Volantary work

Being done at Holy Trinity Church at Downall Green, I've put on before about Kevin Duffy's amazing garden centre work of Art, so on a nice day pop along and see both here is a clip of some of the work being done in the Churchyard just click
--Here--
Much better these steps other photo's I could upload but your better seeing it for yourself to give encouragement to them and have a chat , Saturdays is the day they are in 10am

IF YOUR NOT A MEMBER OF FACE, ---- Click Here--

They’re making a tremendous difference, Dougie.

Friends of Seneley Green - Facebook

Dougie up here in our immaculate Shevy village we do the whole of the centre, Gathurst station, Shevington vale, and Shevington moor and not just the churchyard which is a big area.

dougie I know someone who would be particularly interested in that project, She has a relative in that graveyard and she goes up there many a time weeding and cutting back the vegetation, She is not a church goer, nor a meeting attender and it would be hard for her to attend as she does not drive and relys on buses , but if someone was to say,

we are working , for example, " Monday morning 10 am to 1 pm," she would be very interested in helping,

could that be arranged ?

Tom--All I can say they go in Saturdays 10am till what ever, but as for other times I have no idea but I look after the Grave & Path going to my Mam & Dad's at the bottom end and just go anytime and have done for the last 40 years, it's as nice as any in that area of the church yard, but that's all I am prepared to do at my age I be-leave in never try to recapture your youth not like You and Mick always remember tubs ull come whet ever

BUMP

dougie, just a word to the wise, I'm not like soft mick, and he's not like me,
he drives a moped and makes lots of videos putting folks down,
I ride an E bike and make videos of informative videos that help people,

anyways, I'll pass on your information to the person who will help the church grounds

Dougie, seriously you should go out of your way and have a ride up to Shevy and sit in our memorial garden, bring your missis she will enjoy it
Then you can do St Annes graveyard and also look at the many planters that are around the village some on the ground and some on the road side barriers
When you are in the memorial gardens cast you eyes towards house No 3 Church lane, the old Blacksmiths stable, the place of my birth.

BUMP over 300+ Photo's click second at top of page and see the hard work the are doing

Have you been rained off from your volunteering duties today Dougie

Mick I've said before I am to old for that kind of work well to old for any kind of work leaving that to the younger people, I have no doubt you will be having a look in the near future

Hi, thanks Dougie for your kind words of encouragement and giving your time to upload photos of the work that we are doing. Just to give your readers some insight.....The graveyard is absolutely massive as Holy Trinity was the parish church for all of Ashton in Makerfield, the site has become very overgrown and unkempt, thus the reason for diggers, chippers and chainsaws, along with the general mowing and strimming, weve repaired and restored numerous amount of broken crosses and headstones, weve raised a lot of headstones that were laid flat due to health and safety reasons, so the need for post mix to keep the stones safe and strong. Were also involved in the war memorial site within the shurch grounds and have designed and had made a memorial stone for all the fallen which dispays the tri-servicemens badge, at the moment all still work in progress but almost complete. We also manage The Green and have wild flowers which all the children of the village are involved in, we manage another site at Simms which has an abundance of poppies, we also manage the flower beds throughout the village. Were currently working with the young people to make bee bombs obviously to encourage pollinators and for eduacational purposes, any small amount of work carried out in any place is an achievement, our team is from age 4 to 80 years of age and all abilites are welcome, were supporting the doctors surgery as our team is used for "social prescribing" please keep rocking up Dougie and having a chat, we have homemade cake and butties every Saturday along with a brew, or lemon water take whatever you fancy, a massive thanks from The Friends of Seneley Green......

Hi Warr33---Called on Kevin yesterday and sorted out the photo's with him he will find a place for them

I hope you can find a space somewhere in your working area for this Photo board so as people walking through the gate the can see the hard work that's going on by all the volunteers that's been mustard, only a suggestion on the old toilet block wall facing the path as it would be an ideal spot if you wished to put it on diplay

Fame at last a photo with the volunteers after putting this photo board up with them, I am hoping it will help to generate some extra donations when they see the hard work they are doing, one thing they need ASAP is a good shredder to cut all the small branches a small donation to help them hire one would help, I would just like to say they are genuine if you have anyone in this churchyard have a trip up and see for yourself,
---I shouldn't say this but if you go round about 1.00pm they are just knocking off for tea & cakes they will make welcome

Thanks for the picture board Dougie, its brilliant, much appreciated

Warr33--? is there any significance regarding this wooden cross you see in the photo and why it was not just thrown on the wood pile with the rest, I've seen it standing upright by the wall on the left-hand side going through the gate, --Photo--

Warr33--There's a big problem and always as been when it rains it all drains down from the higher section to the bottom path and could stay there for days it's so bad people can't walk down, would like a talk with that man that put the photo board up, I think he could sort it if you gave the go-a-head for the grass on both sides of the path,

Get the volunteers to fix the drains then Dougie.

