Cemetery news and events
APSE Awards 2023
Lancaster City Council Cemeteries Office was recently shortlisted as a finalist in the “Best Performer” in the Cemetery Service category by APSE. APSE is the Association for Public Service Excellence, covering the UK, and to be nominated is a significant achievement. Unfortunately, we were not named winners, but we weren’t at all disappointed to lose out to worthy recipients Middlesborough Council. Congratulations to them!
This achievement would not have happened without the dedicated professionals within the Cemeteries Office, and this nomination is recognition of the service they provide.
Whilst we don’t actively strive to achieve awards and recognition, we do aim to provide a high level of service provision to all of our customers and will continue to do so.
Volunteer opportunities at Lancaster Cemetery
Friends of Lancaster Cemetery are a group of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who work with the Cemeteries Office to improve the site. This includes general maintenance and gardening, but also larger scale projects such as creating features and holding appropriate events in collaboration with our office.
Opening in 1855, Lancaster Cemetery on Quernmore Road is a significant landmark of the district. The site has 3 historic Grade II Chapel buildings, and it is still a working cemetery.
There is significant green space, and therefore opportunities for gardening, fundraising, preserving our local heritage and creating a welcoming community space.
Volunteers of all abilities are welcome - no particular skills or experience are required.
To find out more, please visit their website: https://www.friendsoflancastercemetery.org/ or their Facebook page Friends of Lancaster Cemetery UK | Facebook
Registered Charity Number 1203617
Christmas Period 2023
The festive period can be particularly difficult for those grieving the loss of a loved one. The Cemeteries Office therefore remain open during this time in order to assist families, answer queries, and arrange funerals within our 7 cemeteries.
The only adjustment will be that our office will close at 3pm on both Friday 22nd December at Friday 29th December 2022 in order to allow our staff a short break. However, no other days will be affected, nor any funerals.
Our Cemeteries remain open as usual for visitors - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Wishing all our visitors a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Torrisholme Cemetery win Green Flag Award 2022/23
Lancaster City Council's Cemeteries Office has received a prestigious Green Flag Award for Torrisholme Cemetery, one of 2208 UK winners recognised as one of the country's best green spaces. The award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
After two years that have seen our parks and green spaces play a vital role for people through lockdowns as a place to relax, exercise and meet friends and family safely, the news that Torrisholme Cemetery has achieved the Green Flag Award is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that make the green space a great space that everyone can enjoy.
Beth Aldridge, Cemeteries Officer said: “We are extremely proud to receive a Green Flag Award for the fourth consecutive year for our cemetery space. We realise how much quality green spaces are valued by residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Torrisholme Cemetery. It is important to Lancaster City Council that all of our cemeteries provide bereaved families and visitors with beautiful burial grounds and a place of quiet reflection. Thanks to the dedication of our hard working staff, our cemetery has achieved the highest international standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.
Commenting on the news that Torrisholme Cemetery has met the Green Flag Award standard, Keep Britain Tidy’s Accreditation Manager Paul Todd said: “I would like to congratulate everyone involved in making the cemetery worthy of a Green Flag Award. Torrisholme Cemetery is a vital green space for the community in Morecambe and Lancaster. This award is testament to all the hard work of staff and volunteers, who do so much to ensure that it maintains the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.”
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
More information abouA full list of Green Flag Award-winning parks and green spaces is available here
If you would like to contribute to the success of our site, we are currently welcoming expressions of interest to our Friends of Torrisholme Cemetery group. Volunteers who join the group will have the opportunity to tend to the cemetery, and undertake their own projects in conjunction with our office. This could include light gardening work, to undertaking major projects such as renovating and creating new areas of interest. Please email cemeteries@lancaster.gov.uk or telephone 01524 582635.
Volunteer opportunities at Torrisholme Cemetery
The Cemeteries Office are now in the process of establishing a Friends of Torrisholme Cemetery Group.
Opening in 1906, Torrisholme Cemetery on Westgate in Morecambe is a significant historic green space and is a current Green Flag Award Winning site. The site has numerous burial and interment options, our beautiful non consecrated chapel building, Wildflower Meadow and Woodland Burial Area.
We will work with the Group to create opportunities for gardening, fundraising, holding appropriate events, and creating a welcoming community space.
Volunteers of all abilities are welcome - no particular skills or experience are required.
Please contact the Cemeteries Office for more information: cemeteries@lancaster.gov.uk Telephone: 01524 582635
Bereavement Counselling
Experiencing the loss of a loved one at any time can be devastating. During the pandemic, you may find that it has been more difficult to cope as support of family and friends is not as readily available due to social distancing restrictions.
Lancashire based charity CancerCare are offering bereavement counselling free of charge to adults and secondary school children experiencing the loss of a loved one during the pandemic.
This service is available to anyone coping with loss, whatever the cause, across Lancashire and South Cumbria.For more information, please contact CancerCare:
- Telephone: 03330 150 628
- Email: CancerCareCan@cancercare.org.uk
- www.cancercare.org.uk/who-we-help/free-bereavement-counselling
Wildflower Meadow Sowing - Torrisholme Cemetery
Earlier today, the Cemeteries Office and the Friends of Torrisholme Cemetery have sown the wildflower meadow at the rear of the site.
This area neighbours the Neptune Memorial Garden, in a particularly peaceful and secluded area of the cemetery.
The seed used was mainly a wildflower mix of the following: Corncockle, Corn Chamomile, Cornflower, Corn Marigold, and Corn Poppy.
In addition, we also used a meadow mixture of: Yarrow, Common Knapweed, Wild Carrot, Lady's Bedstraw, Field Scabious, Rough Hawkbit, Oxeye Daisy, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Musk Mallow, Ribwort Plantain, Cowslip, Selfheal, Meadow Buttercup, and Yellow Rattle.
The wildflower should bloom by early summer, and it is intended that the meadow will have meandering pathways leading to a carved wooden bench (sourced from a felled tree from the district). The poppy bed shall also be enhanced and maintained by the Friends Group.
12/04/2019
Torrisholme Cemetery User Survey
As updates are planned for Torrisholme Cemetery in the future, we welcome feedback from anyone visiting the site. We have now created a Torrisholme Cemetery User Survey for those wishing to provide us with specific comments regarding the cemetery.
Feedback forms can be found here Torrisholme Cemetery User Survey (DOCX, 29KB), and returned to the Cemeteries Office either by email: cemeteries@lancaster.gov.uk or post: Cemeteries Office, Morecambe Town Hall, Marine Road, Morecambe, LA4 5AF
Last updated: 12 December 2023