For many years I was involved in mowing the grass in the churchyard. The person who does the mowing now is my nephew Christopher Chambers, a very hard working man who is unpaid for his labours.

I will now explain to you and Joanne Price the situation at Dowsby Church.

Dowsby is a small village with a small church congregation, hence limited funds to pay people for the jobs that need doing.

I list the main jobs (all need to be done on a regular basis) grass mowing, church cleaning, maintaining and winding church clock.

These are done by volunteers from the area whose relatives are buried in the churchyard and who come along with their own tools and maintain their own graves.

One village family supplies the mower and fuel free of charge, the church raise what funds they can to pay for electricity, heating, water rates.

Dowsby Church could not function without its volunteers, so I am saying Joanne Price, why not become a volunteer and take over the responsibility of the grave herself. I am sure she would get a warm welcome from all connected with Dowsby Church.

Finally I would like to say to all the volunteers, keep doing as you are, the churchyard looks marvellous, thank you all very much.

FRANK GIBBONS
Fen Road,
Dowsby