We are absolutely delighted to announce that Hyde Park Cemetery has been awarded a Silver Medal in the Yorkshire In Bloom 2017 competition. Although the Friends were initially sceptical about the chances of success, when we realised that community involvement plays a large part in the scoring of entries, we decided to have a go. Through the efforts of Doncaster Council’s grounds maintenance team supplemented by the wonderful input from our own volunteers, we were able to achieve this prestigious Silver award. We thank everyone who contributed. It is a wonderful acknowledgement of the efforts of many people, especially when placed in the context of the extremely poor state of the cemetery just a few short years ago.
The Yorkshire In Bloom judges, who visited the cemetery in mid-July, recorded the following citation alongside our award.
“Due to its age, this Victorian era cemetery retains a unique charm and value in the area. It is clear the group are extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the site and this shines through in their work. As this is a very long-term project with regards to restoration the group are sensibly doing small projects at a time. It was good to see and hear about the engagement with the National Citizens Service, and the Tree Trail is a nice touch, plus there is useful interpretation for wildlife. It was also encouraging to see efforts in place to create a wildflower meadow.”
We can now use this award as a springboard for achieving even greater things. If you have sometimes thought about volunteering at our monthly Working Mornings but have never got around to actually doing so, perhaps now is the time to start taking part and let us see what more we can achieve? Find details on our Events page.