Category: Environment
Civilian Garden Hedge Tamed.
Once again we are indebted to the BCC Grounds Maintenance team who have undertaken a major reduction in the height and bulk of our hedge surrounding the Civilian Garden of Remembrance. Not only do we not have the equipment or man power to carry out this task, we don’t have the ability to remove the resulting shrubbery. It was important that this cut back was completed well before birds started nesting, so thank you again Paul’s team !
Spring is on the way!
One day is beautiful and the next is really dismal ! This is a British Winter and we all long for signs of Spring. This week in the cemetery we have had a couple of hints that Spring is on the way.
The Woodpeckers in the cemetery have started hammering out ownership of certain areas ready for the mating season. In Brandwood End we are blessed with both Spotted and Green (ground loving) Woodpeckers.
If you keep your eyes peeled you will also spot some of the hardy Snowdrops the Friends planted !
Great turn out for final litter pick of 2022
We were heartened to be joined by 13 supporters of FBEC in our final litter pick of 2022, especially when it would have been inviting to have stayed in the warm and dry! December days seem to be bright and sunny or dull and dank- today was the latter.
The total collection of 18 bags, again mainly windblown flower paper, took some finding under hedges and behind gravestones. It was noticeable today that there were many artificial flowers blown around the cemetery or redeployed and nibbled/pecked by squirrels and crows. Please do check your family graves, as we try to pop the newer flowers back on graves but have no idea where they have blown from so it could be that we have placed them on other graves nearby. Apologies, but they really do need to be secured against wind, Squirrel and Muntjac attack !
Thanks again to our volunteers.
Last Litter Pick of 2022
LAST LITTER PICK OF 2022
SUNDAY 4TH DECEMBER
10AM TILL 11.30PM
We have the litter pickers, we have the bags, all we need is the manpower. This is our last chance to get all the windblown litter that the spring shrub growth will cover.
Meet at the Lodge.(Under 16 must be accompanied by an adult)
Stout shoes and gloves recommended.
Last Gardeners event for 2022
Saturday the 5th was our last chance to get rid of as much Holly as possibly on the graves adjacent to the main drive. Once again, ably led by Josie, the volunteers did a magnificent job. Thank you all for giving your time. The improvement is obvious.
No more similar events till spring 2023 but it will be early in the year before nesting starts.
‘Planters’ get ready for the Winter.
You may remember that the Friends were lucky enough to receive 3 community made planters complete with Wildflowers that we positioned near the Lodge and notice boards. We did get some wildflowers but were disappointed with the display.
A small team of volunteers have taken over the maintenance of these planters and today they were all emptied of the unsuitable soil and refilled with a better quality compost. (Not an easy job)
They are now ready for their Winter planting, so keep an eye out to see what appears. Our thanks again to Brightening Brandwood for providing the planters.
AVOVE pitch in to help clear shrubbery.
Yet another day with a fantastic team. AVOVE staff went above and beyond to clear a huge area of the cemetery that had been under shrubbery for many years.
Bit by bit graves were uncovered. Some of them had been buried under dense shrubbery for a long time but when dug out, they were remarkably intact and had been protected by years of pine needles.
Last tidy up of 2022
Those of you that follow FBEC and the cemetery will know that we have been waging war on the advancing areas of Holly, Ivy and general shrubbery that got a strong hold in the cemetery during Covid. Last months tidy up was very successful so we are trying to squeeze a final assault before Winter sets in. Most of this clearance must be done now as the Spring heralds the nesting season and we want to leave shrubbery, especially Ivy, undisturbed. Pop in for as long as you like and give a hand. Stout footwear and gloves if possible. Bring your own tools if you wish but we have loppers and other items.
The Holly and the Ivy !
A few weeks ago Josie Wall, and the Friends, put a shout out for help to remove acres of Holly that were taking over many areas of the cemetery- especially the main drive. Little did we know that 20+ people would turn up and spent hours clearing such a mountain of Holly and some Ivy !. Josie is showing the scale of one of the two piles volunteers removed.
The effect was obvious after 30 minutes, but 3 hours later it was amazing. The photograph above is a before. The one below is the same space afterwards.
Thank you all, The community stands up and shows its commitment yet again. We hope to do this again in November, which will probably be our last chance this side of Christmas. Watch this space.