About Us
All about us
North Norfolk and county - our area
Our services for you
Goldfinch Grave Tending
Based in North Norfolk we are a locally-run service providing general upkeep & respectful visits of your loved ones final resting place on your behalf.
For many reasons such as busy lives, long distances and travelling being an issue, physically managing the task or maybe you find the emotional bearing of a visit to a grave or memorial is
too much, we can provide on your behalf a dignified and caring service.
30 years working in hospitality has taught us the skills to provide thoughtfulness and attention to detail, always making our visits with the upmost respect to your loved ones.
We cover the whole North Norfolk district and visits can be made to observe all occasions and anniversaries such as Birthdays, Anniversaries, Mothering Sunday, Easter, Father’s Day, Christmastime and where tending to a schedule we will endeavor to meet those dates specific to you and your loved ones.
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Spring is an ideal time for tidying graves and memorial sites, a turf cut back from the standing or kerb & grass trim all ready for tending visits.
Our 'Tidy-up only' service is available should you prefer to visit with your own flowers.
Please email or call for a friendly chat
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Our services for you
North Norfolk and county - our area
Our services for you
You may book a ‘one-off’ grave tending visit or several visits throughout the year, these can be evenly spread or we can make a planned schedule for certain dates or anniversaries.
A typical 'one-off' visit will include -
Clearing of any previous decayed floral arrangements, debris, weeds or litter.
Grass trimmed and tidying of decorative aggregate.
Vases and ornaments cleaned on site.
Light-cleaning of the headstone (dependant on age and condition)
with a mild environmentally friendly detergent.
A posy of fresh flowers left on the day and your personal message if required.
After the tending I will send you a ‘before & after’ photo of the visit.
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Prices for visits start from £28.00
Variable on distance
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All tending is undertaken following rules and guidance for each churchyard under the Diocese of Norwich, Town council cemetery or garden of remembrance, and we are covered by
Public Liability Insurance.
Alternatively, we can provide a tidy-up only service should you prefer to take your own flowers and plants to the graveyard. We can trim and cut back overgrown grass & turf, weeds and shrubs. We remove any previous arrangements and debris off-site and clean ornaments and vases ready for your own visit.
Levelling of burial plots and re-seeding are services we also can provide on request.
We can supply replacement vases
from £10.00 as required
We use local nurseries, florists and markets for our fresh flowers and
no plastic or cellophane is used on displays. All waste removed from the site is composted or recycled as standard.
Specific floral arrangements, Christmas wreaths, bulb bowls, all available on request for our North Norfolk Grave Tending Visits
North Norfolk and county - our area
North Norfolk and county - our area
North Norfolk and county - our area
Grave tending visits are available across the whole North Norfolk district and across the county on request.
From our home in Sheringham, at the heart of beautiful and restful
North Norfolk, our service covers firstly our most local parishes such as Upper Sheringham, East & West Beckham, Bodham and Aylmerton.
Then we travel up through Weybourne, Salthouse & Cley-next-the-sea, all around the coastline as far as
Wells-next-the-sea, Holkham, Brancaster & the Burnhams, to Hunstanton and West Norfolk, inland towards Sandringham, Docking, Grimston, Sculthorpe, Fakenham & Thursford, Melton Constable, Corpusty, Holt, Hempstead & Gresham.
Easterly down the coast through the Runtons to Cromer, Overstrand, Mundesley, Bacton, Happisburgh and as far as Sea Palling & Potter Heigham.
Inland covering from Erpingham to North Walsham, Worstead, Tunstead, Stalham and Hoveton.
All parish churchyards in the North Norfolk district, plus all our main town and city cemeteries can be visited for tending.
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We are happy to quote for graveyards and cemeteries out of our main area, and can also recommend other grave tenders across the UK through our network of connections.
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Please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Contact Vanessa On
T: 07485 555 882
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Read more about my business via this link to our local newspaper:
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/vanessa-pritchard-grave-tending-service-7810826
"Why Goldfinch?"
For several years I have been entertaining a ‘charm of goldfinches’ in my garden on an daily basis. Watching them interact with each other in their family hierarchy is a delight. The flash of yellow, skittish yet intelligent and busy nature and their bossy chatter brings so much joy.
I decided to investigate them a little more..
The goldfinch is a bird rich in symbolism, featuring in hundreds of Medieval and Renaissance paintings. It’s symbolic meaning stems from its elaborate plumage and its feeding habits. Goldfinches have red cheeks and in the medieval mindset, these were acquired while the bird was trying to remove Christ’s crown of thorns in an act of mercy and his blood dripped onto their faces. Goldfinches also eat thistle seeds and together these two things associate the bird with Christ’s Passion and his crown of thorns.
Another layer of meaning has been attributed to the eating of thistle seeds, in Europe they were used as a medicinal ingredient to combat the plague. So through this association the Goldfinch also became a good luck charm. Bestowing good heath and warding off disease from those who either saw a goldfinch or owned one.
The popularity of goldfinches as a caged bird in Victorian Britain led to huge numbers being trapped to supply demand, causing the population to crash, however they are now one of our most common garden visitors, due in no small part to lots of well-stocked bird feeders I’m sure. Long may this continue.
Spring 2021
If you or someone you know has not had time to tend a loved ones grave, travel is still difficult, or the plots have become overgrown and need some care we are here to help.
Photos of 'before & after' sent by email or post afterwards for your reassurance.
Please call Vanessa for a friendly chat T: 07485 555882