We’ve now had over a year of CSC working party sessions – and not only can we see the results of the work (as given on these news pages) but we can also appreciate how these results have come about.
Members of the Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries project regularly put together reports on what they’ve been up to during their Thursday mornings – and so here are a few excerpts from these reports, capturing a sense of what they do.
This also provides a good overview of their work.
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3rd April 2025 – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
What is nice is that it feels like Spring has arrived. As well as the Blackthorn blossom we have been cheered by the site of Lesser Celandine and Primrose. Last week we found an adult slow worm and later a young one waiting to warm up in the sun. Also encountered have been Peacock and Speckled Wood Butterflies, Oil beetles and a Bumblebee Bee nest. It is also good to hear all the birds calling and singing. It’s not unusual to hear a dozen different species. Hopefully as the season moves on even more people will start to view the cemetery as a place to be valued.
It looks as though sometime before we started CSC, someone left a small wood pile in the wilder area for the benefit of wildlife. Unfortunately someone has seen fit to dump their garden waste (with a few additions) on the edge of this pile. Amongst the garden waste was bonfire ash, screws, electric plug, ceiling light pull cord, curtain hooks, raw-plugs etc. We will now look at relocating any wildlife friendly wood pile to a less obvious site where it hopefully won’t be added to again.
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16th January 2025 – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
A fabulously rich array of photos have been taken by Kevin Walker, Tess Bisson and Amanda and Tim O’Carroll, regular volunteer members of the CSC working party:
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7th November 2024 – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
Sending pictures of these two graves near the chapel as I found an interesting article written in the Sidmouth Herald in 2016:
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24th October 2024 – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
We discovered this very unusual grave this morning for Grace Hastings and her husband. William Hardinge Hastings. I have done a bit of research and he was R.W. Sampson’s friend and it was William who encouraged Sampson to stay in Sidmouth. Major Hastings was the Estate Manager for the Balfours of Sidmouth Manor.
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26th September 2024 – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
The CSC working party has put in a request for changes to the current 2023 Public Space Protection Orders by 30th September, to be included in the full public consultation process happening in the spring: Controlling dogs at Sidmouth Cemetery – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
It is not very pleasant for the CSC working party to be confronted with dog mess when they are carrying out clearing at Sidmouth Cemetery. But as part of their work at the site and as a contribution to their submission to the PSPO process, volunteers have forwarded photographs, including this of their own notice, put up with permission from the council:
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27th June 2024 – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
“Louise (council’s Parks and Gardens) bringing a van full of pollinator friendly plants supplied by EDDC, plus Mick about to plant one of them!”
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Tuesday extra 28th May – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
Working on access to the cemetery.
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25th April – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
Further into the Cemetery there are more interesting things to look at as the blossom starts getting into its stride. Shame about the grey clouds.
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18th April – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
A lovely sunny day today and as well as getting work done we had a visit from Councillor Ian Barlow, who presented some Hi-Viz vests which the VGS had designed and arranged for but had been funded by Sidmouth Town Council.
We are very grateful for this financial support from STC and hope that the Hi-Viz vests will not only keep the volunteers safe while working but also help them to be identified by members of the public who pass by while they are working.
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22nd Feb – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
A very wet morning but 5 volunteers turned out and were joined by the EDDC Horticultural Officer Paul Fealey.
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15th to 21st Feb working parties – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
This volunteer is truly a raking machine! It was interesting to hear how many of his family members are at rest in the cemetery.
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25th Jan 2024 1st Working Party – Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries
Our wonderful volunteers got stuck in this morning and here are the pictures to prove it.
Even the EDDC Horticultural Technical Officer Paul Fealey was impressed. Was it their rake work or the fact that they brought their own rakes which impressed him though?
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