26 January 2010
A small group of active Friends of Pateley Bridge Cemetery and St Mary's Churchyard are celebrating their sixth birthday and the near total restoration of the cemetery on Panorama Walk.
The Friends' Group was established in 2004 as local councillor Stan Beer sought to offer support to Harrogate Borough Council which faced a mammoth undertaking to restore over 230 memorials that had had to be laid flat due to concerns over their safety.
Some of the memorials in St Mary's Churchyard are over 300 years old with families also long gone.
As well as offering grants to family members to restore newer memorials, Harrogate Council has worked with the Probation Service to restore 140 memorials where owners could not be traced.
The remainder have been restored by donations, grants and fundraising carried out by the Friends' Group.
Following another generous donation, work is underway to restore a further 20 memorials in the cemetery that will leave just the most complicated memorials, which are particularly difficult and costly to restore, to be tackled.
Of the council's historic cemeteries, Pateley Bridge has the highest footfall of visitors. Those who visit loved ones' memorials can enjoy what must be one of the most beautiful views in the district.
The cemetery is also popular with walkers and with those interested in genealogy.
Chair of the Friends Group, John Hone, said:
"We knew that the borough council had long term plans in place to restore the cemetery but we felt locally that we needed to help speed up that process.
"We have enjoyed a very good relationship with the council, with contractor MemSafe and with the probationers who have been working with the council to help restore cemeteries across the district.
"I want to offer my thanks to everyone involved.
The Friends have fundraised with such things as coffee mornings, sponsored walks and book sales and by applying for grants not open to the council.
We have also benefited from a number of generous benefactors."
Secretary of the Friends' Group, Dr Joanna Moody, added:
"Not only have memorials been restored in both the cemetery and churchyard, including the listed Octagonal memorial, the Friends' Group has also repaired railings around the Harker tomb and restored four ancient chest tombs in the churchyard.
"St Mary's Churchyard is cherished by locals.
I am happy to record that it is now a wildlife haven and part of the Town Heritage Trail."
Philip Andrew, Harrogate Council's Bereavement Services Manager, adds his thanks to the Friends' Group.
"They have done a sterling job not just fundraising but actually getting down to some hard hands' on work as well.
They have also published books and information leaflets and set up a dedicated website.
I was especially pleased when the Group was nominated for a volunteering Oscar in 2008.
"This partnership with the Friends' Group and the Probation Service is held up nationally as an exemplar and we are often sought out for help and advice from other areas in the country facing similar problems with aged memorials."
ENDS
Media contact: Lynne Mee, Communications and Media Manager, 01423 556022 email lynne.mee@harrogate.gov.uk or mobile 07525 987921 or 07884 226409