Churchyard maintenance  

 Everyone likes a quiz, how many questions can you get right?
1. Who pays for the upkeep of St Sampson’s churchyard?
A. South Hill Parish Council
B. Your taxes
C. The Congregation of St Sampson’s
D. Church of England funds

Answers:
1.C
2.D
3.B,C,D,F
4.A,B,C,D
 
We are a small group at St Sampson's Church, who do our best to maintain the acre of land, respecting the needs of the departed, family and friends visiting and nature and wildlife.  As a living church yard, we want to encourage wildlife, flowers and insects to thrive and have noticed an increase in species during the three years we have been leaving the flowers and grass to grow during the summer months.  It is an evolving project, and we don’t always get the balance right.  Please talk to us if you have concerns. 
 
Managing the churchyard is a big task for a small number of people with limited finance. Contrary to some people’s belief, your taxes do not pay for it, nor do Church of England give funds for it. South Hill Parish Council helps towards the £1260, with a discretionary contribution of £400, but the rest is funded out of the pockets of the congregation and the cost rises each year.  We have a paid contractor who does the regular grass cutting, with an agreed plan, but other tasks are done by congregation members and volunteers.
 
The Churchyard and how it is managed is the responsibility of St Sampson’s church council, but it is an important community asset and South Hill Parish Council recognises this with its financial help and inclusion in the parish council’s cut carbon plan, which St Sampson’s is delighted to be part of. 
St Sampson’s Church & churchyard is here for the whole community.
 
The living churchyard group is made up of volunteers, both church goers and others in the community.  This is a very practical group who agree on a grass cutting regime, and other churchyard tasks. All of us are passionate about nature and the importance of this special uncultivated habitat, whilst respecting that it is a burial site.
 
There is a working party who meet on the last Saturday of each month from 10am to 12pm, (weather and people available permitting) to work on specific areas in the churchyard which are not part of the regular grass cutting regime.  Everyone is welcome.  I know many of you have loved ones buried here and want the churchyard to be well kept.  So do we, but it is a mammoth task for a small group.  Come along and speak to us about what we are doing, and/or join in the work parties.
 
We have put up bird & bat boxes, installed more benches and cut back brambles and nettles in specific places. There will soon be an interpretation board (all these items have been grant funded from Peoples Post Code Lottery & Tamar valley Area of Outstanding Beauty Sustainable Development Fund & Local giving grants, National Grid Electricity Distribution.
 
Ways you can help
Any donation would help enormously, either a regular direct debit, or a one off donation, that can be used specifically for the churchyard maintenance.
Donate through pay pal paypal.me/stsampsons
Set up a direct debit contact stsampsonssouthhill@gmail.com
Cash, or cheque, made payable to PCC of St Sampsons church South Hill. Contact e mail above for address, or person to give to. Or hand to any member of the congregation.
 
Join the working party - it doesn’t have to be every month.
 
Adopt a grave or two to keep tidy. Caring for your loved ones grave would be very helpful.
 
We welcome any other suggestions.
Judith Ayers Churchwarden stsampsonssouthhill@gmail.com