers may need to be moved whilst we’re mowing. If they are still reasonably fresh, they will be replaced as near as possible to where they were taken from.

If you have placed any items in the Garden of Rest which are not permitted, we would be most grateful if you could arrange for these to be removed by the beginning of March. If that won’t be possible for any reason, do let us know and we’ll do our best to help out.

After this time we will begin the process of removing items that are not permitted, so that we can restore the lawn to a fine condition for all to appreciate.

How can I get involved in helping out in the churchyard?

Our churchyard team are always grateful to hear from new volunteers. They meet every four to six weeks on a rota basis, usually on Saturday mornings, but can also allocate jobs to be undertaken in your own time.

Please get in touch with David Swift to find out more or to volunteer.