Ilkeston - Two Events
w/e 30 March 2014
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
Sometimes
it's head-scratching time thinking of somewhere different to
go each week for a selection of photos. At other times there
are so many events that it is difficult to know which to choose.
On Saturday there were two events close to home. At the Erewash
Museum (left) there was a"Spring Fayre" whilst the
Friends of Park Cemetery (right) held a "Daffodil Tea".
We went to both.
The event at the Erewash Museum promised lots of cute and cuddly
creatures and furry friends from the White Post Farm and a van parked at the entrance
showed that they had arrived. The focus of attention therefore
was a gazebo which had been erected in the museum gardens.
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The promise was fulfilled with a selection of animals that children
(and adults too) were able to pick up and stroke under the guidance
of their keepers.
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There were a number of reptiles too in the gazebo including a
bearded dragon who, according to a label on his container, had
been named George. Bearded dragons live mainly in Australia,
eat locusts and crickets and sometimes occasional vegetables.
They live to about 10 years old and grow up to about 18 inches
in length.
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It has to be said that some of the animals were more cuddly than
others although the rats, like this one of three visiting the
museum, were attracting quite a bit of attention.
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A lady with a thumping heart and trembling hands was brave enough
with encouragement to hold this spider as she attempted to overcome
her arachnophobia. The keeper pointed out that spiders not only
have eight legs but also two arms at the front of their bodies.
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The second event of the day was advertised with a large banner
near the gates and the Friends of Park Cemetery were in attendance
to open up the left hand chapel for their first event of 2014.
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The event was advertised as a Daffodil Tea and home made cakes
and hot and cold refreshments were available inside the chapel.
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A small exhibition with photographs, leaflets and notes provided
information about the work of the Friends who were on hand to
talk about their plans for the future of the park and the chapels.
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Work already done in the left hand chapel included the cleaning
of the Minton tile floor which is well over a hundred years old.
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Close inspection of the walls though shows that damp has had
a detrimental effect. The right hand chapel is in a particularly
poor state of repair having been used by the council as a machine
store room for several decades. It's a dozen years or more since
the last funeral was conducted in the left hand chapel. The cemetery
was opened in 1892 and the chapels which are now Grade II listed,
built in 1910. Because of their listed status, it's going to
need expert restoration and expensive work to bring the chapels
back into good condition and the Friends of Park Cemetery who
promote its general welfare, regularly hold fund raising activities.
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