Friends of Ellon Cemetery

THANK YOU to everyone who came down to help us today, we got done in one day what would normally take us 3 weeks. The extra hands were very much appreciated!

The grass cutters had missed a couple areas and these were cut today just as we were heading towards finishing. If anyone is going down in an evening or through the week it’s the middle section, bottom right quadrant and the old section on the right side that both need grass raked up.

Rakes at the ready folks - the grass has been cut and needs raking up. It usually takes us 3 weeks to do the whole cemetery (leaving little/no time for other tasks). We’d welcome any and all help please to rake up the grass tomorrow - we’re there from about 1pm and have a couple spare grass rakes. Thank you.

The Community Payback team have been working in the cemetery clearing the paths of the weeds and moss. They’re doing a great job! Thank you.

We have a couple of the large 1ton builders bags that we use for grass cuttings. That’s another 6 bags raked up today. Tea break was definitely earned!

Grass raking season is here again. There is still a couple rows in the middle section and all of the old section to be cleared up. If anyone can help us tomorrow (or has time to pick up some today) we’d be happy to see you.

We’re Back! 👋

The last couple weeks have seen the car park beds weeded, the containers given a fresh lick of paint and some new perennials added.

If anyone would like to join us regularly or just now and again, we’re at the cemetery on a Monday from 1pm, all welcome and do as much as you’re able.

We will be leaving the painting of the railings for another few weeks till it warms up and dries up (if ever!) so that the paint has a fair chance to dry properly.

THANK YOU to the Ellon CO-OP and to Haley for dropping off the beautiful daffodils they have kindly donated to the cemetery to brighten the area in support of the national day of reflection coming up on Sunday.

3rd March 2024 the day is a time to remember everyone who died during the COVID Pandemic, not just those who died of Covid. For more information please see:

https://dayofreflection.org.uk

Bill has been busy planting some Springtime smiles 🌼 with cheery Polyanthus. Another few weeks and the group will be back in action on a Monday afternoon.

Thank you so much to Gemma and Jim Jamieson Quarries for our selection boxes. We know the community appreciate what we do and a sweet treat just makes our day. Due to the icy conditions the larger group couldn’t all make it on Monday but Bill has kindly delivered the boxes to the others # # #

Bill was down today to cut back some of the flowerbed bushes and tidying up and was delighted that the Community Services group have been back to the cemetery using their time clearing the paths. They’ve made quite a difference with weeding and tidying the paths, definitely making a difference for the community.

That’s our group finished our Monday’s for winter (we’ll still pop in randomly for the odd tidy, weather dependent).
Bill has finished putting on the red rust protection paint to the railings today between the oldest section and newest extension. The black top coat will be applied in the spring when we’re back. We’d really appreciate some help painting it next year (all 65 meters of it - might not sound much, but up and down both sides definitely gets the step count up!).

Safe to say that the railings between the oldest section and newest extension definitely need some TLC. We’re back to scraping them down and repainting has begun. Hopefully the nice days last to let us get it done (definitely a labour of love).

The Dahlias in the car park bed at currently at their best. A cheery welcome to a peaceful place 🌸

Bill was very kindly given a wonderful donation today from Brian at B Mech Autos. It is people like Brian who make our volunteer work so worthwhile and to be appreciated is all the more heartwarming. Thank you so much for thinking of our group.
We are grateful for both the financial and moral support from everyone 🥰

Thank you to Dennis Chalmers for supporting our group with a donation from Ellon Boys Brigade. We were able to add planters and fill them with compost and plants within the oldest section. All cross sections now have coordinated planters to bring a bit of added colour.

Thank you so much to Doreen, Martyn, Lynne and Rose (and anyone else I’ve missed) for helping with the raking and removal of the grass cuttings - it was VERY much appreciated.

We got started on the weeding this week and that will continue next week if anyone wants to join us for some weeding aerobics 😁, we’re there from about 1pm for a couple hours (you don’t need to commit to every week or even 2 hours)

Council has cut the grass this morning and we’ve started the onerous task of raking it up.

If anyone has a grass rake and bags and could spare even half an hour at any time to rake up even one strip we would be most grateful.

The two quadrants to the left as you go in the main gate is still to be done. Also middle and oldest sections.

It’s definitely a free workout!

