News
Cemeteries fit for the 21st Century
17 March 2011
City of London Cemetery, Aldersbrook Road, Manor Park, London, E12 5DQ
London's Victorian cemeteries were designed not only for burial but education and recreation. Many are now reaching, or have indeed already reached, capacity. With decreasing income from burial fees, coupled with reduction in traditional management, London's great cemeteries are in danger of losing their historic character, and increasingly people are having to find burial space outside their locality.
Historic cemeteries in London are already in the situation which the rest of the country will be facing. A 2006 Ministry of Justice survey showed that the rest of the country faces the same challenges. There is only 30 years of burial land now left.
How should historic cemeteries be managed for the future? How can we ensure they continue to fulfill their original function of burial, recreation and education, and play their part in mitigating climate change as an important part of the All-London Green Grid and the capital's green infrastructure?
This seminar will explore the themes of: re-use for burials, funding, tackling repairs, and cemetery conservation management plans, with the following objectives:
17 March 2011
City of London Cemetery, Aldersbrook Road, Manor Park, London, E12 5DQ
London's Victorian cemeteries were designed not only for burial but education and recreation. Many are now reaching, or have indeed already reached, capacity. With decreasing income from burial fees, coupled with reduction in traditional management, London's great cemeteries are in danger of losing their historic character, and increasingly people are having to find burial space outside their locality.
Historic cemeteries in London are already in the situation which the rest of the country will be facing. A 2006 Ministry of Justice survey showed that the rest of the country faces the same challenges. There is only 30 years of burial land now left.
How should historic cemeteries be managed for the future? How can we ensure they continue to fulfill their original function of burial, recreation and education, and play their part in mitigating climate change as an important part of the All-London Green Grid and the capital's green infrastructure?
This seminar will explore the themes of: re-use for burials, funding, tackling repairs, and cemetery conservation management plans, with the following objectives:
- Exploration of the re-use and reclamation of graves to ensure cemeteries remain active burial grounds
- Negotiating common issues of managing historic cemeteries in a time of austerity
- Raising awareness of the potential to improve management and reduce the number of cemeteries on the At Risk Register
- Promotion of Cemetery Conservation Management Plans
- Illustrating joint working and partnership between local authorities, private and voluntary sector
- Providing learning and networking opportunities among parks managers and cemeteries managers
LPGSF to conduct volunteering audit
Natural England has commissioned the London Parks & Green Spaces Forum to conduct an audit of volunteering that takes place in London’s parks, open spaces, canals & waterways.
The survey will give a picture of the scale of volunteering across London’s green & blue spaces & will inform the development of a volunteering strategy for these spaces in London.
This survey will also explore what links there are at a local PCT / health sector level between health improvement programmes and green space provision. The results will be used to map provision of active volunteering across London with a view to enhancing these links, strategically through local and regional partnerships.
Download the terms of reference for the London Parks Volunteering Research Project Advisory Group
Natural England has commissioned the London Parks & Green Spaces Forum to conduct an audit of volunteering that takes place in London’s parks, open spaces, canals & waterways.
The survey will give a picture of the scale of volunteering across London’s green & blue spaces & will inform the development of a volunteering strategy for these spaces in London.
This survey will also explore what links there are at a local PCT / health sector level between health improvement programmes and green space provision. The results will be used to map provision of active volunteering across London with a view to enhancing these links, strategically through local and regional partnerships.
Download the terms of reference for the London Parks Volunteering Research Project Advisory Group
Capital Growth launches £150,000 fund to help Londoners boost food
growing
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today launched a £150,000 fund to help Londoners grow their own food in under-used areas of the capital. He also welcomed Transport for London to the Capital Growth scheme, which is run by London Food Link and has a target to create 2,012 growing spaces by 2012 in discarded patches of London, tended by enthusiastic community gardeners.
The Mayor has provided £150,000 so green fingered community groups can apply for small grants. This is in addition to the practical support being offered to communities to help them to identify plots and join Capital Growth. More than 150 plots have already been signed up across the city including canal banks, schools, roofs, private gardens open to the community and parks. More
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today launched a £150,000 fund to help Londoners grow their own food in under-used areas of the capital. He also welcomed Transport for London to the Capital Growth scheme, which is run by London Food Link and has a target to create 2,012 growing spaces by 2012 in discarded patches of London, tended by enthusiastic community gardeners.
The Mayor has provided £150,000 so green fingered community groups can apply for small grants. This is in addition to the practical support being offered to communities to help them to identify plots and join Capital Growth. More than 150 plots have already been signed up across the city including canal banks, schools, roofs, private gardens open to the community and parks. More
LPGSF supporting launch of capital's new Friends network
LPGSF is supporting the launch of London Green Spaces Friends Groups Network, a new forum vowing to work together to value, protect and improve the capital's parks and open spaces.
The network was launched as over 80 representatives of local Friends Groups from seventeen London boroughs gathered together for the first time for a major conference in October. The event celebrated the achievements of over 500 such groups across London, with those present sharing their experiences and ideas, and discussing ways to support each other within their borough and across the capital.
The Network passed the following mission statement:
'The Friends and user groups at this gathering agree to continue to celebrate our efforts, share our ideas and experiences, and to support each other in valuing and improving London's parks and open green spaces. To that end we agree to launch a London Green Spaces Friends Network. We'd like to see the development of Friends Groups for all London's open green spaces, and borough-wide forums and networks of such groups in all London boroughs.'
After the gathering, the conference chair Dave Morris, Friends of Lordship Rec, Haringey said:
‘It was inspiring to hear about the incredible work being done by local residents and park users all over London to protect and improve their green spaces. We agreed to continue to work together and support each other, to swap information and best practice, and to speak out for all London’s green spaces now and into the future. We call on Londoners to form Friends groups for all green spaces, and to establish Friends Forums in every borough.’
The new London Green Spaces Friends Groups Network will hold a follow-up meeting for Friends groups on 2 November at City Hall.
For further information, please contact tony.leach@london.gov.uk
LPGSF is supporting the launch of London Green Spaces Friends Groups Network, a new forum vowing to work together to value, protect and improve the capital's parks and open spaces.
The network was launched as over 80 representatives of local Friends Groups from seventeen London boroughs gathered together for the first time for a major conference in October. The event celebrated the achievements of over 500 such groups across London, with those present sharing their experiences and ideas, and discussing ways to support each other within their borough and across the capital.
The Network passed the following mission statement:
'The Friends and user groups at this gathering agree to continue to celebrate our efforts, share our ideas and experiences, and to support each other in valuing and improving London's parks and open green spaces. To that end we agree to launch a London Green Spaces Friends Network. We'd like to see the development of Friends Groups for all London's open green spaces, and borough-wide forums and networks of such groups in all London boroughs.'
After the gathering, the conference chair Dave Morris, Friends of Lordship Rec, Haringey said:
‘It was inspiring to hear about the incredible work being done by local residents and park users all over London to protect and improve their green spaces. We agreed to continue to work together and support each other, to swap information and best practice, and to speak out for all London’s green spaces now and into the future. We call on Londoners to form Friends groups for all green spaces, and to establish Friends Forums in every borough.’
The new London Green Spaces Friends Groups Network will hold a follow-up meeting for Friends groups on 2 November at City Hall.
For further information, please contact tony.leach@london.gov.uk
New web resource for different sections of the sector
CABE Space have recently updated their website to make it easier for different sections of the sector, including green space managers and community groups, to find information and resources.
CABE Space have recently updated their website to make it easier for different sections of the sector, including green space managers and community groups, to find information and resources.