Glasgow Southern Necropolis volunteer group turns 10

This week, the Glasgow Times is running a Spotlight series highlighting the state of city graveyards.

Today, we highlight the Friends of the Southern Necropolis, who maintain the Southside burial ground.

Their dedication and successful partnership with the council have gained them several Keep Scotland Beautiful green flags and even an award from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Friends of Southern Necropolis volunteers (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

Colin Mackie, chairperson of the group which looks after the grounds, said: "We do a walk-around every January to take note of the issues that we will have to focus on in the year.

"Our planters will need to be refreshed, repainted and we will also put some new bulbs in them.

"We are also going to cut back some of the ivy and plants growing.

"We are going to try and enhance the cemetery with more flowerbeds. We are going to work on the rose garden, which we are also planning to work on."

Since 2014, members have tended to the land all year round to make sure visitors enjoy walking in it.

Working with the council, they also raise funding for any repairs that are needed.

Colin said: "We get a lot of positive feedback from the community.

"There are a lot of regulars as well as new visitors who are very happy with the work we do.

"However, a lot of them are asking what is happening with the paths in the cemetery. They are starting to be overgrown quite badly.

"We will need to contact Glasgow City Council for this because it is a big job that they would need to take on.

"We have a good partnership with them.

"The last time we spoke to them about the path, it was an issue of funding so, hopefully, in the next couple of months we can get moving and get it looked after.

"We hold events for the community as well, where we sometimes get money and we have had funding before from the Gorbals Ideas Fund for various projects."

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Gate of the cemetery (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

Colin himself has been involved with the cemetery for 35 years.

He said: "I was employed as a researcher in the first ever Southern Necropolis Research Project and I just fell in love with the history and heritage of the place."

The group has been acknowledged recently by the Royal Horticultural Society for their contribution to the community.

The chairperson said: "We are going to Edinburgh in March to get the certificate.

"We are really chuffed, the whole group.

"It's a little pat on the back for all the hard work that we do."

The project has also received a Keep Scotland Beautiful community green flag every year in the last four years.

The Southern Necropolis opened in 1840 and is the burial place of around 250,000 people and is a well-loved attraction in the Gorbals.