Busy, busy! Bill has the first coat onto the baby memorial benches (painted with permission), and we’ve been weeding and raking and distributing 4 dozen flower grave pots and sprays to replace very faded ones and to brighten up some area where there were none.
Loved the little metal holder we found behind a headstone, it just shouted out to be shown off and used again. Placed at the side as it’s unclear which of the two stones back to back that it originally belonged to.

We would like to get your views on how we should (or shouldn’t) proceed with a possible small project within the cemetery. Please feel free to leave a comment, or vote with a ❤️ if you agree, or a 😡 if you don’t, thank you.

We have seen that some of the older artificial flower arrangements on graves have suffered the effects of time and weather and are now badly faded and some are also starting to fall apart. They look to have been placed some time ago, possibly by family who are not local, or who are unable to visit the graves for whatever reason.

We have no intention to upset anyone, and hope that the friends and family of those who are in the graves would feel that this move is supportive and respectful as we would like to consider removing the really dilapidated ones and replacing them with a new arrangement (possible examples below).

Please let us know your thoughts (we’re aware that many people regularly refresh their arrangements and would only be looking at the old bedraggled ones who genuinely look like they no longer have regular visitors to attend to them). Thank you.

Well pride in our cemetery won over this week and we have started raking up the cut grass, just before the thunder and downpour. We must admit it does make such a difference to the look of the cemetery.
It was all well timed with the council coming in to cut the grass just as we were finishing up. With the old cuttings removed it will make it easier and less messy for them cutting today.
We also managed to lift some of the old spent flowers too. A very productive time all round.

☀️ this toasty weather is certainly encouraging our plants and flowers to brighten up the cemetery (along with regular watering by the volunteers). We do have a watering rota, but if you’re in the cemetery and see any of the planters in need of a drink, please feel free to water them (even just one planter in passing would be appreciated by the plants and us).

The council were round yesterday cutting the grass, however we’re not currently mowing the grass as we’re back in discussions with the council.

Bill picked up cordyline, which add a bit of structure, some petunias, bidens, ivyleaf geraniums and cineraria from the council yard which he has planted up in the flower beds and planters in the oldest section.

Busy day on Monday weeding, planting and watering. Bringing in a little summer colour to the beds and planters.

We would like to thank Brian Milne for repainting the 2 benches in the oldest section which were donated for Ellon Parish Church many years ago. They were refurbished last year, however Brian has repainted them again and they blend in well with the planters too.

What a beautiful Spring day and wonderfully productive too. After working away on the ivy over several weeks it’s finally gone (well the remaining roots are another matter!) and the wall is no longer at risk of damage from it. It’s on the path at the far side of the middle section and is just waiting to be picked up, please take care if you’re walking past it.

The front beds have been weeded and we had a lovely surprise when Bill took out Easter Eggs for us from Gemma. Thank you to Jim Jamieson Quarries for including us ❤️

If anyone would like to join us, either weekly or on an ad-hoc basis for 30 minutes or an hour or longer, you’ll be most welcome. We’re there on Monday’s from 1pm.

Thank you so much to the people of Ellon who all donated to Gemma Cameron and to Gemma and Jamieson Quarry for including our group to receive the lovely chocolates, it’s very much appreciated by us all x

Many of you will have seen our new sign and for those further afield, the photos are below.

I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a wonderful addition to our cemetery and although it is pretty obvious what it is, with a second local cemetery in the works, we felt that it was worth new signage to make it clearer for visitors which one they were at (even if the new one is a couple years away from being opened).

Thank you to Ross for his guidance with the sign’s format, creation and installation.

We are one of the local causes supported by the Co-op Community Fund. We have just received £300 from the fund, with another payment later in the year. Please can we ask folks to help support us when shopping at Esselmont Circle’s Co-op. Thank you.

Thank you very much to Margaret and Michael for the dozen and a half roses and for dropping them off this morning. They’ve filled in the gaps in the two old section beds beautifully. Can’t wait till we see all the different colours this summer 🌹

Thank you to the couple from Westwinds who, when changing their garden, kindly gave us 38 roses from their garden and to Bill for digging them up and replanting them in the two beds in the oldest section of the cemetery.

If anyone else is renovating their garden this year and have any small, healthy shrubs that they would like to live on elsewhere (rather than going into garden waste), please let us know as we still have some space in the beds. They can be dropped off on a Monday between 1 and 2 when the group is in the cemetery, or we can try to collect.

Ian has been working throughout the winter, keeping on top of the weeds and preparing the two beds above ready to be edged later this year. Thank you.