Litter picks take on a whole new regime in these Covid aware times. Pre litter pick we need to make sure we have all the relevant notifications for attendees to read, and test and trace paperwork ready for everyone to complete.(As well as emailing and social media sharing!)
Following a socially distanced ‘pick’ everything needs to be washed or thoroughly cleaned! All adding time and effort- but all essential in these weird times. Thanking you all for taking care during our event.
Our first Fairy Ring ! Last year we had some huge rings around the cemetery so keep your eyes peeled and please post photos on our facebook site, or e mail them to us to display on our web page.
Today, in the cemetery, we stumbled across two people quietly tending a grave that was overshadowed by a group of fantastically tall Sunflowers. It appears these seeds were left over from some planted, and tended with loving care, in the ladies garden yet the grave side ones had far outgrown the others!!
Brandwood End will be open from 10am till 5pm- Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday.
This information has been taken from the BCC site below.
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/directory_record/452/brandwood_end_cemetery
It’s nice, now and then, to look back at previous events. In our early days the Friends had a photo album with flickr.com. This is a link to our 2007 opening of the Civilian Garden. Sadly, many of the people featured are no longer with us. Thankfully, allowing for several renovations and re modelling, the Garden itself is still very vibrant, as you can see above.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/podnosh/albums/72157601918606847/with/1346369524/
The 75th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan) will be recognised on 15 August 2020 commemorating the final end of the Second World War.
This anniversary is rarely ‘celebrated’ publicly as widely as VE Day but it was, never the less, just as important for many reasons.
On August 6th, at 8.15 a.m. Japanese time, the United States dropped the atomic bomb ‘little boy’ on Hiroshima and on August 9th at 11.02 a.m., dropped the bomb ‘fat man’ on Nagasaki. This resulted in the Japanese formally surrendering to the Allies on August 15th.
This was made official on September 2nd 1945 with the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.
On Monday 20th July, the Friends held a small event to place a summer wreath at the Cross of Sacrifice to mark 90 years since its inauguration, and also 15 years of work by the Friends.
The opening photograph shows our founding Chairman, Anne Courbet, alongside our existing Chairman, Julia Griffin- social distancing of course! Follow this link to see photographs from the day. We were especially pleased to see Tony Purcell, who leads the local ground staff in their work at Brandwood End, and kindly arranged access for the Commonwealth War Graves stone masons to refurbish the Cross and walls in this special year. (Not easy to arrange in these strange ‘Covid’ times.
We have well over 200 Commonwealth War Graves scattered around Brandwood End but for some reason there are a small group of them together just near our Civilian Garden of Remembrance, so some years ago we planted a hedge as a form of demarcation. During Lock down it had become rather wild and unkempt….maybe like some of us! Today some of us took it in hand!
This is what we found……
But with a snip here and there it now looks a little neater.
The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery should have been holding their quarterly litter pick this Sunday coming but, under the present circumstances, we have decided to cancel it. It is probable that it would involve a group of more than 6 people, most of whom would fall into vulnerable categories! We hope to be able to ask for your support for our next litter pick on Saturday 5th September.
Members of the committee will be visiting the cemetery as and when possible and litter picking but fortunately, due to lockdown and reduced visitors, there is very little litter.
If you are visiting a grave can we ask you to remove any flower paper from flowers you may be leaving and take it with you. As the flowers dry in the sun they become light weight and the wind carries the paper around the cemetery.
If you are leaving artificial flowers please ensure they are well secured, as in high winds these blow around the area and then get cut by the ride on movers into confetti !
Finally, can we ask you not to leave any unattended lighted candles, even in jars, whilst everywhere is tinder dry.
The Friends thank you for helping them keep Brandwood End a welcoming and safe place for all.
Munjac Deer have been making themselves known in and around the area of the cemetery and the pool. They were heard more than seen a lot in the past, but sightings have been rare of late. The deer you can see in the picture below is a Roe deer and is considerably larger with a longer neck and a distinctive white rump- but several years ago one of these was spotted and photographed in the cemetery by Dean our Ranger. How it got there, we have no idea but it is unlikely we will see one again! (The female does not have the antlers that appear here)
The Muntjac is much smaller, similar size to a Labrador dog, and can be recognised in the cemetery at night by it’s distinctive single ‘bark’. In the last week there have been close encounters during daylight with one by Brandwood Pool and also in the cemetery. Wildlife is enjoying lockdown, with reduced footfall making them more inclined to be about in daylight hours in this relatively urban area. Lets hope someone can get a photo of one ……but they are very quick!