Helpers boost cemetery revamp

Fourth generation Masterton stonemason Roger Hoar says a campaign to renew Masterton Cemetery will include a bid to keep alive the stories each headstone represents. Photo by Lynda Feringa

A small army of helpers has strengthened a campaign to renew the historic Masterton Cemetery and keep alive the stories behind the headstones - some with the help of modern technology.

Fourth-generation Masterton stonemason Roger Hoar, who alongside Graeme Evans and former deputy mayor Roddy McKenzie called for the makeover, said about 20 people had gathered at the Masterton Town Hall on Wednesday to exchange ideas and updates about the campaign.

Mr Hoar said there had been many suggestions at the meeting for upkeeping the cemetery, which included a Pioneer section. Council contractors had started clearing up unkempt trees and overgrown vegetation. Air Training Corps recruits, guides and scouts also worked on the returned services section and community service workers completed tasks as well.

The supervision of voluntary help was discussed at the meeting and the effective use of volunteers alongside contractors.

Mr Hoar said he had spoken about some of the easier tasks that could be performed to refresh headstones and grave surrounds and warned about the risks of damaging monuments that needed more skilled care, such as those made from marble.

"One of the main things that came through at the meeting as well was that every headstone at the cemetery had a story and that there are descendants who need to get something down in writing, they need to get those family stories down before they disappear."

He said a modern development in grave markers included a ceramic plate on the headstone bearing an interactive bar code, which revealed that person's story when scanned with an iPhone or tablet: "There's no reason why, eventually, everyone's story cannot be told."

Another public meeting about the makeover campaign's progress would be held in March.