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Dear Friends</div>
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At some point last week, there was a significant incident of vandalism at Newington cemetery. This was not a casual thoughtless act, but must have involved considerable and sustained effort, probably by more than one person. It is deeply distressing to see
the damage that has been done and the disrespect to those buried in the cemetery and their families.
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At first I was disheartened, but then I was reminded how much of a difference the work of the Friends of Newington Cemetery has made in just a few years. Six years ago, barely anyone would have noticed some toppled headstones and broken memorials. This week,
I have talked to regular visitors, dog walkers, runners, families and genealogy enthusiasts who have all offered their support and encouragement. People have told me about the wildlife they've seen, welcomed our new planting at the entrance flowerbed, admired
the ivy and bramble-free catacombs and said how helpful they've found our website. We did this together and we will carry on doing what we can to look after this special place.</div>
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I am very grateful to the council's cemeteries and parks team for responding so quickly, assessing the damage and reporting it to the police.
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If you saw anything or have any suggestions about what we can do to prevent similar incidents in the future, please get in touch with me (vicechair@gp-cc.org.uk) or contact us at info@newington-cemetery.org.uk</div>
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Wishing you all a much better year than this one!</div>
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Ellen-Raissa<br>
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