An Amazing Result

A little while ago we told you about Ri Price, who had decided to run the Berlin Marathon in aid of The Friends of Sun Rising.  (Ri’s Marathon)

We are now able to give you the final result of all she raised : £1658.41.  What a star!  Thank you so much, Ri, and thank you to all who supported her in both the fund raising and the running.

Ri Price having completed the Berlin Marathon

Ri Price having completed the Berlin Marathon

Here she is at the finish, sporting not just an exhausted but still determined smile, but also a very lovely shirt with The Friends’ logo on it.

The Friends of Sun Rising is the charity that will care for the natural burial ground and nature reserve into the long term future.

New Newsletter and Events

Our Sun Rising Autumn/Winter 2016 newsletter has now been published.  For those on our mailing list, it will be emailed out today or posted in the next few days.  If you prefer, it can be found here: Latest Newsletter.

You’ll see that in this edition we have news of all our winter events, including the bulb planting day, tree planting, Armistice Day, carols and Christmas Day.  Do have a look through and make a note in your diary.  As summer slips away and the damper chillier days of autumn and winter approach, it’s good to know there are worthwhile days to anticipate and share.

In the newsletter we are also asking for feedback on our new Habitat Interpretation Boards.  Have a look and let us know what you think?

Example Habitat Interpretation Board

Example Habitat Interpretation Board at Sun Rising

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ri’s Marathon

Ri Price, who has a close family member laid to rest at Sun Rising, is a running a marathon in a few weeks, over in Berlin, and has chosen to raise money for The Friends of Sun Rising.  Thank you, Ri!  I’m hoping that her words will inspire some of our readers to sponsor her.  Here are some words from Ri :

As most of you know, I am running the Berlin Marathon on 25th September. Eek. It’s my second marathon, so I do feel a bit cheeky asking for sponsorship again but I really want to be able to help this amazing charity so I am hoping you might dig deep one more time (this is my LAST marathon!).

I promise you it is not easier the second time around, it has been a grueling training period and to give you some idea of the TORTURE I have put myself through, since April, I have run a total of 371 miles. That’s the equivalent of me running to Cologne in Germany. That’s really far! And that is 55 hours, 45 mins and 6 seconds of running with only myself for company! As you all can imagine, that’s super boring!

Anyway, enough of that, onto the important bit … I am raising money for The Friends of Sun Rising which is a charity very close to my heart and a charity that is of great support and comfort to people who have lost a loved one. At the bottom of this email, I have included a bit more information about them.

Because they are a small charity, they aren’t set up on JustGiving so I am hoping that, if you want to donate, you will be comfortable donating through their website on PayPal (you don’t need an account for this as you can pay with debit or credit card). Please can I just ask that you write “Ri marathon” in the notes to the seller section just so I can gauge how much I managed to raise for them.

http://sunrising.co.uk/friends/donate.html

Thanks so much in advance for anything you are happy to donate, it means a lot.

Oh and this is me in some serious pain after a 15 mile run…

Ri Price

Ri Price

Peas. x

A bit about The Friends of Sun Rising

When choosing where to lay a loved one to rest, the peace and beauty of a place is enormously important – knowing that this tranquillity will be safeguarded is equally crucial.

The Friends is the charity which will provide care and protection for Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground and Nature Reserve into the future.  At the point when there are no longer new burials or memorials, the natural burial company will step back, and The Friends will take over the protection and management of this special place, ensuring its legacy as a valuable nature reserve and a place held in memory of all who have been buried within it.

Until then, its task is to support the company’s vision for Sun Rising. This is achieved through volunteer days, for example, planting bulbs and trees, and fundraising events such as music recitals, shared memorial services and open days.  Primarily, however, the charity’s crucial purpose is to raise the capital it will need to manage the site in perpetuity.

Currently the charity has minimal outgoings, as in the main these are covered by the natural burial company.  As a result, almost every single penny that is donated goes towards this long-term fund that will ensure the protection and care of the burial ground and nature reserve well beyond our own lifetimes, and those of our children and grandchildren.

