Well then, last year saw the setting-up of Friends of Jesmond Old Cemetery, which started off as one man and his family’s fortnightly visit to Jesmond Road to tackle brambles, ivy, litter, and weeds. Fast forward to the start of 2009 and the Friends group has attracted upwards of 50 volunteers, generated media interest from local newspapers and radio stations, had well over 500 hits on the Official Jesmond Old Cemetery website, and is going and growing from strength to strength.
Essential to the growth of the group, the regeneration of the Cemetery and the awareness of our projects is you; the reader, the volunteer, the campaigner, the media monkey.
That is why this year my personal aim for the group is to maximise its exposure in and around the north east of England and beyond and make getting involved even easier. Part of this is an ongoing attempt to make the website as user-friendly, engaging, and informing as possible and so any feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.
Another new and exciting feature for 2009 is this very blog. Please do make the most of this outlet, get involved, use it and engage with it; we can only be as good as the people who get involved.
Finally, we will also be embarking on collecting video footage of Jesmond Old Cemetery and our work to date and displaying it on our Jesmond Old Cemetery YouTube Channel. If you have any such footage and would like to share it with us please do get in touch and we will make it available for others to view and enjoy.
News on all of these ventures and features will be forthcoming in the near future.
Thank you to all of you have taken the time to read this or other snippets from the FOJOC team and have felt compelled to get involved.
Here’s to 2009 and all it brings!
Martin
Webmaster, Friends Of Jesmond Old Cemetery.
Friends Of Jesmond Old Cemetery 