Grave of heroic war nurse Edith Cavell to be restored

The grave of heroic first world war nurse Edith Cavell is to be restored to mark the centenary of her execution in German-occupied Belgium.

Edith Cavell. Credit: Alamy

Miss Cavell, who nursed soldiers from both sides in occupied Belgium and helped 200 allied troops escape enemy territory, is buried at Norwich Cathedral.

A new headstone is to be carved and the area around the grave re-landscaped with the help of a government grant and funding from Belgium.

It is one of a number of projects being run by the Cavell Nurses’ Trust, which offers assistance to nurses experiencing financial or personal hardship, to mark the centenary of Miss Cavell’s death.

Trust chief executive Stephen Charlton said: ‘It is a great time for funding improvements that help Edith’s story of courage reach new audiences and I'm sure the improvements at Norwich Cathedral will help do that.

‘We are working with Norwich Cathedral and many more organisations, people and community groups, to deliver a series of heritage and fundraising events in the UK, Belgium and Canada. This will be a fitting tribute to Edith’s life and a springboard for the trust to double the number of nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants we support at their time of need.’

To find out more about Cavell Nurses’ Trust centenary appeal, including a fundraising trip to Mount Edith Cavell in Jasper, Canada, click here