10,000 steps a day…no problem for Fred!
Fred Humphreys, a regular volunteer for Hollinfare Cemetery, travels from Culcheth to Hollins Green to support the work of the Friends group by keeping the grass neat and tidy. At 83 Fred, the oldest volunteer in the group, welcomes the opportunity to take some regular exercise, whilst at the same time doing something useful and going home with a sense of achievement, having left the cemetery looking better than he found it.
When the Friends lawn mower gave up the ghost in November 2016, Fred thought his regular exercise had come to an end. Luckily, thanks to a grant awarded by Warrington Borough Council’s Local Area Fund, Fred is now back up and running again. Fred is thrilled with his new mower: “It’s a real beauty, works like a dream, and I’m really chuffed to be able to continue to help.”
WBC Bereavement Services welcome Fred’s input to the cemetery stating: “Fred does a fantastic job within the cemetery and his hard work is invaluable. Since the formation of the Friends Group the cemetery has gone from strength to strength. It is through the hard work of Fred and the rest of the group, whilst working in partnership with Bereavement Services, that the cemetery has achieved The Green Flag Award for 2016/2017. This would not have been possible without the dedication of Fred and the rest of the Friends Group.”
Recently further memorial improvements have been carried out by WBC Bereavement Services and funded by the Friends Group. Volunteers grass seeded the area in front of the headstones creating another green swathe for Fred and his mower to tend.
This is just one of several projects undertaken by the Friends group and volunteers in their aim to ‘improve the look and feel of Hollinfare Cemetery’, transforming it from a dark overgrown area to a much greener, colourful public space. Visitors to the cemetery comment on the vast improvements that have been made, many visiting more often and staying for longer periods now it is a pleasanter place to visit.
If you are interested in doing some outdoor volunteering then the Friends of Hollinfare Cemetery would love to hear from you. Contact either Pete Higson on 0161 775 2802 or email [email protected] or Mandy Eccles on 07767 075211.
To read more about the Friends activities and to view images of the cemetery click on the link below.
https://rixtonwithglazebrook.net/locations/friends-hollinfare-cemetery-2/
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Posted on: 30th June 2017