Flying the Flag in Hollinfare Cemetery

The Friends of Hollinfare Cemetery were proud to be able to hoist the Green Flag for a fourth year running.

Nineteen volunteers downed tools at the cemetery on their August action day to celebrate what they had achieved together.

The Green Flag Community Award is a national award that recognises high quality parks and green spaces in the UK that are freely accessible and managed by voluntary and community groups. The Green Flag Award has to be applied for annually and is awarded to each site based on its own merits and suitability to the community it serves.

The Friends, working in partnership with Warrington Borough Council Bereavement Services, aim to improve the look and feel of the cemetery. Mandy Eccles, Chair of the Friends group said: “I am so proud to be part of such a friendly and pro-active group of people. I am inspired by the enthusiasm, energy and kindness of the volunteers and their commitment to improving the cemetery. Over the past 5 years, since the Friends group first started in October 2010 we have gathered the interest of more than 50 people willing to give their time, skills and support. Each monthly action day the cemetery is alive with volunteers digging, weeding, pruning, planting or brushing up, whatever the weather! The Friends group provide the tools and guidance on how to help and the volunteers provide the support and friendliness that makes the monthly action days so much fun.”

The cemetery is regularly visited by relatives and friends, not just locally but from far and wide. More recently the Friends have chatted to visitors from the Lake District and Dorset. The positive feedback the Friends receive from visitors, on the work being done in the cemetery, is both heart-warming and encouraging.

For those relatives who are unable to visit their loved ones, the Friends offer a Grave Tending Scheme. To find out more about this please contact Sheila Breese on 0161 775 5640.

Action Days are held monthly from February to December from 10am – 1pm. All tools, equipment and gloves are provided, simply turn up, all volunteers are made most welcome. If you would like to find out more about volunteering please contact the Friends’ secretary Pete Higson on 0161 775 2802 or [email protected]

Posted on: 8th November 2016