Keeping war graves tidy is a family affair
A FAMILY who voluntarily look after Commonwealth Graves in Leek Cemetery have been nominated for an award in the Moorlands Heroes Community or Voluntary Group of the year category.
Charlie and Kate Lockett – along with their daughter Emma – have been nominated by Leek resident Darren Machin.
Mr Machin said: “There has been months of hard work in the Leek Cemetery, the family have been cleaning, cutting grass and weeding the British and Polish Commonwealth Graves of the WW1, WW2, of the Army, Navy and RAF, personnel who sacrificed there lives for this country and the world.
“There are approximately 96 graves that the family have been tidying up.
“The family has given a lot of time and effort to tidy the graves of the brave men and women of this town who sacrificed there lives
“I hope that it opens the eyes of the people of all the other untouched commonwealth war graves in cemeteries around the country.
“How many more commonwealth war graves are turning to dust, being unkempt in this county and at all the cemeteries across the country?”
Charlie, of Leek, said that as they are tidying up the grave, they are still finding additional ones.
He said: “We got permission from the War Grave Commission to keep the graves tidy. We have put plants and poppies on them and keep them tidy during the year by cutting the grass and weeding the area.
“All three of us do the work at the Leek Cemetery.”