Room to Bloom

Transforming Udny Green New Cemetery

In the heart of Udny parish, a small group of dedicated volunteers has transformed Udny Green New Cemetery. Friends of Udny Green Cemeteries is a voluntary group with an inspiring story of loss, love, and people connected by the simple act of caring. Over the past year, the Friends have turned a once-neglected and overgrown cemetery into a cherished and peaceful place. Their journey, supported by a grant from Udny Community Trust, is more than just flowers and clean headstones: it’s about caring, community and connection.

From Grief to Growth

It started with Joyce. After losing her husband, she would visit his grave in Udny Green New Cemetery and feel disheartened by its state. The unkempt grass, overgrown shrubs, and an atmosphere of neglect didn’t reflect the dignity or memory of those resting there.

Rather than dwelling in her sadness, Joyce took action. In Spring 2023, she contacted Udny Community Trust, who helped her take the first steps: reaching out to local councillors; establishing a constituted group, Friends of Udny Green Cemeteries; applying for a small grant to purchase tools, planters and flowers; and starting conversations with Aberdeenshire Council about how the Friends could support the caretaking of the cemetery.

Joyce, by her own admission, was not tech-savvy. But as the project developed, so did her confidence. With support from the team at Udny Community Trust, she learned to type up forms and create documents, send emails, and use WhatsApp to organise and keep in touch with volunteers. She found a new sense of purpose: “It gave me strength at a difficult time,” Joyce says.

A Flourishing Team

A project that began with four members now boasts a dedicated group of twelve. A committee was formed in June 2024; some were friends from Udny Community Trust’s Health Walk group, and that’s how the journey began. Others joined after seeing the difference being made. One neighbour, whose house overlooks the cemetery, was inspired to help “because that’s what communities should do.” After the loss of her husband, another volunteer was so happy to see the improvements at the cemetery that she took steps to find out about the group and get involved. Her GP remarked upon how her involvement with the Friends had helped her with her grief.

Volunteers with a wide range of backgrounds and skills gather at the cemetery each week, mostly from nearby villages, and one even travels regularly from Aberdeen. Some can’t offer physical help but donate money or equipment instead. Others pop by for a cuppa and a chat. It’s a group where folk give what they can, and everyone is made welcome. They are united by more than just a desire to improve the space; it’s an expression of love. Most have loved ones buried in the cemetery, but they also tend graves that are less regularly visited. Their shared experience of grief has created a quiet bond of empathy and strength.

A Labour of Love

The work is physical: weeding, strimming, trimming hedges, digging, planting, sweeping paths. There are midges, scrapes, and stings, but there’s also laughter, tea, and banter. Volunteers joke that they must look like they're doing community service when clearing weeds by the roadside. Those who originally hail from outside the local area have learned new words in Doric. They share stories and support each other through tough days, and they take pride in every inch of progress. There’s something uplifting and hugely satisfying about seeing a job well done: a cleared path, a rose in bloom, a tidy row of headstones.

One of the most cherished spaces is the seating area. Once completely overgrown, it’s now a peaceful spot with an ornate sundial where the group gathers every Wednesday morning. They share tea, sandwiches and meaningful conversation: “It’s an outlet for grief and love”.

Respect and Relationships

The group share a binding belief that the cemetery isn’t just a functional space; it’s a sacred place filled with memory and meaning, which should be respected accordingly. “It’s not just headstones,” one volunteer says. “Each one represents a life and a real person’s story.” Their respect is evident in the Friends’ attention to detail. Roses are planted with care—measured holes, perfectly layered mulch and compost—and there is a sense of pride in the colourful, fragrant display that now welcomes visitors. Even sweeping up grass clippings is done with purpose, because “little jobs matter”.

Their dedication has strengthened their relationship with Aberdeenshire Council and has raised the bar for maintenance standards in the graveyard. Good communication and a strong working relationship with the local groundskeeper, who recognises the real value of the time and effort put in by the volunteers, have helped forge a better connection with the local authority. The Council, in turn, has responded with support: from improving grass-cutting standards, to fixing sunken graves promptly upon request, to laying the foundations for the shed that was gifted to the group by a generous donor.

