We have been blessed for many years that the general ongoing maintenance of the churchyard has been undertaken by members of the congregation, particularly Henry Day and Chris Baldwin in the more recent past, who have given very freely of time and effort in keeping nature at bay. However, it has reached a stage where it has become increasingly difficult to rely on a small and decreasing band of volunteers as they become less able to give their time and, inevitably, less physically able to cope with the demands of the uneven ground, the obstructions to straight lines and the extensive area.
Madingley PCC felt it was time to engage a contractor to cut the grass on a regular basis and you will have seen the fruits of their endeavours over the last few months. No doubt other issues will arise in the churchyard where we will have to engage outside help.
To fund this activity the PCC agreed to ring-fence monies solely for upkeep and maintenance of the churchyard, within the overall church accounts, and decided that, initially, this would be set up using the generous donations received in memory of our former church warden Alan Clarke and a portion of the significant bequest received from the estate of Michael Jones – both of whom loved and cared for the church and its setting. This fund is now identified as the Clarke-Jones Churchyard Fund and has been subsequently added to by a donation from a member of the congregation, for which we are very grateful.
If you feel able and wish to contribute to the Clarke-Jones Fund then this can be done in the usual manner but should be accompanied by a note to the Church Treasurer, David Fisher,(treasurer@madingleychurch.org) that the donation is for this fund so that he can make the appropriate entry into the accounting records.
