Cherishing our churchyards this week
Celebrations are taking place in churchyards across the country for National Cherishing Churchyard Week which runs until June 12. Is your church involved?
A rich diversity of plant and animal life can be discovered in burial sites and they often contain distinctive and veteran trees such as Yew trees, the oldest living things in Britain. The stonework of the memorials and boundary walls provides a home for a mosaic of mosses, ferns and lichens. Burial sites are also important places for archaeology and history, providing an accessible resource for community learning. Most important of all – they provide a tranquil place for remembrance and quiet reflection.
It’s not too late to celebrate; go to Caring for God’s Acre’s website where there is a wealth of information to support Cherishing Churchyards Week including suggestions for children’s activities, how to attract volunteers and health and safety.
“There’s no better way of involving people, young and old, than through events with a difference such as those you can put on during this special week,” said Andrea Gilpin, Cherishing Churchyards Week Coordinator
Cherishing Churchyards Week is supported by CfGA’s Heritage Lottery (HLF) funded National Project, which is working its way across England and Wales running conferences and training events in fifteen different regions.
For further information on Cherishing Churchyards Week or the work of the charity, Caring for God’s Acre, visit the website on the link below or if you are taking part in the week, do send us photos of your events on the email below.
