Brighton volunteers clean hundred of military headstones

Blind Veterans UK enlisted the help of schools, businesses and veteran groups to clean the 300 military headstones in Brighton.

They were in need of restoration due to decades of weather exposure and lack of maintenance over lockdown.

The charity’s plot in Brighton and Preston Cemetery, Hartington Road, has more than 30 graves dating from 1928 to 1946, while City Cemetery, Bear Road, has 270, alongside a large memorial stone.

Jo Parker-Smith, volunteer co-ordinator at Blind Veterans UK, said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to all the volunteers who have contributed to the success of this project, so generously giving their time in often less than hospitable conditions upon a windy hillside in Brighton with no facilities.

Brighton College pupils scrubbing the stones

“It’s been wonderful bringing people together to work on such a worthy cause.

“The veterans who are laid to rest here risked everything so we could be free. It’s only right we remember them in the proper way.”

Before the work was carried out

The project began in spring 2021 with a team of pupils from Brighton College scrubbing the headstones with soapy water and nailbrushes.

Over the following months the stones were twice treated with specialist cleaner provided by HG International, with two of its staff helping out with the scrubbing.

The end result

Blind Veterans is still looking for donations of wood chippings to complete the project.