FRIENDS OF CHAPEL STREET CEMETERY
Chapel Street, Eccleshill, Bradford Charity Reg. 1201823
The Trustees are pleased to present their second year’s annual report together with its annual accounts for the year ending 31/03/25.
The Trustees aims are to restore, repair and preserve the cemetery in a way that allows families and the general public to pay their respects to the people buried in the cemetery and to promote it as a place of historic interest and a beautiful open space for the public benefit.
Our volunteer work sessions have taken place throughout the year on at least two half-days per week. On behalf of the Trustees, I would like to give a big “Thank You” to all the volunteers for their hard work, for turning up in all weathers and for the progress achieved this year. Without their continued help the cemetery would not be looking so well cared for and welcoming.
Work has progressed steadily throughout the year with most of the graves now uncovered, a task that will be completed by the end of 2025.
We have received enormous help from a local grave digger and his team who volunteered to repair monuments and uplift some of our fallen headstones, making a safer environment for visitors. He also instructed one of our volunteers on how to restore the lettering on some of the headstones and monuments, making the inscriptions visibly easier to read.
We also welcomed four new volunteers who brought new skills to the group.
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A retired dry-stone-waller who erected a large feature wall to the rear of the cemetery in place of the one that had completely collapsed.
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A newly retired builder and two accomplices have built a 50m collapsed wall which runs adjacent to a public walkway and was in urgent need of restoration. This is now completed - a project we never thought would happen and we have received many positive comments from passers-by. Work on an inner wall is now in progress, one of which when finished, will provide support to the bottom of the embankment.
We have had some hedging plants donated by the Woodland Trust, which in time will provide shelter and a natural habitat for birds, pollinators, other insects and small mammals.
Bradford was chosen to host the Leeds International Piano Completion for 2024 and in recognition to this event, old pianos were used as planters and displayed in various locations in Bradford. We were privileged to have been chosen to take one of these pianos at the end of the competition and after adding more flowering plants, it has been on display in the cemetery for the past six months – a fitting end to its life.
We were extremely honoured to have received a visit from the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Beverley Mullaney and other dignitaries to mark the completion of the restoration of a very large monument which was in danger of collapse. We also had a visit from the High Sheriff of Yorkshire, Professor Adeeba Malik CBE DL, who laid a stone to mark the finishing of a newly repaired internal wall. Bradford’s local newspaper, the Telegraph & Argos, reported both events online and a full-page write-up in the newspaper.
Our fundraising activities for the year included tombolas and a two-week-long ‘Pop Up Shop’ in conjunction with the Eccleshill Community Association (registered Charity 1152847). Donations came in from the general public and groups that held fundraising events on our behalf. A small grant was given by Bradford Metropolitan Council which went towards maintenance costs.
We have had a steady flow of visitors during the year, an increase from the year before - some just having a stroll around and some searching for long lost relatives. The Trustees and Volunteers are looking forward to another successful year.
FRIENDS OF CHAPEL STREET CEMETERY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FROM 01/04/24 TO 31/03/25
| RECEIPTS UNRESTRICTED DONATIONS 2588.50 GIVING SITE 747.48 FUNDRAISE 532.15 SALE 65.60 GRANT 3933.73 PURCHASES GRAVEYARD PROJECT 445.80 GARDEN MATERIALS 55.72 MATERIALS 310.28 EQUIPMENT 58.92 INSURANCE 79.89 SUBSCRIPTION 10.00 TRANSFER STATIONERY 9.00 DONATIONS 25.00 VOLUNTEER COSTS 10.00 MISCELLANEOUS 25.00 1029.61 TOTAL 2904.12 OPENING BALANCE 01/04/25 BANK BALANCE 31/03/25 £ £ |
RESTRICTED 200.00 200.00 65.86 58.35 75.79 2800.00 3000.00 -2800.00 £ |
TOTAL 2588.50 747.48 532.13 65.60 200.00 4133.73 445.80 121.58 368.63 58.92 155.68 10.00 2800.00 9.00 25.00 10.00 25.00 4029.61 104.12 5742.94 5847.06 |
|---|---|---|
| CASH | ||
|---|---|---|
| RECEIPTS | ||
| DONATIONS | 1034.96 | |
| FUNDRAISE | 105.00 | |
| SALE | 4.81 | |
| £ | 1144.77 | |
| PURCHASES | ||
| GARDEN MATERIALS | 154.14 | |
| MATERIALS | 59.04 | |
| REFRESHMENTS | 29.81 | |
| VOLUNTEER COSTS | 169.65 | |
| MAINTENANCE | 750.00 | |
| REPAIRS | 10.74 | |
| PETROL | 20.99 | |
| STATIONERY/ | 16.67 | |
| POSTAGE |
| £ | 1211.04 | |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL | (66.27) | |
| OPENING BALANCE 01/04/ | 170.03 | |
| BALANCE AT | 31/03/25£ |
103.76 |
SAVINGS ACCOUNT METRO BANK
RECEIPTS
| RECEIPTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| 10/21/24 | 2800.00 | |
| 11/01/24 | INTEREST | 0.80 |
| 12/01/24 | “ | 2.19 |
| 01/01/25 | “ | 2.05 |
| 02/01/25 | “ | 2.03 |
| 03/01/25 | “ | 1.83 |
| BALANCE AT | 31/03/25£ |
2808.90 |