People and communities
Willenhall Lawn Cemetery
Published on
It has come to the attention of Walsall Council that there is speculation on social media about alleged vandalism in the baby graves section of Willenhall Lawn Cemetery.
It has come to the attention of Walsall Council that there is speculation on social media about alleged vandalism in the baby graves section of Willenhall Lawn Cemetery.
Bereavement services staff inspected this section of the cemetery at 6.00am on Thursday 21 July, but could not find any clear evidence of recent damage or vandalism. Additionally, the team has not received any direct complaints from parents or other family members.
Within the baby section, there is some dilapidation of the older graves due to weathering and the ageing of ornaments and other decorations left by families. Any items left on baby graves in this cemetery are not removed by staff, even if they are in a poor condition, as they are mindful of the potential distress this may cause to families. We recognise that these items may be of great sentimental value.
“ I imagine that this speculation has very naturally caused a great deal of concern to many bereaved families and I would like to reassure them that we are taking this matter very seriously.
Our cemeteries are public places for quiet reflection and remembrance and it is important that visitors feel safe on these sites and also that their loved ones’ graves are safe.
Almost 12 months ago, there was an incident at Willenhall Lawn Cemetery which was investigated and resulted in the installation of additional CCTV. It seems that images taken at that time have appeared again on social media this week and no doubt people seeing those images will believe them to be recent.
We are mindful that this time of the year might have some significance to the person who caused the previous damage. Our cemetery staff will be stepping up our monitoring of this area over the next few weeks. If any parents or family members have any information or concerns, please contact our bereavement services team, or, if they believe a crime has been committed, to contact West Midlands Police. “
~ENDS~
Bereavement services contact details 0300 555 2848 bereavementservices@walsall.gov.uk
West Midlands Police contact details https://west-midlands.police.uk/contact-us
