Shropshire-based charity Caring for God’s Acre has been awarded support for the Beautiful Burial Ground project, thanks to National Lottery players.

The project aims to put burial grounds literally on the heritage map by creating a database and interactive map where individual sites can be mapped and linked to records of its wildlife, architecture and stories.

[quote= Vanessa Harbar, Head of HLF West Midlands]“From nesting spots in ancient trees to hiding places in undisturbed walls, burial grounds are incredibly important for wildlife and biodiversity.” [/quote]

Vanessa Harbar, Head of HLF West Midlands, said: “From nesting spots in ancient trees to hiding places in undisturbed walls, burial grounds are incredibly important for wildlife and biodiversity.”

Volunteers of all ages are vital to the project and will have the opportunity to build research and recording skills, thanks to workshops and a series of special events.

Vanessa added: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will put citizen scientists at the heart of creating a lasting and accessible record of the natural, built and social heritage of some of the UK’s thousands of burial grounds.”

The charity has been awarded £17,700 to develop the plans and apply for a full grant of £586,700.

Sue Cooper, Caring for God’s Acre, said: “The Beautiful Burial Ground Project will enable us to literally put burial sites on the map, and it’s great to know that we are a big step closer to conserving these amazing sites for the generations to come.”

The four-year project is expected to begin next autumn. Find out more on the Caring for God’s Acre website.