Month: November 2014

Christmas shopping on Amazon? Please think of us….

Dear Friends….If you will be Christmas shopping on Amazon this year please consider using the Icon for their site at the top of this web page. It costs you no more and takes just a second longer but for every purchase you make, FBEC receive a small donation.

It’s possibly a bit early- but Seasons Greetings to all our members and followers on the web from the Committee of FBEC.

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New Road Markings in Brandwood End Cemetery

Those of you that visit the cemetery often will have noticed the sudden appearance of ‘give way’ white road markings at the end of avenues and especially surrounding the Chapel Island.

Speeding inside the cemetery has long been an issue but on a number of occasions recently cars have pulled out of avenues at speed or onto the island area without considering traffic already on that island or main drive. This has resulted in a number of near accidents with cars and pedestrians, so the roads have now been marked to remind people to ‘give way’

Chapels (looking from the War Memorial)

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Please remember that there is a 5 mph speed limit within the cemetery and that there are often pedestrians who may be tending graves close to the edge of roads or walking through the cemetery.

Please reduce your speed and remain vigilant as we would hate to have someone injured whilst visiting their loved one’s grave.

 

A poignant commemoration on Remembrance Sunday

The sun shone down today on the one hundred people who attended the annual Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery Service of Remembrance. Our thanks go to Deacon David Fairbotham for his very thought provoking address.

IMG_7775 (800x600)This year wreaths were laid on behalf of  six local organisations and we would like to thank the Royal British Legion who attended with their Standard Bearer before rushing back for their own Service at midday.

IMG_7776 (800x599)The numbers at this annual event continue to grow and we hope that those that attended felt something of the atmosphere created by Deacon David’s address, the young trumpeters playing of the Last Post and Reveille, the time for reflection and the participation of all the local organisations wishing to show their respects on this special day.

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Early start for Bereavement Services staff at Brandwood End…and its Sunday!

It was an early start for Bereavement Services staff at Brandwood End today as they worked to keep the cemetery looking at its best for this mornings Service of Remembrance.IMG_7761 (800x600) We are blessed with many beautiful trees in Brandwood End but that also means that staff have a major job clearing leaves at this time of year.

An 8.30 start meant that the area around the Cross of Sacrifice was free from leaves and pine needles and barriers were in place to stop traffic during the Remembrance Service. Thank you to the staff that gave up their Sunday morning to help Brandwood End appear at its best for this annual event.

Poppy Cross Cemetery in place.

Every year Barrie Simpson goes beyond the call of duty and as well as organising the placing of a poppy cross on every war grave within Brandwood End  he also creates a ‘poppy cross cemetery’. Every War Grave is represented by a cross in a grid pattern laid out on the grass of the Public Grave area adjacent to the Cross of Sacrifice.

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Every year we encourage pupils from the two schools that lie on either side of the cemetery to come and read the information that is posted nearby and it hopefully becomes a discussion point- especially in this significant year.

Our thanks go to the staff of Wates Construction for helping with the placing of crosses on graves and S. Gascoigne and Sons for their kind donation to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal on our behalf.