FBEC held their AGM this evening at the Brandwood Centre. Unfortunately attendance was low but the evening was rounded off by a very interesting talk by the Reverend Douglas Wilkes on the Cemeteries of the Jewellery Quarter.
Neville Summerfield proposed a vote of thanks to Anne Courbet, who has been involved with FBEC since its inception and was currently serving as Chairman. Anne announced her intention to step down from her role and also from the committee but will continue to support FBEC and its future projects.
The elected committee members names, committee officers details and annual accounts will be displayed on this site following the first committee meeting on 1st May.
Category: News
Local children produce their drawings of Brandwood End Cemetery!
Just prior to Christmas 2012 New Vision Community Group were part of the Christmas Fayre at St Albans School. FBEC, as members of this group, ran a small competition for the pupils to draw what they saw and liked within Brandwood End Cemetery. These are the three prize winners.
This beautiful drawing of our Chapels was produced by Nancy McAndrew, who is 10 years old.
Maisey Cox, aged 9, has captured the avenues of trees that make Brandwood End cemetery so beautiful.
Our final winner is just 5! Roman Addy has managed to pack so many things into his picture. Foxes, trees, angels, grave stones, mushrooms….and even a cat he saw!
Full marks for observation.
Each of the three winners will receive a prize of some items to use for their future artistic endeavours and their efforts will be displayed on our notice boards as well as here on our site.
We would like to thank them for taking the time to enter our competition.
Brandwood End Cemetery gates get a facelift
Many of us with an interest in Brandwood End Cemetery have been waiting for some time for improvements to be carried out to the gates at both entrances. We are pleased to report that both gates have now been repainted and look fresh and cared for. These gates are large and intricate and the preparation and repainting must have represented a major task. Our thanks go to Bereavements Department who have facilitated this.
Community Christmas Fayre
Members of FBEC will be at St Albans Catholic Primary School PTA Christmas Fayre on Friday the 14th December. The event
will run from 3.15pm till 5pm at the school in Bayston Road and FBEC will be promoting membership of The Friends and encouraging local people to visit the site and take our Tree Walk.
This event is supported by New Vision, who aim to bring together voluntary groups in the area and increase each individual group’s membership by promoting community awareness.
Father Christmas will be arriving on site at about 3.30pm.
We REALLY do need your help please
There is a large amount of weeding and edging that needs doing to restore the Civilian Garden to it’s normal impressive setting.
To undertake this work The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery will be holding a ‘Gardening Work Day’ in the Civilian Garden of Remembrance area.
We have already made a start but it really needs a few more hands for a good tidy up.
If you, or anyone you know, might be interested to help please come along at 10am on Sunday the 30th September. Please meet at the large Oak Tree Island on the main drive if you are not familiar with the Civilian Garden area. You will be able to see everyone from there!
We do not possess a wealth of tools so please come with your own tools if at all possible ie kneeler, gloves, hand tools and shears.
For more information or to let us know if you can join us please email friendsofbec@gmail.com
Here is the garden looking a little better but still needing plenty of work:
Local Scouts help with June litter pick
At the most recent litter pick in June Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery were delighted to have a group of local Scouts join in and by helping us out they will be able to gain their Community Badge.
We were out in force to clear up a considerable amount of litter and filled several bags full of rubbish. With the rain and wind it is usually flower wrappings, old plant containers and artificial flowers that become scattered around the Cemetery.
It would be lovely if people used degradable items, like flowers, so the Cemetery grounds don’t become clogged up with non-degradable grave decorations.
What a year it has been in the life of the Friends
The Friends work tirelessly to improve the Cemetery and ensure that visitors feel that it is well cared for and loved. We thought we would share a few of our achievements in recent months and they include:
The establishment, last year, of a two year Memorandum of Understanding and regular monthly meetings with Councillor Timothy Huxtable, Cabinet Member for Transport, Environment and Regeneration, Bereavement Services officers and FBEC, have resulted in a mutually and clearly defined way forward for Brandwood End Cemetery. The twin Victorian Mortuary Chapels have long been derelict and partially destroyed by fire, but since FBEC’s inception various works have been instigated to ensure, if at all possible, the retention of this wonderful building. We are seeking, in conjunction with Birmingham City Council, to submit an application for Heritage Lottery funding for the chapels and will, of course keep you informed by Newsletter.
- The Superintendent’s Lodge, vacated after flooding, is also currently being refurbished with plans being considered for its use within the cemetery. The improvements will include the provision of a garden and refurbishment of the existing toilet block.
- We were delighted to welcome two new Patrons. Elizabeth Perkins, Director, Birmingham Conservation Trust, and Alistair McGowan, actor, impressionist and comedian.
- FBEC continue to be represented on the Committee of ‘New Vision’, a group formed to continue the community cohesion begun by the 106 group.
- FBEC have a representative on Birmingham Heritage Forum and in 2012 we will again be included in their promotional information leaflets which are distributed to most city tourist venues.
To read the full article and see what a few dedicated people and their supporters can achieve:
Audited Accounts Year ending 31st March 2011
Please see our accounts for the year ending 31st March 2011. Comment here if you have any questions!
Thanks, Sarah
Fan mail from a Friend of Brandwood End Cemetery
“One of our members wrote this lovely letter and has kindly agreed to us publishing it. As one of the Founding Members, current Chairman and Friend myself it is wonderful to know our efforts are both noticed and supported. Thank you Jeannette!”
Anne Courbet, Chairman
“It was uplifting to see some activity at the Victorian Mortuary Chapels when my husband and I visited Brandwood End Cemetery at Easter time. It is such a pity that the metal safety fencing has to remain – not a pretty sight – but obviously it is there to protect what remains of the chapels from further vandalism.
I always try to make my small contribution towards the general appearance of the cemetery whenever my husband and I visit our family graves – picking up litter, raking dead leaves, etc. wherever it is needed.
I realise that it is only due to the dedication and enthusiasm of the Committee of F.B.E.C. that any of the improvements made during the past few years have been achieved. I would like to say thank you to each one of you. Thank goodness someone came up with the idea of forming F.B.E.C.
My husband remembers very clearly how beautifully kept Brandwood End cemetery was when his family lived in Yarningale Road in the late 1940s, and the general area was still quite rural.”
Regards, Jeannette.
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