Deplorable state of church graveyard

I PAID a visit to the small memorial park next to the main cemetery at St Budeaux Church. Whilst the memorial park was reasonably well maintained, the main cemetery area is an absolute disgrace (see attached photo taken on October 28).

It is overgrown, neglected and close to being abandoned by the adjacent church, despite the fact that in some cases, relatives of the deceased, are still trying to leave fresh flowers on the relevant grave, and I saw a couple of older people walking through the undergrowth that now epitomises this dreadful living monument to the dead.

I spoke to one of the gentlemen who advised me that previously the church had been dependant on a volunteer, who sadly was no longer available. What a reflection of our times, that the church which, presumably has been paid for cemetery maintenance in the funeral fees, has resorted to an ad hoc arrangement relying on a volunteer. The scale of neglect is of such an order, that in my view, it would take a team of skilled gardeners, with heavy duty grass cutting and skimming equipment a week to bring a semblance of order to this cemetery.

The deceased citizens of Plymouth deserve to know that their last resting place will be respected and valued, and where they exist, maintained with the input from family and friends, but core site maintenance of the type needed at St Budeaux is beyond that.

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Heaven forbid that St Budeaux church appeal direct to the Church Commissioners who have millions of pounds in investment. However, if the St Budeaux Church vicar and management group, or committee, have run out of ideas or energy, might I suggest they contact the Probation Service. In The Herald, one reads of convicted offenders who have avoided prison by undertaking hundreds of hours of Community Service Orders.

This is a static site, relatively easily supervised and with the Probation Service able to access the appropriate type of gardening equipment or if that is too difficult, appealing to local hire companies to help. This insult to the deceased and in some cases their living dependants, could be quickly resolved.

ALAN GRANT

via email