Fat Mick why don't you join them you like tidy areas. Replacing drains or laying drains cost money

What's the expression, all mouth?

Peter I would like your honest opinion on the side of the path with the strip of grass as you and your wife use that area, you also know the water that holds on the bottom path

Dougie I am led to believe that astro turf is non slip and free draining so will look better than turf. If it gets dirty take a sweeping brush and brush it cleanDont know how you will go on if there are high winds has strip could blow away may require pegging down

PeterP-- I was asking do you think it would look nice on both sides of the path are just let it go wild like the other paths were, can't saying how long they will keep it up

The astro turf will look nice where ever you put it and will outlast normal turf and less work on it.

PeterP I dont live up that way or I would, but what ever if it keeps flooding nothing will cure except fixing the drains, I think you can just dig some holes and put in a gravel bed to help get rid of the water but I no expert.

Mick-- I may seem a big head but you don't know Dougie, I know I could solve it

Dougie when you are driving around keep looking out for skips were there is some work being done, you get all sorts of good stuff being chucked away these days.
Last year I got a new russell hobs toaster and matching kettle, woman in the house said it didnt match her new kitchen, and a couple of weeks ago I got a garden chair from another skip.
Wasnt there a company called Sudworths in Ashton who did guttering.

soft mick the skip rat,yet he has the cheek to call council house folk! he can afford his own house but not a kettle..HAHAHAHAHA

Duggy

I can see where this is heading too, and yoo won't be towd ......

It's going to end up on Granada Reports & Northwest Tonight, which will be infinitely better than Wigan Today reporting on it, and Dave Guest will be along with a camera crew, to find out why the mad vicar of Holy Trinity Church, has been ripping up artificial turf from the graveyard, whilst squiffy on the old communion wine, calling Douglas and his mates heathen swine, who should be cast down into eternal damnation and hell, until the end of next week

Hi Dougie.
Good to read your update on the excellent work that you and your colleagues are doing in the Holy Trinity churchyard. Interesting to read about the mention of the War Memorial, did not realise that there was one in the Village, don't know if you were aware that I am involved as a Trustee at the National Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel le Ferne, down here in Kent, keeps me quite busy. Is that Margaret H cutting the grass in the photo of the wooden cross. Keep up the good work.

I would just like to show you this of one of many graves that as been done-up, this is one of the better ones that is still being attended by the family but asked could they restore it, more and more are showing an interest in the graveyard clean-up, this is a before & after photo

This is another where a voluntary donation was given to make around the centre of the graveyard look better and it does


P,S, If you have family and your getting to old now to look after it they do a good job of restoring them as you can see for a donation to the Churchyard found.

Why don't the 'Friends of Seneley Green' ask St.Helens Council for some assistance off the Probation Service, in the form of one of the 'community service chain-gangs'?

Or, maybe, contact them direct ....

St Helens Probation Centre
St Mary’s House
50 Church Street
St Helens
WA10 1AP

Tel: 01744 630229

Dougie you and you gang might be doing more harm than good, because all that green brownish muck is helping to preserve the masonry, and you could end up breaking pieces off the lettering when you are scrubbing them.
Some only need a little knock to break pieces off, I once leaned my bike against the back of one gravestone in Eccleston and some pieces dropped on to the floor.

Negative reply again from Mick that's not seen the place or made his usual negative video showing the state of a mother Churchyard, saying something like if this were at the side of a private estate in a very old village instead of a council house estate the local people would club together and look after it themself,
This is the first time I wish he had but you see one will come on at a later date when they are getting on top of it

You should know Wiganers are a prowed people and wouldn't go cap-in-hand for a few £ , more and more are coming along to either clean-up their own grave or give a helping hand in some way the place will be restored with love not as a punishment

Dougie you comments sound like they have been written with the help of some rejects.
If you dont believe me, go and ask a stone mason is it recommended to scrub old gravestones and he will say no just leave them as they are because when the lettering is being chiseled out it weakens the masonry and you get little invisible cracks which in time will cause pieces of stone to breakaway, thats why the lettering is hard to see on some old ones.
If you and you mates want to tidy the place up just cut back the bushes and do the weeding.

