The challenge
Highgate Cemetery is an internationally renowned, atmospheric and enchanting site and resting place of many well-known people, from Karl Marx to George Michael. Still a working cemetery, it welcomes over 100,000 visitors annually from all over the world.
How we’ve worked with Highgate Cemetery
Since 2020 CCC has worked on projects with The Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust to communicate its response to the challenges of climate change and plans to ensure this magical site remains relevant for future generations.
We have:
- Launched two major landscape and architectural competitions to attract top-quality entries and announcing the successful schemes. This was a highly sensitive change in direction for the Cemetery
- Created films featuring voices from the Cemetery and its partners and users, to ensure the approach was well understood; also providing B-roll footage and social media assets
- Developed a consultation website and on-line exhibition to gain public insights on the architectural plans, informing decision-making
- Announced the results and on-going plans, generating over 150 pieces of local, national and international broadcast and print media coverage for the process, including a page feature in the Observer and a Countryfile ‘takeover’ broadcast from the site
As the ‘Unlocking Highgate Cemetery’ project has progressed further, CCC has supported the announcement of National Heritage Lottery funding success, including a major £6.7m confirmed grant in 2026. As part of this, we created a new film and social media assets featuring a wide range of users and stakeholders to showcase outreach work already underway at the Cemetery and describing how the grant will be used to address climate change and attract new audiences. Working with National Lottery Heritage Fund we enhanced their grant announcement, ensuring the Highgate story stood out with targeted broadcast and print media opportunities. We have also supported stakeholder relations planning and activation throughout, ensuring that Highgate’s plans are well understood by grave owners, visitors, opinion-formers and local supporters alike.
“The CCC team worked closely with us to manage the communication around our plans for the future of this much loved site every step of the way. Their media handling resulted in some tremendous profile for the competitions and the Cemetery more widely and their detailed approach ensured that we kept our stakeholders well informed. We were delighted with the number and quality of Architectural responses we received and the positive feedback from people who care about this special place.”
Ian Dungavell Director, Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust
