New plaque bearing the names of 25 Servite Sisters buried in Bognor Regis unveiled

A plaque bearing the names of 25 Servite Sisters buried in Bognor Regis has been unveiled.
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A plaque paying tribute to 25 Servite sisters buried in Bognor Regis has been unveiled at a small cemetery on the corner of Servite Close and Hawthorn Road.

Unveiled on Thursday, the plaque honours the long history of the Servite Orders of Sisters and Friars, which first arrived in Bognor Regis 140 years ago, establishing a convent in what is now Servite Close.

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The convent has since been replaced with Servite House, which provides independent living for those over 50, but organisers hope the plaque will preserve memories of the sisters’ long legacy.

A plaque bearing the names of the 25 servite sisters buried at the cemetery was unveiled. Pic S Robards SR2203244 SUS-220324-162441001A plaque bearing the names of the 25 servite sisters buried at the cemetery was unveiled. Pic S Robards SR2203244 SUS-220324-162441001
A plaque bearing the names of the 25 servite sisters buried at the cemetery was unveiled. Pic S Robards SR2203244 SUS-220324-162441001

The unveiling was attended by Bognor Regis town mayor Steve Goodheart and Sister Sheila Sumner, leader of the Order of Servite Sisters.

“It was a really lovely occasion, the weather really came through for us. There was just such a nice atmosphere,” said Chris Bemrose, garden leader for L’Arche.

L’Arche, a charity for those living with learning disabilities, has been responsible for the maintenance of two cemeteries in the Servite Close area, including the one containing the new plaque, for a number of years.

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Alongside acknowledging the legacy of the area, the unveiling of the plaque also marks the start of a new chapter in the history of both cemeteries, as they begin the lengthy process of rewilding.

“During the pandemic, we couldn’t tend to the cemeteries. We work with people who are particularly vulnerable, so it was felt we probably shouldn’t be going outside. So we basically left them to grow wild. And when we came back it was beautiful. It was amazing to see the different colours coming through,” Mr Bemrose said.

As a result, Mr Bemrose and his team decided to rewild the area, planting more hedgerow trees to provide nesting places and food for small birds.

It’s still early days but the project is already proving successful. Gillian Edon, a tree warden, has discovered 70 different species of plants and trees across both sites, including pyramidal orchids, cuckoo flowers and oxe-eye daisies.

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