Our thanks to Vanessa, one of our volunteers, for spending some time this morning on a final tidy up of the Civilian Garden. Plants dead headed, weeds removed……all we need now are the Council to cut the grass and we are looking our best. Hope to see some of you there Saturday at 11am till 2 pm. Please pop along.
Over Heritage week we have decided to offer our self guided Heritage Walk again. You can find the link to this on our ‘Events’ page. Please download it before you attend if you want to participate. We will have a few hard copies available on Saturday the 10th at our event in the Civilian Garden but using your mobile device saves us printing costs. Thankyou
Just a reminder that the Friends are taking part in Heritage Open week commencing next Saturday the 10th September with an event based in our Civilian Garden- 11am to 2pm
The Friends will be there to put names to those bomb victims buried within this area and give everyone an insight into when and why it was originally designed some 70 years ago. Its been reborn several times so has a history of its own.
We will also be joined by Matt Felkin who has done a lot of research for Birmingham Air Raids Association and he holds a wealth of information about casualties and bomb sites around the City.
There is still time to sign up to assist other volunteers recording inscriptions of our headstones for a digital map ! Follow this link to Eventbrite to book a place. Wednesday 14th September 10am-noon. This event will be led by Caring for God’s Acre.
Our final event will be a stroll around a number of graves that have been researched by Balsall Heath History Society and the Friends. There are still a few spaces- e mail us on friendsofbec@gmail.com
Friday 16th September 2pm.
Our thanks to Julia Griffin and Val Hart for leading a walk for fellow society members to visit the graves of several interesting former Balsall Heath residents. It was well received, as were the refreshments. Watch out as this walk is repeated for the general public on Friday 16th September at 2pm as part of our Heritage events.
Our next Litter Pick will take place in Brandwood End Cemetery on Saturday 3rd September commencing at 10.00 a.m. Meet by the Lodge on the main drive. We provide the bags and pickers but we do advise stout footwear and gloves. Children must be accompanied by an adult, but are welcome.
The Friends will be taking part in Heritage Open Week and here are a few dates for your diary.
Saturday September 10th– Join us in the Civilian Garden of Remembrance to find out more about this area and why it was built by BCC 70 years ago and refurbished by the Friends. Learn more about who is buried there and why.
We will also have self guided grave tour maps and a trail of painted stones for the younger visitors.
Wednesday 14th September-join volunteers to help record the inscriptions on memorials for posterity, as well as giving you an insight to those buried beneath and the etiquette at that time. This event will be led by Caring for God’s Acre and booking will be available via Eventbrite nearer the time or by e mail to friendsofbec@gmail.com
Friday 16th September– Take a stroll with our Chairman, Julia Griffin and Val Hart from the Balsall Heath Society to visit a number of graves with a connection to Balsall Heath. You dont have to have lived in that area to find the lives of those buried within are of real interest. Please e mail us direct to book a place as we have limited space. friendsofbec@gmail.com
Such a lovely site… maybe in the countryside, but these photos were taken in a garden backing into the Cemetery and the Badgers arrived via the Cemetery.
We have suspected they were around foraging for a while but this is the first photographic evidence.(taken by Will Steer)
Lovely to see but worrying for the Cemetery managers.
Just a timely reminder that, as was recently seen in a cemetery down south, cemeteries are not immune to raging fires in this heat. Brandwood End is tinder dry. Broken glass and shiny objects can concentrate the sun and start fires in this heat. Please take care what you leave near/on your family grave. An empty/broken glass object can be enough to start a fire .
We have noticed the occasional candle in a jar- please dont do this! Animals knock them over. Normally just a broken jar ensues, but at the moment this could cause a serious fire threatening not just the beautiful cemetery but nearby properties.
Please think before you leave any reflective item at this time. Take care and Thankyou.
