Important Church Yard Notice!

Post date: Sep 7, 2014 7:21:57 AM

Dear Friends,

The Chancellor of the Diocese has issued updated regulations regarding the care and maintenance of churchyards. In accordance with these regulations artificial silk or plastic flowers, glass containers and/or other ornaments of any kind are not permitted on graves. We would therefore respectfully ask that these are removed from the grave of your loved one as soon as possible and at the latest by Advent Sunday 30th November 2014. After this date our churchyard teams have been asked to remove any remaining artificial flowers, ornaments or glass containers from graves.

Planters and flower pots may only be placed on graves with the written permission of the PCC and once placed must be maintained on a regular basis. Floral tributes must be removed once the flowers have faded and it is particularly asked that plastic holders, oases and wording be removed as soon as possible.

Please be aware that it is not permitted to plant flowers, shrubs, or other bushes around a grave as these may encroach on an adjacent grave space. Planting on the grave itself is also not permitted, however we are aware that this has not been made clear in the past and so it has been decided not to enforce this for existing plantings. Nevertheless we ask that any existing plantings on a grave be well maintained and please be aware that if it is necessary to re-open a grave for a future interment then any such plantings will be removed and will not be replaced.

We would also ask that any Christmas wreaths placed on graves over the Christmas period be removed not later than the 2nd February; any wreaths remaining after this time will be removed by the maintenance team.

Finally, we would respectfully remind you that new memorials and/or alterations to an existing memorial or grave may only be undertaken with the approval and permission of the Vicar. For further guidance on graveyard regulations please contact the Vicar on 01254 812154 / williams.ammasue@gmail.com or the Blackburn Diocesan web site www.blackburn.anglican.org

The Vicar and Churchwardens of the United Benefice of Balderstone, Mellor and Samlesbury