Funeral of Warrant Officer Darren Chant

The burial of Warrant Officer Darren Chant took place on Tuesday 1 December. His burial followed a memorial service held in the Guards Chapel at Wellington Barracks.

Warrant Officer Darren Chant, Regimental Sergeant Major of the Grenadier Guards, was killed on 3 November in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was one of five British soldiers shot by an Afghan policeman they had been training for several weeks.

The official Ministry of Defence communique reporting the death of Warrant Officer Chant may be read here.

Memorial to Ramadan Guney

On Sunday 15 November the Mayor of Woking led a special service in memory of Ramadan Guney at the entrance to the Glades of Remembrance. The Mayor cut the ribbon over the memorial plaque and map of the Glades and made a short speech. Afterwards, Archimandrite Alexis of the St Edward Brotherhood blessed the waters of the lake, which has been restored as part of the overall improvements to this part of the Glades. The last part of the service saw the release of fish into the lake, donated by Iain Welter of the Welters Organisation, who have undertaken the restoration work on the lake.

During her speech the Mayor said "I am very pleased to be here to unveil this memorial plaque in memory of Mr Ramadan Guney, owner of Brookwood Cemetery between 1985 and 2006. Much restoration work has been carried out in recent years on the Cemetery by Mr Ramadan Guney and his son Erkin. The lake, otherwise known as the Pool of Serenity, has been without water for almost 20 years now. When Mr Guney was alive he tried on several occasions to restore the lake and waterfalls and this has now been achieved in his memory through donations and the Brookwood Cemetery Restoration Fund.

Exploring the headstones at Brookwood

The Woking News & Mail published (12 November) a two-page feature on some of the memorials in the cemetery. Journalist Charlotte Talbot joined cemetery owner Erkin Guney on a journey of discovery around the cemetery.

Hallowe'en Walk

The Woking News & Mail (5 November) reported on our trial Hallowe'en Walk. On a cold, clear night the walk was led by cemetery owner Erkin Guney and cemetery historian John Clarke. We hope to offer the walk next year. Donations have gone towards the cemetery restoration fund.

Pilgrimage Against Poverty

As part of the UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, local organiser Margaret Howells arranged for a group to visit the pauper burial areas of the cemetery on Saturday 17 October. The purpose of the visit was to promote the dignity of and show solidarity with those who experience extreme poverty, and to raise awareness about the eradication of poverty.

John Clarke, Brookwood Cemetery's Historical Consultant, explained to the visitors about the many thousands of the poor who were buried on the cemetery's boundaries. They included inmates from workhouses, infirmaries, prisons (including Woking Prison), and asylums (including Brookwood Asylum). A short service of remembrance was held in the cemetery chapel. The Brookwood Cemetery Society supported the event through its sales stand and refreshments.