War graves cleaner and campaigner meets with MP to get future support
A Telford mother who started cleaning up war graves with a toothbrush has received support from a Shropshire MP.
When Claire Doherty, 38, and her son Khristian, aged 10, started cleaning the graves of Shropshire's war heroes this year it was to learn more about history.
Now the project has spiralled into something much greater as Claire herself is now a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and met fellow commissioner, MP for Ludlow Philip Dunne.
Claire, who lives near Dawley Bank in Telford, spends hours cleaning up the graves scattered across the county from Albrighton to Ellesmere, and has a Facebook page dedicated to the cause – Keep Our War Heroes Seen.
"It started off with myself and my children heading out to do it and learning the basic history of the war, the fallen and what war graves are," Claire explained.
"Then we started to research the men of the graves and it spiralled from one grave to two to three and kept going. I create pages on social media to get donations for Royal British Legion items to use on the graves.
"On Wednesday I met with MP Philip Dunne who offered his help in that area to try and get more volunteers and more donations.
"It's something that's started off with one grave and now it's got to a point where the MP said he will support us and attend any events we host.
"I didn't think I'd ever get anyone like that coming to thank me for what I'm doing. He said it was great to see future generations getting involved."
Mr Dunne said: “I was delighted to meet both Claire and Neil at Dawley Parva St Luke’s to see the important work they have undertaken to commemorate the fallen in Shropshire.
"Claire’s efforts along with the enthusiastic support of her son Khristian to ensure graves remain clean and tidy, and Neil’s impressive research into the Roll of Honour, show the very different but important ways in which we can help sustain the memory of those who paid the ultimate price for their service.
"As a Commonwealth War Graves Commissioner, I pay tribute to them and the growing band of volunteers engaging with the Eyes On Hands On project to look after local war graves and the records of those who lost their lives in war.”
Khristian and his sister, Kourtney, aged five, are home-schooled and Claire said the whole project started because Khristian wanted to learn more about history.
"They get to learn a bit of history and it all started with an inquisitive child really," she said. "But it's nice to see that other people are recognising that more needs to be done.
"All our family does our part. My friend Neil Evans helps us – he is basically my Google. He put together the Shropshire Roll of Honour and knows so much about history.
"On my social media pages I don't just say I cleaned this war grave today, I try and research who it was and find pictures or background information about them to tell their story a bit.
"It also gives future generations more of an interest and they can carry it on."
Neil Evans was also present at the meet up. He is a historian who has written a full Roll of Honour of the 3,526 Shropshire war dead, sorted by the location in Shropshire where each serviceman was regarded as from.
The main copy of the Roll of Honour is on display at St Chad’s, Shrewsbury.
