The Richmond Burial Ground Trust met on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, to discuss the management of the Richmond Old Burial Ground, a proposal to clear an area of scrub near the Grove Gardens Chapel entrance, and the Trust's statement of accounts. The meeting was scheduled to take place at Grove Gardens Chapel.

Managing Biodiversity and Public Use

The local charity Habitats & Heritage ¹ proposed to take over the management of the Richmond Old Burial Ground, under the oversight of the council ecologists and the Old Burial Ground Trust.

Habitats & Heritage's offer included:

• Coordinating and leading monthly public volunteering sessions
• At least one youth volunteering and one corporate volunteering session a year
• Updating the site's management plan annually in consultation with ecologists
• Enhancing the connections between activities and events in the Old Burial Ground and Grove Gardens Chapel, thus increasing public engagement with both
• Maintaining pathways for safe and easy public access
• Maintaining wildlife habitats at the site
• At least two free public nature walks at the site each year
• Providing heritage expertise to care for the heritage of the site, including training volunteers in safe removal of ivy from monuments
• Reporting progress to Old Burial Ground Trust at regular meetings

Habitats & Heritage stated that they were in the process of establishing a regular volunteer group, with the first session taking place in November. They also noted their previous involvement with the site, including running two corporate volunteering sessions in 2024 and a bat walk in September 2025.

The cost for the 2025-2026 financial year was estimated to be £2,943.71, with an additional £1,368.75 of match funding/in kind funding.

Site Clearance of area of scrub Grove Gardens Chapel entrance

A proposal was put forward to clear an area of bramble to the west of the monkey puzzle tree, from the existing pathway back to the cemetery wall. The proposal was submitted by Paul Jennings, CEO of Habitats & Heritage.

The justification for the proposal was that the area used to be part of Lower Grove Road and was used by community groups for gatherings in the past. Habitats & Heritage would like to use the cleared space to put up gazebos occasionally to support the activities of the regular volunteer group, and for community activities when the weather is fine as an alternative to the chapel. The council's Climate and Sustainability team indicated that having some more space outside would be helpful to allow activities such as bike repair to take place. It would also create a space where temporary chairs and tables could be put out to create a community social space.

Assurances were given that the space would not be altered permanently and could be returned to the current state readily if required, and that a temporary surface to permit access and use would be put down.

Volunteer groups would be mobilised to remove the bramble and make the area presentable, using hand tools to minimise the disruption to wildlife and people. The work would be done in the winter months outside of nesting season.

Richmond Burial Ground Trust Statement of Accounts

Stuart Black, Principal Finance Officer, Environment and Community Services, provided a report summarising the financial position of the Richmond Burial Ground Trust at the conclusion of the 2024/2025 financial year. Members were asked to approve the statement of accounts.

The statement of accounts showed that the Trust had a balance of £98,831 as of 31st March 2025, with £85,250 restricted and £13,581 unrestricted.

Other items

• Councillor Julia Neden-Watts, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Environment, Sustainability, Culture and Sports Services Committee, was scheduled to welcome attendees and receive apologies for absence.
• Attendees were scheduled to declare any interests.
• The minutes from the last meeting on 1 April 2025 were included for approval, and for Councillor Julia Neden-Watts to authorise them.
• John Salisbury was scheduled to provide a verbal update on site management.