Category: Community
Grave Gardeners Volunteer Day.
If you can spare even an hour on the 15th please come along and help- anytime between 11am and 2pm. Stout footwear and gardening gloves if you have them, but we do have tools and some heavy-duty gloves. Many of the graves have no living relatives to visit and help clear self-set shrubs and trees, so we are hoping to be able to make a difference. This is always a rewarding experience as you can see the impact you make as graves ‘appear’ from the shrubbery. Brandwood End is a 53 acre site and has been used for burials since 1899. The days of 20+ on site Gardeners (as there used to be) have gone so we need to encourage community help with this never ending battle.
Caring for God’s Acre project
Our partnership with Caring for God’s Acre to record all the inscriptions on headstones to populate a digital map of Brandwood End is coming to a close but during Heritage week they kindly led a session for the public in the hope that we may prolong its demise!
Heritage walk in Brandwood End.
A large group of over 20 people enjoyed a well researched and delivered walk today taking in the graves of interesting Balsall Heath residents.
Julia Griffin, our Chairman, and Val Hart from Balsall Heath History Society had originally designed this walk to be delivered to Society members but there was so much interest that it was repeated in full today. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine and a chance to learn more about some of those buried in Brandwood.
Civilian Garden in the spotlight.
Today we were able to tell the story of the Civilian Garden of Remembrance and those that lie within.
Many of our visitors today had no idea that this peaceful area of reflection existed and certainly knew nothing of those buried within.
With the help of Matt Felkin and his wealth of knowledge, we were able to answer many questions about Civilian casualties and local areas that received bomb damage.
Our thanks again to everyone that helped us deliver this Heritage Event and those who took the time to visit us, especially in this strange time of public mourning.
Looking good ready for Saturday.
Final touches complete. All ready for Saturday. Fingers crossed for the weather as it will all be outdoors.
Final Preparations for Saturday’s Heritage Event
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.
Heritage Open Week
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.
September Litter Pick
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.
Heritage Open Events
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