Introducing: Plant of the month!

From the FRIENDS OF THE NEWTOWN ROAD CEMETERY

We are delighted to announce a collaboration with the Friends of Newtown Rd Cemetery. Joan Stacey is an active and much valued member of Lockdown Woods as well as the Cemetery group. She generously shares her knowledge about wild plants with both groups, and produces a monthly letter about a plant which is starring during that time. The Friends of Newtown Rd Cemetery have kindly allowed us to put this on our website, so that it can be enjoyed by a wider audience.

Here is some information about the activities of the Friends of Newtown Rd Cemetery.

The Friends were set up in association with Newbury Town Council to help restore the cemetery to its former glory after it was closed in 2000 on health and safety grounds. In the subsequent years, the Friends have undertaken many fascinating tasks.

Our Nature Group has monthly walks taking in and recording the intriguing seasonal changes which occur. Each month they circulate an informative “Plant of the Month” article to all members.

We are also undertaking a full memorial recording programme to ensure that the information on all the memorials is preserved on the website where everyone can access it - see: www.fnrcnewbury.org.uk

Our History Research Group is actively searching through old documents to try and find out as much as possible about every single person buried there. The Group often gives cemetery tours and create monologues and plays about our “residents”. They also prepare a revealing “Grave of the Month” circular for all members.

If you wish to join the friends or have any information about people buried here, then we would be delighted to hear from you on committee@fnrcnewbury.org.uk

We are always looking for further assistance in research, public relations and recording the graves. If you feel able to help or just want to know more, please contact the committee, as above.

Should you wish to visit this tranquil haven, it is open daily (except Christmas Day) between 10am and 3pm. It is at the bottom end of Newtown Rd, just up from the St John’s roundabout.