Ian Simpson has kindly supplied a summary of data gleaned from the Questionnaire sent out to our members

Questionnaires were sent to all of the groups, in some cases up to 4 times, not all the responses were complete.

Current membership 59 [Questionnaire not applicable to 5] no reply from 8 members giving 46 responses

Overall results

Representation

The Federation represents Cemetery Friends' Groups with a membership exceeding 8000 supporters and more than 200 cemeteries across England, Wales and Scotland. These cemeteries range from half a hectare to 170 hectares and include the largest cemeteries in the country. Ownership of the cemeteries includes local authorities, private concerns and independent trusts.

Heritage

The majority of the cemeteries have some listed buildings and memorials and most of the larger cemetery parks are conisdered by English Heritage to be of national importance.

Group interests

The Cemetery Friends' Groups have an average individual membership of 150 supporters with particular groups ranging from 20 up to 800 members. The interests of the groups also vary including local history, family history, ecology and restoration. The majority of groups arrange walks and talks and have their own publications. A significant number of city based groups are as concerned about the flora and fauna of their cemetery as they are about its architectural heritage.

A number of groups now manage and own their cemetery as a charitable trust. Lottery and other heritage grants have helped to preserve some of these historical gems across the country although funds are becoming more difficult to obtain.

Membership trends

The original membership of the Federation included many large cemeteries that were seen to have been under threat but newer  members now cover a wider spectrum of interests and include smaller cemeteries and some churchyards. It is clear that although the climate is centrally less hostile to cemeteries the costs of maintenance and security continue to pose a threat to the preservation of these heritage sites.

Size and the central interest of more recently joining groups differs from the early membership of the Federation.

• groups generally much smaller
• less purely historical interest
• some churchyards, not just cemeteries
• some old buildings rather than just cemeteries