Call for Volunteers for Weekend Work Party at South Ealing Cemetery
Come along to help restore the historic 21-acre site
Ealing Parks Foundation volunteers at work
January 29, 2026
Ealing Parks Foundation is calling on local volunteers to join a community work party at South Ealing Cemetery this Sunday, 1 February, from 10am to 12pm, as part of an ongoing project to restore and revitalise the historic 21-acre site.
The session will focus on spreading woodchip—recycled from Ealing’s Christmas tree collections—along the cemetery’s side paths. Volunteers are asked to meet by the Victorian chapels on South Ealing Road. The foundation says the morning also offers a chance to enjoy the cemetery’s naturalised snowdrops, which are currently at their seasonal peak.
Founded in 2020, the Ealing Parks Foundation is an independent charity dedicated to improving access to green spaces and encouraging active citizenship. Its current flagship project is the transformation of South Ealing Cemetery, which has become overgrown in recent years and whose Grade II listed chapels have fallen into disrepair.
Working in partnership with Ealing Council, the foundation has set out short-, medium- and long-term proposals to make the cemetery more welcoming while preserving its dignity and heritage. Plans include securing a Green Flag Award, establishing a Friends Group, and ultimately bringing the chapels back into community use.
Although the site has been identified as “at risk”, significant progress has already been made. Volunteers and council teams have:
- Cleared overgrown shrubs to improve visibility and safety
- Cleaned selected memorials
- Restored electricity to the chapels
- Serviced the chapel clock mechanism and pulley system
- Created new stumperies ready for planting with ferns
These works form part of a broader vision to repurpose the chapels for future community activities, subject to funding.
Volunteers have planted bulbs and wildflower seeds to encourage biodiversity, cleaned and installed bird boxes, and carried out historical research into the cemetery and its occupants. The foundation says these efforts aim to enhance the site’s ecological value while deepening public appreciation of its Victorian heritage.
The foundation is encouraging residents of all ages and abilities to take part in Sunday’s work party. Tools and guidance will be provided.
If you would like more information, visit the Foundation’s website to sign up to its newsletter. It also regularly updates its Facebook and Instagram.
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