A group of elderly people regularly causes nuisance at Zuylen cemetery in Breda. But director Roel Stapper takes that for granted because these loiterers, as he calls them, also ensure that nothing is stolen. “They commemorate their relatives and especially come to meet each other,” says Stapper. “And in doing so, they sometimes lose sight of the environment.”
“We should have a talk, director,” says 75-year-old Tonnie Philipsen as soon as Roel Stapper appears in the urn garden.
Tonnie and the other four seniors are displeased because their hangout, a round wooden bench, has been replaced by a killer iron one. “That’ll be fine”, the director of the cemetery replies kindly. “It’s only temporary, because the sofa is being repaired because it started to rot.”
But Stapper himself also wants to chat with the group of elderly people. A visitor who visits a grave a little further has recently complained about the regular club of seniors. “This woman did not feel treated properly by one or two elderly people. So we will discuss that together. Sometimes the loiterers have to adjust to their environment again and then things go well again for a while.”
“Very occasionally there are complaints, yes, but that doesn’t matter to us.”
The group of elderly people changes daily. Because the loiterers who are concerned are not here today, the others shrug their shoulders and everyone continues to talk happily. They know that it is always about noise or the way of speaking.
“If we’re there, they’ll hear us,” laughs Tonnie, a woman with heart on her tongue and the captain of the couple. “Very occasionally there are complaints, yes, but that doesn’t matter to us. Apparently we talk very loudly. They say that they hear us from afar, but it will all be easy. with each other.”
The vast majority of loiterers are women. Henk is one of the few men. He always comes to Zuylen on Sundays with his wife and then visits his parents who are buried there. Then he joins the loiterers. “Sometimes we are noisy,” he admits. “But if they ask if we want to be quiet, we usually do. It doesn’t always have to be quiet in a cemetery.”
“Don’t take anything away from here, because the loiterers are coming after you!”
Director Roel Stapper sometimes has to be strict, but has a good relationship with the group of seniors. “They commemorate their relatives, but above all come to meet each other. It is great that the cemetery can also have this function. But they also sometimes cause nuisance. But we always solve that, because they are mainly lovely ladies and I wear her heart.”
In addition, the group of older people provides social control. “Their presence helps against theft”, says director Stapper. “They are a kind of friendly supervisors with catering ears and eyes in the back of their minds. They have a preventive effect and report matters to us. I am happy with it.”
“Yes, we are a kind of private detectives”, says Tonnie Philipsen about this. “We keep a close eye on everything and see if people don’t steal a flower arrangement or vase. Don’t take anything away from here, because the loiterers are coming after you!”
