Friends group very respectful at cemetery

I would like to respond to the letter complaining about the use of Dean Road Cemetery for a Community Fair as part of Heritage Open Days.

I was dismayed to read the letter printed on September 8 as it gave a skewed view of our event.

The focus of the event, organised by the Friends of Dean Road and Manor Road Cemetery, was to mark the completion of our two year Heritage Lottery Funded World War 1 Project.

It included the opportunity to see research done on the lives of soldiers and sailors remembered in the cemetery, WW1 guided tours, and an exhibition of WW1 themed quilts.

We offered other community groups and local crafters the opportunity to bring stalls, and arranged activities for children including poppy making and guess the name of the teddy.

The Community Fair aimed to appeal to a wide range of people, thereby increasing the number of people who get to find out about the impact of WW1 on the people of Scarborough.

All headstones in Dean Road have been safety checked and a demonstration of headstone restoration is another aspect of the event.

The Friends group is always respectful of the people buried in the cemetery and has worked hard for the past eight years to make huge improvements to the buildings, planting, paths and the level of community involvement.

Sunday’s event was very successful, with many hundreds of people attending throughout the day.

It was made possible by the hard work of dedicated volunteers from the Friends of Dean Road and Manor Road Cemetery and Dean Road Chapel Ltd, and generous contributions from local businesses and community groups.

All money raised will be used for the benefit of the cemetery, continuing with the ongoing programme of improvements to the site, which will hopefully include the restoration of Dean Road Chapel.

The outcome of a Heritage Lottery Fund application for the chapel will be received in the next two weeks.

Jan Cleary, Chairman Friends of Dean Road and

Manor Road Cemetery