Rectory Lane Cemetery to Mark Earth Day 2023 with Volunteers Activity Afternoon

Living Magazines Wildflowers at Rectory Lane Cemetery

The Rectory Lane Cemetery team in Berkhamsted invite the local community to join them on Earth Day 2023 for an afternoon showcasing the work of volunteers who are looking after the three-acre green space on their doorstep, and the opportunities available to those who are interested in becoming a cemetery volunteer for the first time.

On Saturday 22 April, you can explore the site, chat with volunteers and even assist with some practical tasks if you come prepared! You will be able to learn about current projects and how you can offer your time to help nature to thrive in the cemetery.

Perhaps you would like to join the volunteers developing the cemetery’s pond habitat and urban wildflower meadow.

Or you might like to ‘adopt a grave’. More than 60 volunteers currently look after some of the cemetery’s long-forgotten memorials, ensuring that they are beautifully planted for bees and other pollinators. However, there are still many memorials yet to be gardened.

‘We are delighted to be celebrating Earth Day 2023,’ explains Ranger Kate Campbell, ‘by demonstrating what volunteers have done and can still do to make this little corner of the earth sustainable and a place for biodiversity. We do desperately need more volunteers to continue making the Cemetery a welcoming home for local wildlife. If you can spare just a little bit of your time on our pond, wildflower meadow or grave garden projects, it can make a profound difference.’

‘We welcome anyone to get involved,’ adds Project Manager Dr James Moir. ‘Join our weekly work party and enjoy making friends outdoors. Come as a family, as a school or business, on a one-off or on a regular basis. You can work as a team or alone, using gardening for your mental and physical health.’

The Rectory Lane Cemetery Volunteers Activity Afternoon is free to attend on a drop-in basis from 12-3pm on Saturday 22 April 2023. No booking required, but if you plan to attend please email: team@rectorylanecemetery.org.uk.