Hare Lapel Pins

Our new Friends of Sun Rising lapel pins have arrived, and they’re very lovely indeed.  Showing the beautiful hare on the meadow with the sun behind, designed by Tim Howe, these are now on sale in aid of The Friends.

The Friends of Sun Rising Hare Lapel Pin

The Friends of Sun Rising Hare Lapel Pin

The price is £3 – and if you want me to send you one or more, add £1 for postage and packing.  They are 3 cm wide, in hard enamel, stamped copper, with a proper clasp at the back.

Our Spring-Summer Newsletter

Our Sun Rising Spring-Summer newsletter has just been published online.  Those on our email mailing list will receive news of it digitally, and those on our list for postal copies will receive theirs over the next few days.  It can be found online here : Spring-Summer Newsletter.

There are a few dates to put in your diary : Saturday 18 June is our Open Day, after which we will be holding a celebration of our tenth anniversary with mellow jazz, cream teas, a raffle, and a scavenger hunt for the children.

On Saturday 25 June, we have our bioblitz – a nature watch when we hope to record every single species we can find at the burial ground and nature reserve.  Open to all, we hope there will be experts, amateurs, and families looking for a lovely day out.  Do come along for a day exploring nature.

Daffodils and Birch

Daffodils and Birch

With the newsletter published in mid March each year, sending it out is another indicator for us that spring is fully with us.  Although the wind can still be chilly, the burial ground is bright with daffodils, primroses and the first cowslips.  Bumblebees are creeping out, and when the sun shines there are other little flies in the air, which is good news for the birds as they start to nest.

Green Flag Award

Green Flag Award

We are proud to have been awarded a prestigious Green Flag this year.

Green Flag logoThe Green Flag award scheme was launched in 1996 to recognise and reward the best parks and green spaces in the country. The rigorous Green Flag judging process measures each site against a list of criteria which includes cleanliness, safety, sustainability, heritage conservation and quality of management. It continues to represent the national standard of excellence against which parks and green spaces are measured. For more information about Green Flags, please check their website, or have a look at the Sun Rising page on their website.

There’s a rather nice little piece in one of the local newspapers too : check The Banbury Guardian website to see it online.  Some of the quotes are strangely worded, but you’ll get the idea!

New Photographs

We’ve just uploaded a number of new photographs to our Flickr site – this time in the Pond album and the Butterflies and Bees album.  Do have a look, and share the links with friends and family.

Common Banded Hoverfly on Creeping Thistle Flower

Common Banded Hoverfly on Creeping Thistle Flower

New Drainage

Those who receive our Sun Rising newsletter will be aware of our planned development, putting in a new stretch of drainage, to run from the lane, across the centre of the field and down to the pond.  This is a huge investment for us, but necessary to put in before we look at creating a new area of wildflower meadow between the roundhouse and the lower corner of the field, and then open up a new area for burials.

Those who have visited over the past day or so will have seen the large machinery, and do hope that this hasn’t been too disturbing.  The size of the machines belies the holes they are making in the land …

Putting in the new drainage

Putting in the new drainage

The new drain line

The new drain line

It’s very tidy, isn’t it?  Into this groove, is laid a drainage pipe, which collects all the water from the old field drains and surface water which seeps down, allowing us to keep the site in a reasonable condition even through periods of heavy rainfall.

The work is some distance from any burial areas, and should be done by the end of this week, leaving just a little tidying to do – by us and by nature, with earth settling and grass recovering.  Do let us know if you have any queries or concerns.

Theo

Little Theo Monk was buried at Sun Rising in 2008, with immense sadness and dignity – his energy and bounce are still profoundly missed.  As part of her own journey, his lovely mum Anna has put together a beautiful set of photographs – from the funeral to spring 2015 – of his spot in the meadow, his memorial tree, and other Sun Rising moments.  She has put the photos on Facebook and kindly suggested we share it here with you. https://www.facebook.com/anna.kingsley.146/media_set?set=a.356160664590548.1073741845.100005898513556&type=1&l=4dbd5e5e74