The Council And The Volunteers
Its always nice when your efforts are recognised. Even better when its unexpected. Here’s the draft of an email sent on the 17/11/2020 from the Neighbourhood Co-ordinator of the area in which the cemetery sits, Mike Tindall.
“You have all really done a magnificent job, this sort of work was highly unlikely to have been undertaken anytime soon by HCC for a host of reasons but the work you volunteers have undertaken has been great, the improvement in the Cemetery has been significant and we cant thank you enough really for the help you have provided.”
To add to the delight that such an effusive comment brings, it actually did get better. Mike’s boss, Andrew Wilson, followed up Mike’s email with this,
“Totally agree with Mike’s comments, well done it is very much appreciated. I will contact our cleansing team to have the bags picked up later in
the week. Regards Andrew”
So, perhaps, it can be finally said what we, at the FOHGC, always believed. Working in cooperation with the local authority can achieve much more than constantly moaning to the council about what they haven’t done and creating bad feeling between the groups. It’s a much more positive attitude to work together, to know what the Council can do with a bit of help from community groups. It creates a trust and a belief in both sides that together we can overcome the problems in reclaiming the cemetery for the community.
As an ex-Prime Minister once said about his imposed austerity programme, “We’re all in this together”. Well, here’s some solid evidence of that idea being put into practice and how it can bear fruit.
Just remind me again, how did that austerity programme go, Mr Cameron?
Bill finds something nasty in the woodland.
Pete Lowden is a member of the Friends of Hull General Cemetery committee which is committed to reclaiming the cemetery and returning it back to a community resource.