I'm capable of reading your posts but I don't say anything but this is just sticking your nose in to get some kind of reaction, go up and tell them not me as I don't class myself as a volunteer I just go coffee and cake and a chat

They are not fly-by- night people these
--show this Dougie-- --We have looked into it--

Dougie Im not sticking my nose in to get some kind of reaction, Im just trying to help by giving you some advise.
Who would have thought it that some daft yank had made a video on how to clean a gravestone and are even trying to sell there own Biological Solution on line.

Dougie they put the flags up, so somebody must have let them know that I was coming for the inspection.

Friends of Seneley Green.

No 'social distancing' there, Dougie. Groups of more than six together and not a face-mask to be seen!

Well what did you think of it so far Mick, did you make a video I've told them to look out for one

They have there work cut out, and I think the only way it will work is , by getting rid of all the grave stone edging and other graveyard tat.
Then it will be possibly to get a a mower to to do all the grass, up here in Shevy the vicar only allows one flower pot just in front of the headstone and it works well.
Yours will be a bit harder because you have to many over grown trees that could do with coming down and some of it is down hill.
Yes I did some videoing Dougie and I said hello to Stan and Ellen


St Annes

Hello Dougie, after seeing your videos of the work being done at the church, I have sent a donation so as to help out with the work.

Mick --Your 100% right with everything you say, I've told them down at the bottom where I got it ready for that turf, they can remove all the side edgings without asking as they shouldn't be on

100% right, not often people say that about me Dougie.

Dougie have you seen this comment from a old Downall Greener on the video, who now lives in Canada

East Van Drone
Thank you for posting this. I went to the school next-door to the holy trinity church I am have a lot of friends and relatives who are now buried in the church yard. This video brought back a lot of memories for me
Video

One of mine got a donation plus one from Sweden asking me to find a gravestone did you see the thank you off warr33, yes it is a good video but you should open that mouth of your's and don't bother what people think you don't when on here
Hello Dougie, after seeing your videos of the work being done at the church, I have sent a donation so as to help out with the work.

I was just wondering if you or any of the other graveyard diggers knew this ex Downall greener

Yes Mick not putting his name on but as that's why I asked for
his age to make sure he is the same lad that hade his leg cut off why riding the railway wagons coming from Haydock at Ashton station, he must be about 70 now

Alan85---They told me today they got your donation

Hi Dougie, I am glad that they received it. Lets hope the church is around in a hundred years time.

Its very kind of you Alan to make the donation Thank You.

Mick-- they tell me of other donations off unknown people after seeing the video's (not names) as you have follower all over the world your's will have helped to show the community sprite of a small Village not just North Ashton, went up yesterday for a coffee they had a team working on the school grounds, I said you shouldn't have to do that reply was well it is a Church School making it part of the grounds.

They even said your friend upload a really good video, I told them he doesn't do friends

Keep it up, Dougie. You might even get an article in the St.Helens newspaper!

they were telling me they have tried to get someone to come down and interview them and take photos but they never reply, I did ask could I have a try it's a waste of time Dougie,
Could you being from St-Helens send an e-mail telling them there is a local story to be had at The Holy Trinity church at Downall green right on the border with Wigan, if they were to pop-up on Saturday and bring a camera the reason I ask you have a way with words that would make them interested

If they want to get the telly involved Dougie, just tell them to say that they have spotted a ghost in the bottom corner of the graveyard

319 views already on you video Mick they all say nice music big head, they were asking me is He fat Dougie this FAT MICK NO they all said he made a good video

".... there is a local story to be had at The Holy Trinity church at Downall Green right on the border with Wigan, "

But, Dougie, the church is not "right on the border with Wigan". It's a considerable distance from Wigan.


".... if they were to pop-up on Saturday and bring a camera"

Yes, well, don't forget the covid 'rule of six'!

