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The landscape architects used to design the Cemetery won the top Award in the internationally recognised Stonegard Phoenix Competition for their work.
 
View our Stoneguard Phoenix Award
 
Extract from Press Release
 
Austin-Smith:Lord wins Stoneguard Phoenix Award for Muslim Cemetery in Hainault
 
Austin-Smith:Lord is to be presented with the Stoneguard Phoenix Awards 2003 first prize Premier Award for overall 'Total Concept' design for its "Gardens of Peace" Muslim Cemetery in Hainault. The award recognises the quality of the project's design and reflects the support that has been built for the Cemetery in the local area.
 
The £1000 cash prize will be awarded to Austin-Smith:Lord at a presentation ceremony on 5 April in the Chapel at Brompton Cemetery as part of the Grounds for Burial Conference 2003, organised by the Association of Burial Authorities.
 
Austin-Smith:Lord's design for the "Gardens of Peace" Cemetery was completed to Phase 1 stage in December 2002 and covers an 8.7 hectare site in the Hainault greenbelt. The local Muslim community purchased the site, prompted by the difficulties associated with accommodating traditional Muslim burial in predominantly Christian cemeteries due to the practices of orientation to Mecca and prompt burial following death. The design has been informed not only by adherence to the particular requirements inherent in traditional Muslim burial but also by the intent to create a memorable landscape and an enhanced local ecological resource.
 
The concept has been to fashion an evolving woodland Cemetery and forming a grid orientated towards Mecca. Water, highly valued in Islamic culture, has been made a key feature in the Cemetery through the reinstatement of the Seven Kings Water, a former canalised ditch, into a meandering stream. The water physically and psychologically separates the burial area from the entrance and a planned Ceremonial Building. The noise of cascading water masks road and background noises while the bridging of the stream has been made a focal point of the Cemetery leading to a prayer area. All plots are marked by the same simple engraved stone with trees planted at 5m intervals between graves, to form, along with generous planting around the site boundary, the evolving wooded landscape.
 
National recognition of the Muslim Cemetery through the Stoneguard Phoenix Award is demonstration of the support that has been built for the scheme locally and nationally.
 
Project Team
Architect: Austin-Smith:Lord
Structural &Civil Engineer: Alan Baxter & Associates
Geo Environmental Engineering: Austin Geotech
Contractor: Blakedown
Quantity Surveyor & Project Manager: Burr & Neve
Client: Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery Trust
 
For more information or images please contact:
Shely Bryan or Debbie Whitfield at Caro Communications
T: 020 7713 7010 F 020 7713 7011 E: pr@carocommunications.com

Acquisition of more land for use as a Cemetery
 
NEW LAND ACQUIRED
 
In 2007 new freehold land was acquired by the Trust for a future cemetery. It is 30 acres in size, compared to the current cemetery which is 21.5 acres. The land is 20 minutes by car from the current cemetery and also 20 minutes by car from Ilford town centre.
 
 
Insha'Allah, the new land and the existing cemetery will meet the burial needs of the community for many, many decades to come.
 
May Allah reward all those who have contributed to the purchase by generously giving Qardh Husanah (interest free loans) and Lillah Donations.
 
Considerable time and resources will be needed to prepare the land, just as it took for the current cemetery. The Trust is committed to preparing the land to the same high standard as the current cemetery.
 
As the land will not be needed for burial for many years given the space available in the current cemetery, its preparation will be a long term project for the Trust.
 

Tree planting at the Cemetery by Schools
 
School Planting
 
For immediate publication: Friday, 9 May 2008
 
SCHOOL PUPILS RE-FOREST THE FOOTPRINT OF HAINAULT
 
Historic Hainault Forest has gradually diminished over the centuries, but over the last two weeks, Year 3 pupils from Thomas Willingale School in Loughton and Woodford Green Primary School have been doing their best to replenish the forest. They joined forces with the Woodland Trust and the Muslim Cemetery Trust on Elmbridge Road in Hainault to plant more than 100 trees in the Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery, which was once part of Hainault Forest.
 
The new native broadleaved trees are part of the Woodland Trust's creation of a natural, green oasis at the very heart of Hainault.
 
Tony Chadwick, the Woodland Trust's development officer for Hainault Forest said: "This Muslim Cemetery is the largest in Europe. It stands within the footprint of what was Hainault Forest, which covered 4,900 acres but was broken up after 1851.
 
"We'll never be able to re-create Hainault's ancient woodland here, but we can still create a haven for wildlife and people," he said. "It's really exciting to be working with the Muslim Cemetery Trust, teaching primary school children how to plant trees and introducing the idea of respect for nature, which is a part of all religions."
 
In the Islamic faith, the prophet Mohammad said: "Anyone who plants a tree under which people seek shade or shelter from the sun will have his reward with Allah."
 
The children explored similarities and differences between Muslim cemeteries and other cemeteries they had seen or visited. The sessions ended with a series of nature games designed to be fun and educational.
 
Farouk Ismail of the Muslim Cemetery Trust said: "The two school sessions were a great start to what we hope will be a much longer partnership with the Woodland Trust and the local community. We have been delighted to support the project with our own funds and with the involvement of our staff and network of volunteers."
 