The shed has been transformational, and the Friends call it their “pride and joy”. Having the shed on site means tools are always at hand and don’t need to be transported in for each visit; volunteers can pop by for small jobs without that hassle. A generously gifted, well-stocked First Aid kit also resides in the shed, showing consideration for volunteers’ welfare, and health and safety. The shed also gives them a space of their own: a wee sanctuary (and shelter on the dreich days!).

A Wider Impact

The ripple effects have spread beyond the cemetery gates. Local schoolchildren have come to help plant flowers and sweep up grass, giving them a safe and thoughtful opportunity to talk about life, death, and memory. Seeing the Friends working away in the cemetery has taken away some of the unease that people can experience around places of remembrance and has helped others in the community, both young and old, find comfort in visiting the graveyard.

The community has rallied in support. Supporters have donated money. A local Rotary group contributed £500. Whisky barrel planters, compost and other supplies have been gifted, and a local business offered a welcome discount on supplies purchased for the project. A local businessman installed a waterbutt at the cemetery to make it easier for families to water their loved ones’ flowers. Gestures of support give the Friends confidence that what they’re doing is meaningful and worthwhile, and one look at their Facebook page gives a sense of how much the wider community values what the group are doing.

Their impact has even inspired others to follow their example. After seeing volunteers sweep up grass clippings to keep headstones clean and having conversations about the big difference that these seemingly small jobs can make, Council workers began doing the same. An unkempt area of plaques, once overgrown and overlooked, has become a beautiful corner full of flowers and tributes. The Friends’ degree of care and respect is inspiring.

Looking Ahead

In just over a year and a half, the Friends of Udny Green Cemeteries have done more than even they thought was possible. They’ve:

🌱 Cleared and transformed the seating area.

🌱 Planted beautiful, fragrant roses along the main path.

🌱 Inspired and encouraged improved maintenance practices.

🌱 Rejuvenated a neglected memorial space.

🌱 Installed a shed for storing tools, equipment and a fully-stocked First Aid kit, which doubles as a handy shelter.

🌱 Planted screening hedges around an unsightly corner where the earth pit is located.

🌱 Installed a water butt to make it easier for families to water flowers and plants at the graves of loved ones.

🌱 Restored respect to a place that holds deep meaning for the community.

And they’re not stopping… With Udny Green New Cemetery in much better shape, the group now aspires to extend their work to the Old Cemetery. It will be challenging, and there are many more restrictions on what they can do, due to the graveyard’s fragile and dilapidated condition. But if the journey so far has shown anything, it’s that no obstacle can stop the Friends, who apply their hearts, heads and hands to tackling any challenges that come their way.

Turning Ideas into Action

Joyce’s family initially worried that she was taking on too much. Now they see how much this project means to her and to all those who are involved. All the volunteers are quick to say that they get as much, if not more, out of their participation in the group than they put in. What began as a personal mission has grown into something far greater: the project is a shining example of care, connection, and community. The Friends didn’t need to be convinced to act. They saw something that needed doing and quietly got to work, which is often how the most meaningful change happens.

Udny Community Trust is proud to have supported the Friends of Udny Green Cemeteries, and even prouder to see how far they’ve gone beyond their initial modest aims. They remind us that community isn’t just about where we live; it’s about how we care for one another and the places and spaces around us. With a little funding and a lot of care, together we can help our local people and places to flourish.

Want to follow Friends of Udny Green Cemeteries’ journey or get involved? They would gladly welcome volunteers! Find the group on Facebook: Friends of Udny Green Cemeteries

If you’re part of a group with an idea or a vision for our community—whether it’s developing or reviving a local space, supporting wellbeing, or creating opportunities for connection—take the first step! Reach out, ask for advice, apply for a grant. You might be surprised by how much support is on hand, and how much you can achieve working with others. Learn more about Udny Community Trust and how we can support you and your group through the Udny Community Fund grant programme.