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Opportunities to Help Saint Barnabas Church
 We
are asking for your help, both financial and
practical, in the upkeep of the graveyard at St
Barnabas. At the present time the working party
comprises Tony Heaven and Antony Bidder, Ian our
Vicar, when he’s available, plus a few willing
volunteers and conscripts who give their time as
and when they can.
As
you’ll appreciate, the graveyard is a big area
to maintain and it’s become increasingly
difficult to do everything that’s required with
so few volunteers and limited resources. St
Barnabas receives no funding from the
local authority towards the upkeep of the
graveyard (which surprises some people), yet we
have to comply by law to all health and safety
regulations relating to public spaces. Just to
give you an example:
This last year we have had to carry out
major work on the perimeter hedges and tree,
for which contractors were bought in at a
cost of almost £2000.
And
as for the coming year: the gardens of
remembrance will need to be cleaned, weeded and
the lawns cut; borders need to be re-planted and
shrubs cut back; the pathways between graves are
to be dug out and resurfaced, making access to
graves easier and safer; and new gardening
equipment is to be purchased.
The
safety and upkeep of the graves and memorials
themselves will always be the sole
responsibility of individual families and future
descendants. The only exception to this is if
there are no longer any surviving relatives to
tend the graves – and the church has to step in
to maintain them.
All
these things come at a price – both physical and
financial!
That’s where we’d like you to come in.
If
you are able to help and would like to
join a cheerful band of workers, please be kind
enough to telephone 01792 874349 and speak to
Antony Bidder who will advise you of dates,
times, jobs to be done. etc.
If
you’d prefer to make a financial contribution
then may we suggest you use the Gift Aid scheme
marking your donation ‘GRAVEYARD ACCOUNT’.
Please help us as we seek to maintain our church
for future generations.
And to
use a well-known supermarket phrase…
EVERY LITTLE HELPS…
With
our thanks and best wishes
St Barnabas PCC |
