Adopt-a-Grave – Promoting community engagement through our ‘Adopt-a-Grave’ scheme members of the public are encouraged to care for a chosen grave, which is marked with their name and we ask them to plant pollinator-friendly flowers.
Would you like to adopt a grave? We have 14 War Graves, few of which are cared for by relatives, there are over 4,000 graves in the churchyard many having no one to care for them. Derrick Murdie, our Burials Archivist, suggests that families, often abroad, worry about the state of their graves and will be so grateful. Some will have fascinating stories as you will find when you read Ann Nosowska’s wonderful potted histories about the churchyard.
All Souls Day is a national holiday in Europe when all are expected to tend family graves but not in the UK. Here in Bowdon, we would like to begin an annual tradition of caring for our family graves or even an adopted grave in the St Mary’s Churchyard on All Souls Sunday.
Our first All Souls Sunday Clean Up was held in November 2020. Over 30 volunteers turned up with tools and compost bags to remove weeds etc. The Friends of Bowdon Churchyard Team was on hand to help, advise and for adoptees, provide markers for their chosen graves.
We have assembled a gallery of images from our first All Souls Sunday Clean Up – see below.
As part of the day, candles were lit in memory of loved ones and visitors sat in the peace of St Mary’s with their memories. It was a special end to a special day with many from the Bowdon Community able to take part.
If you would like to find out how you can help please contact: sredford@friendsofbowdonchurchyard.org.uk to ‘Adopt a Grave’
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