This Committee is responsible for overseeing the care and management of the churchyards at Ditchling, Westmeston and Streat.
Our remit is to ensure that the churchyards be kept as tidy, attractive and peaceful places for the benefit of visitors, parishioners and members of the local community.
As a Sub-Committee we are responsible for advising the PCC on the appointment of contractors for mowing and other maintenance work and for seeking planning permission where appropriate. We report regularly to the PCC and any expenditure has to be approved by the PCC. An annual grant from the Turner Dumbrell-Foundation has in recent years funded churchyard maintenance for which we are very grateful.
We organise, and are very grateful to, volunteers who contribute to regular ongoing maintenance. Tree work at Westmeston, as recommended by the Lewes District Council Tree Officer, was carried out in February and new beech and hawthorn hedge was planted. We have also planted more than 1,000 snowdrop bulbs. New contractors have been appointed to mow the churchyard at Ditchling.
Janet Cragg