Batley Cemetery

Registered as a company limited by guarantee in 1997 and granted registered charitable status in 1998. The primary aims of Environment Concern are to raise peoples awareness of their responsibility for their environment; to empower individuals and community groups to form community action teams and to provide training facilities and educational materials.

Environment Concern has a proud history and great potential for the future. The organisation has joined together with a wide range of partners to produce a Community Economic Development Strategy for North Kirklees. The Strategy sets out a shared vision for the future of the area to maximise the creation of new jobs, skills training and economic activity. This will be achieved through a range of action programmes interpreted through economic development, training, education, employment, leisure and recreations, environmental, social, cultural and community safety policies.

The organisation has representation on the Boards of VONEF, The Community Alliance, Backing Batley Group, Town Centre Management and is a member of the North Kirklees Partnership, Heavy Woollen Industry Group, Cemetery Support Group and the Environment Forum.

The organisation has a well founded track record in developing community led initiatives and has been rewarded for its endeavours by the British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) for Best Practice in Community Regeneration and received Regional and National recognition for environmental improvements by the Tidy Britain Group and the Queen Mother's Birthday Awards. Environment Concern's Horticultural Training centre is located off Woodlands Road, near the Bagshaw Museum in Batley. The centre is open for therapeutic Horticulture and general horticultural training; the training courses will commence in the spring and will be open to all. They are currently visited by community and school groups as well as people with disabilities and special needs.

There are raised beds both outdoors and in a poly tunnel for people who may have difficulty working at ground level. There is also a sensory garden which will be a renewal project this year. Within the sensory garden there is seating under a willow arch. They have recently installed a tarmac path and paved areas so the site is safe and easily accessible.

Some of the activities and courses that run include, seed sowing (vegetables and flowers), pricking out and growing on, maintenance of plants, planting up hanging baskets and planters, pest and disease management, plant identification, pruning and making holly wreathes.