The Churchyard Annex is a significant village asset. The aim of this campaign is to make people in the village more aware of the cemetery as a green space in which to sit or walk and experience its tranquillity & loveliness.
In the last twelve months we have made significant progress in clearing and tidying up the Churchyard. However, we now urgently need to remove and replace dying yew trees in the main avenue as soon as practically possible.
We have also been working with the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (WWT) to consider ways in which we can rewild the Graveyard Annex. They have recently produced detailed reports giving specific proposals about how we could do this, which can be seen by clicking the links below:
Biological Enhancement Assessment Report/Proposal
Biological Enhancement Assessment Supporting Appendices
These proposals will of course cost money to implement, with WWT willing to cover up to 70% of any expenditure. We now need to raise the necessary funds to begin this work
We are urgently seeking MORE VOLUNTEERS to help: not only with the twice annual large clearings, but in between times whenever they are free; perhaps to ADOPT an old, NEGLECTED GRAVE, whose family members are no longer with us and keep it tidy; perhaps to help with RAISING the funds needed for the upkeep; perhaps with horticultural or ecological experience to ADVISE and HELP on planting areas, birdbox locations and the like; or perhaps take on specific care of the area round our WAR GRAVE.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Join the Cemetery Volunteer Working Group (email to jfhadup@aol.com)
Help with fundraising for this project
Sponsor or donate towards tree replacement and cemetery improvements by clicking here:
If you are a taxpayer and wish to complete a GIFT AID form, these are on the counter at the entrance to the church, which is open from 10 am to 4 pm daily. Completed forms should be in a sealed envelope marked “For the PCC Treasurer” and may be left in the church.
Any CASH donations may be handed to Richard Clements, Pearl Winchester, Hazel Wakefield, Heather du Plessis
Renovation & Rewilding Campaign
Can You Help?
We're Making Great Progress!
After many years of obscurity, the Yew Tree lined pathway has been cleared. We now need funds to enable a new gravel to be laid!
The team in action clearing the Graveyard over a two day period during very hot weather in August.
After much hard work the picture shows the large area on north side of the graveyard that has been cleared ready for the planting of Wildflower Meadow plugs and cowslips in September!
A Major Plug For The Graveyard - Wildflower Planting!
On Saturday 20th September 2025, a team of volunteers embarked on the planting several hundred wildflower "plugs" in the open area of the graveyard together with cowslips in other areas.
This is the first phase of our plans to rewild the cemetery, following the approval of our grant from the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. It will take a little while for full flowering, but by the second year we should have many more cowslips in spring and a wonderful array of bee and bird friendly summer blooms.
The next phase of the rewilding project will be the planting of 400 mixed hedging whips along the northern boundary on the 22nd November 2025.
Please do join us to help if you can!
