“Fighting for Birmingham cemeteries, loved ones really deserve to rest in peace”

They are the cemeteries where the departed struggle to rest in peace. But now one man is fighting back against the state of some of Birmingham’s cemeteries.

John Gilmore, from Yardley, is on a mission to restore the dignity of cemeteries and has frequently pressured Birmingham City Council to improve their maintenance. He even sent a letter to Downing Street pleading for more support to help councils look after cemeteries.

John visited cemeteries in Kings Norton, Witton and Selly Oak and came to Yardley Cemetery all his life. He regularly posts pictures of potholes, overgrown grass, weeds, overflowing bins and cracked roads.

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He has been campaigning for the past 17 months but insists it has been an issue for decades. And concerns about neglect in Yardley extend to the living as well as the dead. Birmingham Live visited the area during the election campaign to ask about pressing issues and locals talked about drug use, theft, littering and homelessness.

John shares their concerns but has made Birmingham’s cemeteries his priority through his ‘Care for Britain’s Cemeteries’ campaign. The 54-year-old said: “There has been such a lack of investment at Yardley and Birmingham cemeteries for many years and we have some appalling decline and neglect.

“It’s heartbreaking to see. People die every day and have to pay for the privilege. It’s not a free service, it’s a privilege. However, councils make a lot of money from cremation and burial lots.

“It’s a struggle to get the grass between the graves properly cut, the weeds pulled, the railings fixed, the signage up to date or whatever. They are fantastic volunteers, but we can’t expect them. to do things that the board is not prepared to do on its own.

“It became a battle with the council to do basic maintenance. I think we should make these places as beautiful as possible, because they are also for the living.

“You might have a cyclist who wants to sit quietly on a bench, or someone might enjoy a walk through the cemetery. They are an important part of the community but have been neglected for many years due to funding and cuts to maintenance staff.”

In January, John was heartbroken when a tree fell during a storm and “crushed graves” in Yardley Cemetery. In addition to the campaign, he is also inviting people to adopt a grave, claiming that thousands of people have been left neglected, with no relatives to visit them.

Mark Room, 56, is the owner of Remembering You Grave Tending, an independent graveside care company. He said: “With individual graves, when the grieving process is cruel, people will visit them every week, then on Mondays and finally on special days like Christmas.

“Some people believe that grass should be cut and maintained, but others believe that cemeteries are a bastion of rare wildlife and green spaces. Budget cuts come into play, so the grass will be cut every four weeks and then every six weeks.

“That’s why cemeteries can look a little unkempt. I have a more balanced view because we need nature and long grass does not make cemeteries any less peaceful.

“I do agree, however, that the toilets and bins should be serviced, how many times have I been to cemeteries and the taps in the toilets don’t work. Some headstones that have collapsed are very old and were designed to collapse after 70 to 90 years. they will show a state.

“People always want to respect those left behind, but physically they can’t. It’s not a guilty conscience, it’s a conscience.”

There are 12 cemeteries and crematoria in Birmingham. According to the council’s Bereavement Services Customer Charter, the council states that it will ensure cemeteries remain clean and tidy.

Another service is “maintenance of cemeteries and crematoria so that they provide a safe and soothing environment”. Birmingham City Council has been contacted for a statement.

Catch more Yardley coverage here

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