Organizers for an egg-citing Easter event received sharp criticism instead of joyful anticipation, leading to controversy and a canceled event.
Friends of Wrexham Cemetery organized an Easter egg hunt on April 3 at a historic graveyard, where nearly 40,000 people have been buried since its 1876 opening, in Wrexham, UK.
“Hop on over for our Easter egg hunt” for some “egg-citing fun,” read the event announcement made by the Friends of Wrexham Cemetery.
The post instantly received backlash, with some calling it “extremely disrespectful” to have kids running over graves.
Friends of Wrexham Cemetery organized an Easter egg hunt and invited people to join them on April 3
Image credits: findagrave
“This is extremely disrespectful. I can see the idea of encouraging people to visit but an Easter egg hunt is not an excuse, why not hold a day where you go into the history of it instead of kids running riot potentially ruining people's places of rest,” one comment said on Facebook.
“My baby is in there and my dad and my husband and my grandme [sic] i certainly would not want kids running over my graves,” one woman wrote.
“Is this a joke or what because it aint funny,” another said.
Another asked, “Is this really appropriate?”
The event received widespread backlash and was criticized for choosing a historic cemetery as the venue for the kids' event
Image credits: findagrave
The people behind the Friends of Wrexham Cemetery page tried to reason with their audience and said the idea behind holding the Easter Egg Hunt was to get people to come and visit the cemetery.
“The whole point is to actively encourage people to visit the historic cemetery so no that would defeat the purpose,” Friends of Wrexham Cemetery said in its replies to naysayers.
They explained that the event could help pique the interest of youngsters in “local genealogy” and pointed out that another cemetery was being used as a playground already.
People said it was "extremely disrespectful" and "inappropriate" for the event to be held where nearly 40,000 people have been buried
Image credits: Friends of Wrexham Cemetery
“What a wonderful idea to get young people interested in local genealogy. Those saying it is disrespectful and that grave yards shouldn’t be played on forget that Ruthin road cemetery is now a play ground. Part of Victoria Junior School,” Friends of Wrexham Cemetery said following the backlash.
“The section that will be used is occupied by the dead from a century ago and will not affect any recent internments. Children will undoubtably be on the paths not climbing on graves,” they explained. “I am at a loss as to why anyone would be angered by children enjoying an outdoor space it should be encouraged.”
The idea of children running around a burial site for people's loved ones was not taken well
Image credits: Gabe Pierce
Friends of Wrexham Cemetery said that the people criticizing the event idea were being “disproportionate and assumptive.”
“I think you should credit children with more as I know of no child who would purposefully be disrespectful of a mourner. Some of the comments are disproportionate and assumptive. It will be a fully supervised and enjoyable no doubt. It’s a shame some have voiced their concerns in such an aggressive way, hopefully the replies have allayed those concerns,” Friends of Wrexham Cemetery said in their comments.
In response to their comment, one Facebook user named Tracy Keenan Taylor wrote, “I am at a loss as to why you think it is ok? We all have opinions and they differ.”
“This has nothing to do with the behaviour of children and not giving credit. We have all got kids; mine are now grown. The cemetery is not a playground,” Tracy went on to say. “In 100 years time, there will be no-one left to remember my Dad was buried there 12 months ago with my Mum and my grandparents and my sister, aunts uncles.... Today I remember. I cannot see any aggressive comments, only upset on such a sensitive subject.....”
Organizers tried to reason with critics and said the purpose behind the event was to get people to visit the historic cemetery
Image credits: Eren Li
Friends of Wrexham Cemetery tried to reason with Tracy and reiterated that the purpose of the event was to encourage people “to visit and enjoy.”
“I’m sure if you inform them where your father is buried they can ensure it is nowhere near. The purpose of the friends group is to encourage people to visit and enjoy. If you wish to visit during the event I’m sure you’ll see for yourself it is a respectful activity involving Scouts. I’m sure your worries would be resolved. Needless to say the cemetery is to be used and visited by all,” Friends of Wrexham Cemetery said in response to Tracy’s comment.
The organizers were eventually forced to cancel the event due to the sharp criticism.
“We as friends of Wrexham Cemetery have had to make an emergency decision to cancel our event to safeguard the young people that we're [sic] going to participate in the garden and paths of our outdoor museum,” Friends of Wrexham Cemetery said over the weekend.
Following the criticism, Friends of Wrexham Cemetery said they made an "emergency decision" to cancel the event
The post announcing the cancellation also saw a number of negative comments on the idea behind the event.
“I think kids need safeguarding from whoever come up with this disgraceful idea,” one said. “I’m glad it’s not happening tho.”
“I’m sorry but no child should think it’s ok to run around over someone’s rest place what type of example are we setting by even encouraging it coz of an egg hunt wrong on so many levels x,” another said.
Another said, “I’m sorry but what an absolute disgrace you are to even think about doing it in the first place , all the places to do this and yet YOU think it’s a good idea to do it here…. Have some respect!”
Some believed parents also wouldn't be okay with the idea of taking their kids to a graveyard for an Easter egg hunt
