Spring bulletin 2015

The Old Blue Cross Pet Cemetery

Friends of Pet Cemetery

Shooters Hill London SE18 4LX

Spring Bulletin March 2015

Welcome to our Spring Bulletin, at last winter is over and spring is on the way and we are looking forward to commencing our regular gardening sessions at the Pet Cemetery, these are held on the 2nd Sunday of the month  10-12 noon, you are very welcome to join us, the more the merrier.

 Sessions are weather dependant so if you are thinking of coming please check with Jan Abbott 0208 2655428 or Liz McDermott 0208 8545172

The bulbs we planted last year are coming up, the shrubs are now well established, including those that were planted to replace the ones that were stolen, two rockeries have been built and, if you have visited the site recently, you will have seen the two plaques on the wall, the circular one stating that it is the site of the Old Blue Cross Cemetery and the rectangular one requesting visitors respect the space.

For the past months the committee have been liaising with the council to obtain permission to have a Memorial Wall where members of the FOPC and the community can place a plaque in memory of their pet, and we are pleased to say that permission has been granted.

The design and suggested wording has been drawn up by the committee, (see the attached document) if you would like to order a plaque please contact the secretary, Jean Patrick,  jmp179@sky.com  07977208362 or Chair Liz McDermott, mcdermott_liz@hotmail.com  020 88545172 who will be happy to help you through the process.

Ironically the first plaque to go on the wall will be that commemorating our Chairperson’s cat, (see attached)

Polly was part of Liz’s Life for almost twenty three years and, as you can imagine she is greatly missed.

We hope Polly’s Plaque will be the first of many, working towards making the cemetery an  increasing interestingly and inviting to visit.

 The Group is now a member of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Parks Forum and we look forward to working alongside the other groups, gaining from their expertise and experience.

 We will welcome any plants, shrubs, bird boxes, bug huts that you have going spare, just let Jean know and we can organise a convenient collection time anything that will help to make the Pet Cemetery a vibrant space.

 This comes with Best Wishes from all of us on the committee

          UPDATE ON SPRING BULLETIN APRIL 19th 2015

8th April 2015 call to Chair, Liz McDermott, to report that between afternoon of 7th and morning of the 8th April nine shrubs had been stolen from the Pet Cemetery, incident was reported to the Police CAD 4242

13th April 2015 Visit to the Pet Cemetery by PC Gooch 335RG, follow up to initial report given.

Parks Gardener also spoke with PC Gooch to report that 200 bedding plants had been stolen from the Hornfair Park  on and around the same date as those taken from the Pet Cemetery.

PC Gooch will place the incidents on the Crime Records and recommended that both incidents be reported to the press  and published in the article written up following the Mayor’s visit on the Clean Up day.

 PC Gooch also requested that any further incidents on either site should be reported to the Police, it would appear that stealing from Parks is an on-going problem.

For the FOPC committee it was very upsetting that, despite the notices to say the site is an Old Pet Cemetery and asking for respect for the space, unfortunately there is a sector of the public who have total disregard for places and people.

As stated in the last sentence of the Spring Bulletin any monetary donations, plants, shrubs, bird boxes , in fact anything for a garden would be gratefully received.