Category: Environment

42 Amazing Redwoods!

Every time I visit Brandwood End Cemetery, no matter the weather, I marvel at our magnificent avenue of Redwoods. Today, for the first time, I actually counted them! There are 23 on one side of the main drive and 19 on the other. I suspect that we have the most beautiful ‘avenue’ of  42 mature Redwoods in the Midlands? I know that the Friends of Kings Norton Park  are slowly developing their own ‘Redwood Avenue’ but suspect none of us will be about to see them reach the size of those in the Cemetery.

Great British Spring Clean- Saturday 4th March 10-11.30am.

Keep Britain Tidy are again heading up a anti litter campaign this year, so we have decided to dedicate our MARCH 4th LITTER PICK to this cause.

Please come along and help us to keep the cemetery free of flower paper and blown litter following the recent storms. Meet at the Lodge on the main drive at 10am till 11.30 and enjoy a stroll around this beautiful green space whilst collecting litter to boost this Great British Spring Clean campaign.

We will provide litter pickers and bags but advise strong footwear and gloves. Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.

Adults- do you want a bit more detailed Hedgehog information?

FBEC have now enjoyed several family Hedgehog events, delivered on our behalf by Birmingham Park Ranger Service (Jan and Dean) and the Wildlife Trust (Emma). We are coming towards the end of this enormously enjoyable project that seems to have captured the imagination of local schools and residents.

On Monday the 20th March from 7-8pm at Park House in Kings Heath Park we will be holding an adults only event, to cover some of the more technical details relating to the  why the well loved Hedgehog is declining in most areas of the UK.

Places are  FREE but limited, so please reserve your place via this link.

Final Family Hedgehog event !

Today was the final Family Hedgehog Event in Brandwood End Cemetery as part of our ‘Help for Hedgehogs’ Heritage Lottery funded project. We still have plenty of activities planned but they will be aimed mainly at adults, to encourage them to understand more about the decline of Hedgehogs and what they can do to improve the environment within their gardens to attract them.

Today, despite the inclement weather, we were joined by between 30 and 40 ‘Hedgehog Heroes’ who undertook a number of activities. The more hardy amongst them joined Dean the Ranger and Emma from the Wildlife Trust on a walk through the cemetery to demonstrate how to create a log pile.  All the logs had been drilled with small holes to allow bugs to hid within them providing good food for waking Hedgehogs.

Inside activities included making ‘plate’ hedgehogs to take home and name pledge spikes for our large demonstration Hedgehog!

 

 

 

 

Today we have ‘Bug Life’ to thank for the supply of Bug Hotels which were taken home by visitors to deploy in their gardens. Our thanks again to SHED, based at Kings Heath Park, for making some more Hedgehog houses that were also snapped up by families eager to encourage our spiked friends. Follow this link to more photographs taken today.

By now the rain had started but it didn’t deter those keen for information!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annual clearance of Ivy underway…..

Every year  Friends of Brandwood End Committee turn out to try and keep the Ivy under control that takes over some of the most historic monuments in the cemetery.

 Following advice from the Conservation Officer and also the Wildlife Trust, who are working closely with us on our Hedgehog Project,  we try and restrict our activities to the month of February when the impact on insects and birds is at its lowest. Whilst removing the Ivy we did find one or two frogs and toads enjoying the sunshine in the damp undergrowth but we made sure they remained undisturbed (Apart from their photo call!)

 

I think you will agree that the improvement is quite striking and has exposed some of our most interesting and beautiful monuments.

 

 

Half Term….and it’s Hedgehog Time again !

Schools out, so its about time we made sure our Brandwood End Hedgehogs have plenty of food when they finally emerge.  Not too long to wait now!!

Join us on Wednesday 22nd February at 10am for a couple of hours of making log piles and bug houses to ensure plenty of juicy food for our prickly friends!

(Unless you are over 16 I am afraid you will have to bring an adult!)

Meet at the Lodge on the main drive of Brandwood End Cemetery 10am.

Tree husbandry underway!

Those of you that walk through or visit Brandwood End Cemetery will see some tree work happening in the next week or so. There will be some ‘crown lifting’ (taking off of lower branches) at various locations on the site and also the removal of some self set trees near the Diamond Woodland/yard fence.

 

 

 

 

Great to see so much tree husbandry happening in Brandwood End. More tree work to follow later in the year so watch this blog for details. All this work is being undertaken following consultation between Bereavement Services and the  BCC Tree Officer for the area.

 

Tree work underway.

It is good to see that trees are being kept in good order by a reputable Tree Surgeon!  Can I remind you that you may be seeing quite a lot of tree work in Brandwood End over the Winter. This is good for the public, for obvious safety reasons, but also good for the trees as they need a ‘haircut’ now and then, just like we do .20161222_111741

 

If you look carefully you can just see them at work, on the right in the tree in orange high viz!

 

Just a reminder that if you ever need work done on your own trees try and use a reputable company as an enthusiastic amateur can cause damage to the tree (and your view) that may take years to correct.

 

 

 

 

U3A, Local History Group Members enjoy Brandwood End.

FBEC member, Pat Franklin, gave up her time to lead a group of U3A (Local History Group) members on a walk through Brandwood End Cemetery.  During  Heritage Open Week, in September 2014, the Friends devised a Grave Walk highlighting a small number of War Graves in the cemetery and providing a short background to each of them.

img_4282u3aOur thanks to Alison Gove-Humphries for taking some lovely photographs at the event.

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The tour itself consisted of an introduction and overview, the formation and role of the Friends and then to the CWGC, their policy and philosophy. Next came a brief summary of the First World War, the burials elsewhere [unless stated] and the commemoration on family headstones on the walk.   Then on to the Cross of Sacrifice and the recent Commemoration. Thence, the Screen Walls and a walk to the more recent Tree Island Memorial, with tablet and benches. The group were particularly taken with the Poppy Cross  Field and its significance.

Our thanks again to Pat for leading this walk. We do occasionally get requests from individuals to attend a walk but unless Pat can get a group of 8 to 12 together it isn’t really worth while. With this in mind, if you would like to take our Grave Walk (Probably not until Spring 2017) can you e mail us on friendsofbec@gmail.com   and we will add you to this list then contact you with proposed dates when we have enough prospective participants.