Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater enlists army of volunteers for Heckmondwike clean-up

The clean-up - which took place on the morning of Saturday, November 26 - involved the local volunteer group Keep Hecky Tidy, Heckmondwike councillors, local police officers, young genealogist George Hall and members of Ms Leadbeater’s constituency staff team, who all got stuck into stripping away brambles and overgrown vegetation at the Upper Independent Chapel on High Street, which uncovered the long neglected graves and monuments.

Later on in the day some of the team, along with volunteers from Spen Valley Civic Society, also joined members of Sustrans - the active travel charity and custodians of the National Cycle Network - at the Spen Valley Greenway off Station Lane where they carried out a litter pick and cleared more vegetation and debris.

Following the two projects, Ms Leadbeater said: “It was a fantastic morning’s work in Heckmondwike from an amazing bunch of volunteers.

"The cemetery is large and very overgrown, but we made a great start. It will be a long job so I’d encourage anyone to lend a hand if they can spare an hour or two. We will be back at both sites in the New Year.

“I’m grateful to everyone who turned up to wield a shovel or a pair of secateurs, and to both Kirklees Council and Natural Kirklees for the loan of tools and equipment.”