Category: Environment

New Tree Walk plans underway

The Friends are very aware how popular our last Tree Walk leaflet was but it is several years since it was designed and time and weather have taken their toll on some of the trees featured so we have started working on a new version that will cover a larger area and feature a wider variety of trees.  We have now started listing and photographing trees to be included and hope to be able to produce the leaflet early next year.

First we need to take lots of photographs, locate a good printer……and find a sponsor!

Litter pick in June sunshine.

Five FBEC supporters and 11 members of the 148th Birmingham St. Dunstan’s Scouts cleared 17 bags of litter this morning on their summer morning litter pick.

Our thanks go to our regular supporters and also to the Scouts, who try to turn out at least once a year to help. This time the pickers were packed away just in time to beat a downpour!

June Litter Pick.

Final reminder to everyone that FBEC will be holding our ‘Start of Summer‘ Litter Pick on Sunday June 4th- 10am till 11.30am – meet at the Lodge on the Main Drive. Litter pickers and bags provided, but we advise you wear stout footwear and gloves as well. This is your chance to enjoy a stroll around this amazing green urban space whilst helping to keep it litter free. The staff work hard to clear any litter but our efforts always produce more, as we have the time to search ! Most litter is flower paper. Can we ask you again to remove papers from flowers left graveside, as when the blooms die the wind blows them and their wrappers around the cemetery.

Hedgehog film showing.

This is the final reminder that there will be a chance to view the Help for Hedgehogs film that was made with assistance from local pupils. The film follows the year long project undertaken by FBEC, The Wildlife Trust (Birmingham and Black Country) and the Park Ranger Service to survey the cemetery for Hedgehog activity and increase awareness of Hedgehog requirements if we wish to stop their rapid decline.

7-8pm at Park House in Kings Heath Park  Monday 5th June. Please visit this link to register if you think you will be coming along as space is limited. More details can be seen here.

This is a family event and suitable for children but those under 16 should be accompanied by an adult. There will also be a showing for pupils and parents in both local schools involved.  (St Albans RC Primary, Woodthorpe Primary) Contact your school for dates.

Hedges and nesting birds!

Those of you that visit the cemetery on a regular basis will know that several years ago the Friends, along with local school pupils, replaced a failing Beech hedge around the Civilian Garden of Remembrance with a biodiversity friendly Hawthorn hedge.

This hedge has matured beautifully and is now home to a diverse selection of insects and birds. A decision has been made by the Friends, following horticultural advice, that this hedge should now not be cut during the nesting season as that could represent a contravention of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, protecting nesting birds.

We will undertake a ‘heavier’ cut later in the year to reduce height and width etc.

New Tree Trail

Tomorrow represents the start of research work, by the Committee of FBEC,  to design and produce a new ‘Tree Walk’ leaflet for Brandwood End.

It is several years since our original tree walk, which has been extensively used- but some of the included trees have fallen foul of the wind or disease and we felt it was time to feature trees across a wider area of the cemetery.

Once we have decided on the trees to be included and the format we will then have to bid for funding to produce a leaflet, so watch this space! (Or of course you could sponsor this project!)

 

Memorial Safety Testing.

We have been informed by Bereavement Services Department that the safety testing of Memorials is due to be restarted and will focus on Sections 35,36,37 and 38

Notification signs have been erected in all the above areas. They have asked us to remind Grave Owners/next of kin, that they should advise the office in Kings Norton Cemetery, by written letter (As signatures will be checked with original deeds) if they have changed address.

Unfortunately many people omit to update addresses when they move, so advising them of any safety work required to their relative’s grave is impossible. This often results in upset as when they do visit the grave they find that  safety issues have resulted in the ‘staking’ or  ‘laying down’ of the Headstone.

PLEASE CONTACT KINGS NORTON CEMETERY IF YOU HAVE CHANGED ADDRESS and are responsible for a grave in Brandwood End, especially in the Sections mentioned above.

FBEC Annual AGM

The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery will be holding their annual AGM on Thursday 13th April in the Conference Room at St Dunstans Church, Kings Heath. 10.30 start. Tea and coffee plus cake will be available! Everyone welcome. At the AGM a report on the Friends activities during the past year will be available and the Treasurer will submit a copy of the accounts.

Great turn out for Jasmin Fields Nature Reserve Litter Pick.

Jasmin Fields Nature Reserve lies just across Broad Lane from the Cemetery site and as a Friends Group we always try and work together. Today was no exception as they held a litter pick and 16 people worked all morning to clear everyday litter and also larger items resulting from recent dredging of the Cole brook which runs through the site.

Several  FBEC members are also members of the Friends of Jasmin Fields, which is a much smaller group than we are, so we were very pleased to see such a good turn out and such a lot of rubbish removed.