Nunhead Cemetery

Luisa-Maria MacCormack

Froglife

‘We attended the cemetery as employees of Froglife, to promote and share information about the new London Blue Chain Project, which we launched in the spring.The project is all about getting individuals and community groups involved in helping to understand and protect our native species of amphibian and reptile. We’re building 100 ponds across south and southeast London and are training up volunteers to be able to look after some of the new habitats we’re creating – and we ran a training session at Nunhead Cemetery on native species identification. You can find out more about the London Blue Chain here.‘ – Harry and Rose

Friends of Nunhead Cemetery

‘Nunhead Cemetery is a precious heritage and ecological gem and a place of bereavement for both the local and wider community.

However, it needs continuing care and sympathetic management if it is to stay that way for future generations. We cannot expect the Council to do everything when it has so many other pressing priorities and it is thus up to those of us who care about the place to help in whatever way we can.

As Coordinator of FONC, much of the administrative work this entails passes through my hands. However, this is compensated for by the pleasure I derive from volunteering for practical woodland management, monument repairing, tour guiding and various on-site activities and seeing and hearing the appreciation of our increasing number of visitors.’ – Jeff

‘I love going to the cemetery - it’s such a tranquil beautiful place. It’s an amazing space so close to the centre of London.’ – Jane

‘I love going to Nunhead Cemetery - it is like having our own bit of countryside in the middle of London. A few steps inside, and you cannot hear the traffic and stress melts away!

Every time I visit there is something different to experience and over the years I have learnt so much about the people who were buried here and who worked here, the buildings and monuments and of course the plants, fungi and creatures who make it their home. Our very latest project is working with Froglife to make the pond we hand-dug in the early 1990s into a better habitat for amphibians and to encourage reptiles.

As a member and trustee with FONC I do voluntary conservation work on the first Sunday of each month, as well as attending committee meetings and managing FONC’s membership, so I have made lots of friends and don’t have much time to be bored!’ – Carol