Category: News

More mature trees lost in Brandwood End

We are sure regular visitors to the Cemetery will have heard and seen the tree work that has been going on. A number of mature trees have had to be removed as they were either damaged or diseased and represented a risk to the public.

20150123_144748 (800x600)It is so sad to see such majestic trees felled but many of them are at least as old as the Cemetery- so 120 years and some were part of the original hedgerows in the farmers fields. Nothing lasts for ever and fungi are often a sign of a trees demise.

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The Friends are keen to help with the maintenance of tree stock numbers and species in Brandwood End but any introduction of trees into the cemetery needs to be carefully planned with Bereavement Services and the local Tree Officer to maintain its original design.

Seasons Greetings to all our supporters.

Christmas is almost upon us and the committee of Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery would like to wish all our supporters ‘Seasons Greetings’. Although we seem to have made no progress with the Chapels in 2014, due to the financial constraints being experienced by Birmingham City Council, we have never the less been busy on other projects in the cemetery. Can we thank Bereavement Services staff for their co operation, our project sponsors and all of the volunteers who have worked alongside us. Thank you all again and we look forward, hopefully, to more progress in 2015.

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Choking Ivy removed from historic graves.

Our thanks to the committee members and volunteers who turned out to help remove the Ivy from some 0f the historic graves near the Chapels last weekend. We are only able to do this at certain prescribed times each year as the Ivy provides nesting areas for some of our beautiful birds from the spring onwards. A special thank you to the volunteers from Alvechurch who gave up their time to help committee members.

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Transformed……from the overgrown view on the left to the cleared area on the right!!

The sad news is that this needs to be done often and it only seems like yesterday that it was cleared before!  Our thanks again for everyone’s efforts.

Last litter pick of 2014!

This will be the last weekend in 2014 that the Friends will be holding a Litter Pick and clean up in the Cemetery. The details are as follows:-

Meet by the Lodge on the main drive. 10am (Usually finished by 11.30am)

Sunday 7th December. Litter pickers and sacks provided but suitable shoes and gloves advisable.

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If Litter Picking is not up your street, we always have plenty of weeding to do under the hedges in the Civilian Garden of Remembrance. You will have to bring your own tools for this task.

 

 

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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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.

 

Jasmin Fields Work Day

Sunday the 19th of October will see lots of activity at our local Nature Reserve of Jasmin Fields. Following the fire and destruction of the bridge walkway to the canal, the Friends and local Ranger will be relaying a pathway across this area. There will be litter picking, ‘Balsam Bashing’ , bulb planting and general tidying so they need as much help as possible.

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Please meet at the Farm gate entrance in Jasmin Croft at 10am.  There will be people on site from 10am-4pm so if you can drop in any time, they will welcome your help.

Please wear suitable clothing and footwear. Children under 16 must be supervised by an adult.