Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries

Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries Group, 7.30pm, 11th July, the old Chapel inside the cemetery.

A number of local residents have contacted me recently about Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries. Some were keen to see the cemeteries' carefully managed as a nature reserve, while others were concerned that their loved ones' graves had been allowed to become overgrown. Clearly there is a need to find a balance between the views and expectations of all visitors to the cemetery; to keep tidy the more recent graves but also to protect as a wildlife and nature area some of the older parts of the cemetery and in particular the woodland burial area. There are also some concerns about the state of the footpaths.

Anyway, having talked with local residents, the cemetery management and people from Friends of Nunhead Cemetery, I have organised a meeting at 7.30pm on Wednesday 11th July in the old chapel of the cemetery for anyone interested in setting up a 'Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries'. Come along and discuss what you would like the group to do, raise any concerns you have about the way the cemeteries are maintained, suggest future projects the group could get involved in etc. A number of people have said that they feel the cemeteries are an under-appreciated local gem, and I think it would be great if we could get a group going to champion their protection and improvement, in a similar way to how Ladywell Fields and Hilly Fields park users groups work. I'm publicising the first meeting, but I'm very much hoping that local residents will take things forward from there. Representatives from the cemetery management team will be there and hopefully someone from Friends of Nunhead Cemetery.