Looks like it might be good weather for the first Memorial Recording session of 2022 in the Cemetery with caring for God’s Acre. Wednesday 20th April, Starts 10.30am, its free and finishes by noon. No experience needed, as long as you can use a pencil and paper- no computer involved in the original recording! Book below:
NATIONAL CEMETERIES WEEK 2022 will be running from 30th April till 8th May this year. It is a chance for Cemeteries and their Friends Groups to shout about what they are doing in relation to the many aspects they are involved in- from Remembrance to biodiversity. During that week the Friends will be signposting you to items of interest in Brandwood End. Watch this site and our notice boards within the cemetery for more information.
As the Spring takes over from Winter the project to record the memorials and their inscriptions in Brandwood End continues.
This project, led by Caring for Gods Acre, has two parts to it at the moment. The first is to manually record the information and so far we have welcomed many volunteers to undertake this task. If you would like to get involved then you can sign up via this link.
The second part is to convert this information into a digital record that can eventually be embedded in a map! All very exciting. If you know your way around a computer key board, then maybe you could help with this very important task. Interested? Then sign up here.
On the 7th of April the Friends held their Annual AGM, but this year it was a bit different as we were able to hold it in the Lodge at Brandwood End. Our thanks to all our members that attended and also to Dawn and her staff at Bereavement Services for their support to make this possible.
We have had a busy year and achieved a lot, as well as strengthening our links with other cemetery and history groups. Why not have a quick look at what we have been up to?
FBEC – AGM 2022 – our year 2021/22
It has been a year of highs and lows with Covid, but we also sadly lost Anne Courbet. Anne had been a founder member of the Friends and up until the last few weeks of her life she had still played a part in our organisation. We are pleased to say that her daughter, Sarah, has agreed to become a Patron of the Friends so the Courbet name will remain part of FBEC.
What will our next year bring? Our Chairman’s report is also available via this link for those who couldn’t make the AGM. The Treasurers report will soon be available and posted via a link on this web site.
Daffodils brighten many areas of the cemetery and the blossom trees are a riot of colour. The Civilian Garden looks beautiful. 
People are tending graves in the sunshine. Could Spring be just around the corner?
At FBEC we know that many of the projects we promote in Brandwopod End entail working outdoors and an element of fitness. We do have plenty of other tasks for those of you that do not want, or feel able, to work outside in the elements!
Caring for Gods Acre and The Friends have been working on a fascinating project to records the inscriptions on the memorials in the cemetery and load this information onto an interactive map. We will also have the facility to imbed historic information we have discovered about some of those who lie beneath, or are remembered on, family memorials.
This is a job that requires patience, accuracy and an element of typing/computer skills. If you think you can help with this then follow this link to book a place. Full instructions will be given and its something you will either enjoy doing or not- so why not give it a try as it is completely free. Once you are happy with what you need to do, this task can be continued from home. Please bring a lap top if you have one and can easily transport it, but it is not essential.
No previous experience is needed.
Come along and help record the inscriptions on the headstones in Brandwood End. You can also learn what they really mean and how word styles have changed over the years.
Dates are now available for the whole of the summer but you do need to book a place as numbers are restricted. Once you take part in this event, organised by Caring for Gods Acre, you will want to come again.
These sessions are free, just book your place here.
Spring is making itself felt in Brandwood End. Not least in Section 10, cleared of Ivy by 202 Army Reserves last Autumn. It was worth the effort.
Thank you to the 19 volunteers who helped remove 27 bags of ‘rubbish’ from the cemetery. Sadly lots of the rubbish consisted of windblown artificial flowers that had been swept far from their original graves by wind and squirrels. Our message is MAKE SURE ANY FLOWERS OR OFFERINGS ARE WELL SECURED. If you, or someone you know, have a grave in the cemetery we would advise that you check that all is OK. We have no idea which graves wind blown flowers come from so they find a home on the nearest grave or in the bin if they are in a poor state. 
Our March Litter Pick takes places this Saturday the 5th March. As usual this March we are taking part in the national Great British Spring Clean event that is organised by Keep Britain Tidy.
We will supply the pickers and bags, we just need your muscles ! Can we remind you that stout shoes are the order of the day and that children are welcome, but they must bring an adult with them.
Meet at 10am by the Lodge on the main drive.