Press release by the Woodland Trust on tree planting at the cemetery
 
NEWS FROM THE WOODLAND TRUST
 
16 March 2009
 
SUN SHINES ON ALL IN HAINAULT'S MUSLIM CEMETERY
 
On a gloriously sunny day, the Gardens of Peace lived up to its name and opened its doors on Elmbridge Road to tree planters across the local community. They included children and their parents from Al-Noor and Apex Primary Schools, the 7th Goodmayes (al-noor) Scouts Group, Councillors Vanessa Cole and Vic Tewari, prospective Labour candidate for Ilford North Sonia Klein and Abdul Khaliq of Respect Party, as well as the organisers from the Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery Trust and the Woodland Trust (the UK's leading woodland conservation charity).
 
Former Mayor of Redbridge, Councillor Vanessa Cole said: "I had the great privilege of opening the Gardens of Peace back in 2003, and like the trees planted then it has grown and flourished. The young people who came to plant trees today under the supervision of the Woodland Trust and parents will be able to watch their saplings grow into beautiful trees that benefit the whole community. Trees help all of us live cleaner lives by taking out pollution, they cut down noise and are wonderful to look at and be amongst - it brings peace to all of us."
 
The Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery, the largest of its kind in Europe, was once part of the vast 4,900 acre historic Hainault Forest, which was broken up in 1851. Sunday's planting of 250 native trees is part of efforts to re-forest a little corner of its original footprint and represents the second time the Muslim Cemetery Trust and the Woodland Trust have worked together.
 
To date in excess of 10,000 trees, shrubs and plants have been put into the site, which was a disused piece of land with a polluted ditch when the Muslim Cemetery Trust acquired it in1998.
 
Although the cemetery is mainly dedicated for graves, there is now a fresh water stream and a formal area with plants named in the Qu'ran (Muslim holy book) and the Bible, creating an "English-Islamic Experience". The surrounding boundary has areas where trees can be planted, thus creating a screen of native woodland which in part reflect its history.
 
Tony Chadwick, the Woodland Trust's development officer for Hainault Forest said: "Although we'll never be able to re-create Hainault's ancient woodland here, we can still create a haven for wildlife and people. It's really exciting to be working with the Muslim Cemetery Trust, engaging with local people, and especially children, through the planting of trees and also introducing them to the idea of respect for nature, which is a part of all religions."
 
In the Islamic faith, the Prophet Mohammad said: "Anyone who plants a tree under which people seek shade or shelter from the sun will have his reward with Allah."
 
Notes to newsdesk:
 
Photos attached: reproduction free for editorial use.
Caption 1: Humaaira Jama (left) and Aniqah Majid (right) from the 7th Goodmayes (Al-Noor)
Muslim Scouts
Caption 2: Local scouts and schoolchildren
 
For media enquiries contact: Fiona Moss at the Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121
email: fionamoss@woodlandtrust.org.uk
 
The Woodland Trust is the UK's leading woodland conservation charity. It has 250,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people's understanding and enjoyment of woodland. Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodland-trust.org.uk.
 
Hainault Forest: Until 1851 Hainault Forest was an extensive area of common land with ancient pasture woodland covering some 4,900 acres/1984 hectares. In 1851 Hainault Forest was deforested by Act of Parliament. Most of the pasture woodland of Hainault Forest was destroyed very soon after the 1851 Act by being converted to arable use and in 1900, only 300 acres out of the original 4900 acres were left. Essex County Council now owns almost the entire remaining ancient pasture woodland habitat. Most remnants of Hainault Forest are now included within the Hainault Forest Country Park owned by Essex County Council and London Borough of Redbridge. The Country Park was created in 1906 following the acquisition of what was left of Hainault Forest by Essex and London Councils, which were galvanised into action by Edward North Buxton. An act of Parliament in 1906 laid down the agreement for the Forest to be managed for the public forever. In 1998, the Woodland Trust leased 319 acres/129 hectares of relict ancient pasture woodland of Hainault Forest from Essex County Council and manages it on its behalf.
 
The Woodland Trust's Hainault Forest Project receives grant aid from the following:
 
Biffaward is a multi-million pound environment fund managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT), which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. In December 1997, Biffa Waste Services agreed to donate landfill tax credits to the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) to administer under the fund name Biffaward. Grants made from the fund currently amount to more than £70 million, supporting many worthwhile environmental projects. Biffa is a part of Severn Trent Plc and is one of the largest single suppliers of waste management services in the UK. It collects, treats, recovers and disposes of municipal, commercial and industrial waste nationwide and in Belgium.
 
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about the nation's diverse heritage. From great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots, or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up the nation's heritage for everyone to enjoy. It has supported more than 16,500
 

 

7th Goodmayes (Al Noor) Scouts Walk
 

On 27th March the 7th Goodmayes Al Noor Scouts undertook their annual walk, kicking off early in the morning in the car park at the Gardens of Peace Cemetery and visitng a number of Redbridge mosques, ending up at the Barking Mosque. There was good attendance from children and parents with Beaver and Cub Scouts following the elder Scouts in small groups, escorted by parents, as they made their way along the tour of Redbridge mosques.

A member of the management committee at Gardens of Peace, Mohamed Omer, took the opportunity to give a short talk to the scouts on the etiquettes of visiting a Muslim cemetery and the management committee provided some refreshments and snacks to the Scouts.

The 7th Goodmayes (Al-Noor) Scout Group is part of the Ilford East District in the London North East County, part of the UK Scout Association. It is also part of the Muslim Scout Fellowship. Some pictures of the Scouts in the Cemetery car park are shown below.