As you will know, the Civic Trust, in partnership with English Heritage encourages places/buildings etc to open in the middle of September each year. In 2007, Church Cottage and All Saints Church were open and made a very interesting visit. We have decided to do our bit in 2009.

On Sunday 13th September we will ‘open’ the old cemetery at South View (the Holy Ghost Cemetery). We will have tours of the site, explanations of the Grade II* chapel ruins, of the Sandys tombs and the emblems on the tower. We will also have tours of the WW1 Commonwealth War Graves headstones, with the stories behind them and of Victoria Cross holder, Aidan Liddell, who is buried here. We will have a tent with an exhibition and activities for children as well as a tour of the monuments of the Basingstokers of the 19th century, who played their part in the history of our town. So we need your help. We will need lots of people to help on the day with stewarding and other activities. This will be a fun day and a great opportunity to get to know this corner of old Basingstoke, just 5 minutes from Festival Place.

So please do let us know if you would like to help. It’s a long way off we know, but it would be great to have some names and contact details at this point. Phone Debbie on 473390 or e mail reavell@btinternet.com or send your name and phone number to 25 Cromwell Road, Basingstoke RG21 5NR and we’ll get back to you.