In June, Willesden Jewish Cemetery in London held the first of their special volunteering workshops. The session, which saw 11 volunteers and 5 staff members take part, focused on the headstones of 200 babies and small children, many of whom had died during the period of the First World War and the Spanish Flu pandemic.
The team worked to re-erect loose headstones, stabilise tombstones and clean the memorials: many of which had become neglected over the years.
Takes undertaken by the volunteer groups included stone masonry, gardening, clearing up and laying gravel to tidy up the appearance of the site.
Volunteer Arlene Miller said: “Thank you for allowing me to be involved in this wonderful programme. It is an extremely selfless act – one that gives so much, as well as the giver gaining even more.”
Fellow volunteer Leo Howard said: “I was very proud to take part in this task to help preserve memories that are over 100 years old. It is always very important to volunteer, particularly for a task like this, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Miriam Marson, community engagement manager and head of heritage at the United Synagogue, who was one of the organisers of the project, said: “This was a really successful and emotional beginning to the project. All of the volunteers expressed interest in returning for future workshops, and it gave everyone a real sense of community and achievement.”