Just got back from the Churchyard was expecting some advice from a man that was walking round on the drainage problem I was working on,

All in a days work if asked, for a donation So spread the good news as MOST people don't see these photo's, lets get it talked about the good work being done in the Churchyard at Downall Green and help push the founding up for them

I would like to thank the Man that dropped the FREE artificial turf off at the Church this afternoon , ho ever you are thank you, will upload another photo when W've put it all down for you to see, this is the test strip photo I put down to see what it would look like

To the Man that dropped the turf off yesterday two photos here showing the turf as it is now, it covered the full length of the path on the left side about 40/50 feet ---Thanks again Mr X

the people on the left are going to be complaining that the grass is greener on the other side

Someone must have asked for this to be done by the volunteers for a wedding on Saturday as a surprise for the bride, they put it up Saturday morning took it down firstthing Sunday

Before & After the clean-up around Rector Halls grave,still needing a bit more turf
--Here--

It is a great credit to the guys and gals carrying out the restoration but shouldn’t the churches be paying to have these works carried out. Although I know it is a different team I read that a Cardinal has resigned because of a scandal involving purchase of property in London costing £180m using Vatican money. I am convinced that the C of E has access to similar sums So they should spend them.

Thats very true Broady.
I think a lot of these do gooders think if they look like they are helping the church that god will look after them when they are dead.

They are the Seneley Green volunteers they look after all the area not just the Churchyard it's just me showing part of the work they do, as for me I'm not a volunteer to old for that but I've looked after our grave for 38 years now, all the credit goes to the VOLUNTEERS not to the people that just attend too their own family graves as that is something we should all doing not to expect someone else to do it,
I shouldn't say this but someone will have asked them to clear the area and do the grave up, grave may look big at 6 foot but he was a giant of a man that the village knew well over his 38 years as Rector of a Church School that children attended till the age of 11

Dougie a lot of the dead dont have any relatives top look after the graves so that why they get overgrown and neglected.
So thats why the church should take over the maintenance of all the graves like we have done up here in forward thinking Shevy, get all them grave edgings removed and grass the lot so it can be cut by a man with a mower

Your right again if only it was that easy to get to remove the side stones as almost every old grave the land was bought free hold or lese hold for a set time and you have to get their permission to remove them.
As said before the bottom newer section where I try to help out their should be none on so they could be remove with out asking and they can make my Mam & Dad's the first to have them removed, I know they are doing it in some R.C. grave yards

P.S. Mick as you have said about the trees no one should cut any branches off any trees over 12 feet from the ground, it's the ends of the branches that are to long not the heal of the branch it self

The drainage problem in the churchyard were wining just need 2 or 3 lengths of 4 "square drain pipe and a bit more artificial turf new or old to finish the job, after that the water will find it's own way to the lowest point over time just needs a helping hand to start it off to get too the dell

Dougie it looks like a rice paddy field never mind a graveyard

Get your hands on some stone, get some land drainage pipe, or any shape drain pipe, drill holes in the top of the drain pipe, lay the pipe on stone, stone on top and backfill. It will help the flooding issue.

Thank's firefox---I've already done that with two three meter lengths and fed it onto the path so I know it's working with all the rain we've had just need the extra stuff FREE to finish it off

Peter--It was a paddy field before I started but the trench runs for 50 feet to stop the water going any farther, they will be opening the other side this weekend that's above the trench I was hoping to complete it ASAP

Dougie by sending it to the dell you might be making floods for someone else.

Fat Mick the graveyard is well above the brook and the water used to drain into the brook naturally.Over the years the water has settled around the graves so with putting drains in it will divert the water back to the brook without causing any undue flooding of the brook. Please google the area and look for yourself

Thanks for letting me know PeterP, Im not familiar with Downall green, with me being from upper Shevington.

Mick--Your giving it a bit of class calling it Upper Shevington ours's is known as Up-Downall-Green from Ashton, and Down-Downall-Green from Billinge, Billinge also as a Higher end or Lower end, you just live in Shevington, remember I've been to the back of your house

Mick doesn't live in 'upper' Shevington, he lives in 'midi' Shevington, and I've been to the front of his house!

I have not only been in front of Mick's house, I have walked down his next door neighbours drive, and I said hello to his fish

It was a long time ago ....

No need for any replies just so proud of them will delete photo's

Still need 2/3 lengths of square drain-pipe


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This to this

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The volunteers are still going strong here in the churchyard --short video here--

The artificial turf is not looking that bad and they have opened up the path at the top to the newer section now

Saw a few of these that the volunteers have done to bring a bit of Christmas feel round their village

Looking good now they have shifted all the leaves from round the graves ready for when people come to put Christmas pots on, keep it up volunteers your doing a good job

Looking much better now. Dougie.

