Eyes On, Hands On volunteers discover the stories of Cranwell

On Tuesday 30^th November 2021, some of our ‘Eyes On, Hands On’ volunteers in Lincolnshire met in Cranwell (St Andrew’s) Churchyard to meet fellow volunteers and learn more about the work of the CWGC.

This included a small tour of the site, in which some of the stories of the casualties commemorated at the site were told. This was a great opportunity for our team to learn more about their work, and about some of the people who's headstones are in their care. In addition to the volunteers, the tour was joined by Officer Cadets from nearby RAF College Cranwell.

The Eyes On, Hands On project allows volunteers across the country to reconnect with this history and heritage on their doorstep and help CWGC to ensure these war graves – scattered across more than 12,500 locations – are clean and well-tended.

Once trained as an Eyes On, Hands On volunteer you will be encouraged to visit the churchyards and burial grounds near to where you live. You will be equipped with the know-how to spot the isolated graves which come under the Commission’s care, and undertake inspection visits to ensure each grave is in a good condition. This regular information from local volunteers ensures CWGC’s professional teams can be better directed and allows us to act fast if an issue is found.

Due to the ongoing social distancing rules and restrictions as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, elements of the project have been scaled back and adapted to ensure volunteers and staff are kept safe at all times, but there are always opportunities for new volunteering positions around the country.