Wolverhampton Church to Bring Life to Churchyard

An inner-city Wolverhampton church will create a restful oasis for wildlife and nature if a plan to rejuvenate its churchyard gets the go-ahead.

Holy Trinity Church in Heath Town has worked with local schools and community representatives to draw up plans for its 7.5 acre churchyard; and now wants to hear the views of the wider community.

The plans, if adopted, will improve the appearance of the churchyard and create an educational opportunity for local pupils to study plants and wildlife. It involves levelling rough ground, planting trees and wild flowers and removing some old gravestones.

The Vicar of Heath Town, the Rev David Vestergaard, said: "Our churchyard contains around 10,000 graves and many of them are very old and no longer visited by relatives.

"In the area we are looking to redevelop, most of the graves date from the 1900s to the 1950s. Those that are regularly visited and well maintained will not be affected.

"Decaying headstones and memorials give an untidy appearance, make the grounds difficult to maintain and are unfortunately a target for vandalism.

"We would like to make the churchyard a much more attractive place for relatives and local people to visit, and for it to be of wider benefit to the community, as well as being more manageable to maintain in the future."