Thank's for your reply FireFox , I don't put these on for anything other than to show the hard work that the volunteers are doing as for the last photo I took that to show my sister in NZ our Mam/Dads grave and work being done in the churchyard she is 89, don't expect she will ever come back to visit

You've got the right name for a grave-digger, Dougie!

Although I have been living in the Midlands for years now, it's nice to see Dougie's photos of the Holy Trinity Church at Downall Green and also his videos of Downall Green and the surrounding areas around Bryn.

Quote You've got the right name for a grave-digger, Dougie!

Yes and I could still dig one if I had to, my training was with a pick, spade, and a big hammer, on my hands and knees not a screwdriver like some sat drinking tea till something went wrong

Hi All, like to add just one of many that was received by the volunteers for the work they are doing. It's so nice for them to see things like these, Added By Author--Holy Trinity Church Downall Green
There has been a huge effort by a team of dedicated volunteers who love the church that have worked week after week, even in storms! They love the work they are doing. They have achieved amazing things.

Our family (William Collier) grave is in this churchyard and my sister visited over Christmas to put a pot on. She was overwhelmed with the transformation since we last went which is almost a year with Covid 19 and we are all shielding. She tells me that our grave has had a lot of work on it and has been covered with artificial grass and some flowers too! We are so very grateful. Could we find out who did this please so that we can thank them? I believe there is a fund so would you send me the details so that we could make a contribution?
Seasons greetings to you all ????.

My Great Great grandparents are buried in there. I grew up on Leyland Green rd, now live in Florida..I looked for their grave the last time I was over, but couldn't find it.. the name is Lomax..

I went up today with my kids to my grandparents & uncles grave & it was so beautiful & peaceful with the snow.xx

You are a man amongst men, Dougie. Without you and other volunteers, the world would be a poorer place.

Firefoxe I'm not a volunteer to old for that now [:) ] just a supporter of them

Hi Dougie, nice to see you are still around. Take care and have a hopeful New year.

I would just like to inform you the Volunteers have had to down tools with the lockdown and the weather for the time being, but any time they work in a family group or social distancing by themselves they don't mix ,

On Sunday morning I had a ride to the churchyard as someone asked is there anyway you can get into the Dell without going through the churchyard sorry to say NO.
Anyone that doesn't know the Dell it's a long wooded valley with a brook running through that shows the boundary between Manchester & Liverpool, it was a lovely place to walk in the 40/50/60s with loads of places you could enter off Rectory Road, I made 3 short video's which are just a walk with me sort of thing not trying to make it look nice, but it could do with a bit of T.L.C. --Video 1--
--Video 2--

--Blue Tit living in a nesting box--

Been making these to help the wild life in the Dell, installed 8 nest boxes, plus 1 terrace block of 4 for the house sparrows, and 3 movable feeding stations, they are here for the time being for the children with learning difficulties to see as many birds as possible ---Photo's deleted---

The volunteers have started back again this year with strimming and path cleaning it is a massif task for them ---Photos Deleted

Sorry to say the lazy people that come to put flowers on family and friends graves still throw the old stuff they take off anywhere for us daft mugs to move, before they will take them home to dispose of, are take them to the place provided that as 6 or 7 large oil drums all marked
1 for paper only that can be disposed of on site
1 for plastics like old flower pots things like that will never rot
1 for artificial flowers taken out of the pots, you all know the thing I mean and these get emptied ever week , there's also a wheel barrow for green waste thats taken away to a compose area, and they are even to lazy to remove the paper raping off the green waste, even I am thinking of giving up

This is one of the young helpers being interradiused to the lawnmower safety for the future it's all part of the skills they pick up helping out,
He as never used the mower yet but one day in the future he will be ready

Dougie keep doing your little bit Every thing helpsJust imagine what our beaches and beauty spots look like and we have only had a couple of days of sunshine. At the best of times there are the idle idiots who leave all sorts behind but now a lot of the idiots cannot go abroad and spoil other peoples beaches and countryside they will try to spoil our beaches and countryside instead

Peter-- I don't expect replies, but you know the place they park in the brow on the bend by the gate take nice new flowers to the grave and bring old stuff back these are the good people , then throw them on the floor instead of taking them home, that basket you see on the floor someone must have put that there, it's not the volunteers as they had to remove the other one

Not made me take the artificial grass up yet and not been sacked yet
but they still have to litter pick in the churchyard after some lazy people