A RALLYING call has gone out to residents to join forces on Saturday and clean up Droitwich’s historic St Mary’s Churchyard.
An open morning working party will take place between 9.30am and 11.30am where volunteers are being sought to help remove weeds, unblock guttering and generally tidy up the outside of the buildings.
Over the last two years a considerable amount of work has gone into returning the churchyard to a good condition but there are still a number of clearance jobs which need to be done before the arrival of winter.
The churchyard on Worcester Road, behind the Castle pub, has a rich history which has been the subject of a book by local historian and photographer Paul Jones which details the area’s 1,000 year past and the people buried in the churchyard.
There are 21 biographies of people interred there, including Edgar Francis Talbot who tragically died during the First World War and, last year, a Standard-backed campaign was launched to get the grave restored to its former glory.
At the open morning tomorrow Paul will also be there to talk about his book and sign copies.
Team Rector, Rev Nigel Byard, said: “This working party is an important part of the work that keeps St Mary’s in good condition and we are very grateful for the support from the community in maintaining this very special place.”
Parish warden Richard Rose added: “Last year’s big clean up was a great success and we all really enjoyed ourselves.
“St Mary’s Open Morning will be a good opportunity to visit a peaceful place for those visiting departed loved ones and help maintain its beauty.”
Tomorrow there will be a range of all types of jobs to suit all tastes ages and abilities.
Volunteers should wear suitable clothing and bring tools (clippers, shears etc) with them.
The Castle pub is closed for refurbishment but its car park will be available for participants to park in.
Anyone wanting more information should call Rev Nigel Byard 01905 778265 for more.
