Funding

 (www.nof.org.uk). The HLF supports projects that care for and protect our heritage, increase understanding and enjoyment, give people a better opportunity to experience heritage by improving access, improve people's quality of life by benefiting the community and wider public. Several cemeteries, including Nunhead and Hampsted Cemeteries in London, have already benefited handsomely from this source. The NOF Green Spaces programme aims to help communities and particularly the disadvantaged, understand, improve or care for their local environment.

The New Opportunities Fund's Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities programme was launched in 2000, and has allocated monies to a number of Award Partners, each running schemes to distribute monies to local authorities and community groups. Two schemes maybe applicable to cemeteries; English Nature's Wildspace! and BTCV's People's Places.

English Heritage also can offer grants for Grade I and II* Listed buildings and monuments; for Scheduled Ancient Momuments and Registered Parks and Gardens. Some local planning authorities also run grant schemes to repair historic buildings and preserve Conservation Areas.

The Architectural Heritage Fund (www.ahfund.org.uk) (which helps Buildings Preservation Trusts to rescue redundant historic buildings) publishes Funds for Historic Buildings in England and Wales - a Directory of Sources, a comprehensive annual guide to grants and loan schemes.

The Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme (www.forestry.gov.uk) can provide funding for woodland management.

Volunteers and Friends

Volunteers - through amenity societies and Cemetery Friends' groups - have led cemetery conservation. Many of the Cemetery Friends started as pressure groups concerned about the neglect of a cemetery or proposals for inappropriate use. They are often involved in monitoring maintenance and restoration work and, if given the opportunity, help in a practical way. The Friends Groups link up through the National Federation of Cemetery Friends (www.cemeteryfriends.fsnet.co.uk). They also issue advice about setting up new Friends Groups. Other voluntary organisations like the BTCV, the county gardens trusts and the wildlife trusts can advise on organising projects and practical conservation tasks.