Category: Environment
2nd September Litter Pick
It is getting close to our quarterly litter pick, which will fall on Saturday 2nd September. We provide the litter pickers and bags but we do need your manpower! Meet at the Lodge at 10am and we will be finished by 11.30pm. Why not join us and stroll around this beautiful 53 acre site, enjoying the trees and wildlife as well as the huge variety of memorial designs. We hope to see you there.
Pollinators and Fungi!
Thank you Lukas Large for such a pleasant and informative couple of hours in Brandwood End. Bits on Pollinators, but a strong breeze made it hard as most Pollinators had gone to ground ! We did spot a few – but with his usual breadth of knowledge Lukas jumped at the chance to highlight the amazing Fungi to be found in the cemetery. There were 16 of us in all and everyone really enjoyed it. Nice to see Park Ranger Jan who added her knowledge.
As usual FBEC members were called in to help with grave searches along the route for visiting members of the public. This area of interest is becoming very busy.
Early for Fungi?
In our last post we mentioned the large amount of rain we have had. I guess these Fungi are happy about that!
Final reminder for ‘Pollination’ insight!
Final reminder for this event. Meet at the Lodge at 3pm sharp as we will then move off to another area of the site. All welcome, even if you haven’t booked. this event is geared for Adult and/or secondary school level.
Looking back
In 2021, as part of our Heritage Open Week, we ran a session that enabled members of the public with any sort of camera, from professional to phone, to join a group to learn more about photographic composition. It was well received and we thought you may like to have access to the group results from the album we kept. Please follow the link below.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9Qz1gRAJ5cxKADNg9
If this is something you would like to be involved in in future, then please e mail us at:
friendsofbec@gmail.com
Stories from the Stones.
I am afraid that, due to circumstances beyond our control, we have had to suspend our Stories from the Stones project for a short period. The original organisers and sponsors of the project were ‘Caring for Gods Acre’ but their support was limited to 2 years and that expired at the end of last year.
We have managed to hold some recording events since but need to reorganise our team as we want to make every effort to continue with the valuable recording of grave inscriptions for posterity.
Please watch this page for details of when these events will re-commence and we hope to include some weekend opportunities as requested !
Would you like to learn more about pollinators?
Lukas visited us last year to lead a Fungi walk. He is returning to share more of his knowledge but this time about ‘Pollinators’. Don’t miss this great event. It is a date for your diary.
Our thanks to Valley Contractors
Pre-Covid the two flower beds adjacent to the Lodge ramp were planted twice a year with Geraniums and Pansies by Birmingham Parks and Nurseries staff, but in the last round of financial cuts this service was discontinued. FBEC had been planting the area since but we found it beyond our manpower capacity and finances. After discussion with the Cemetery Managers it was agreed that these two beds would be turfed, when BCC funding and man power allowed.
Greg and Sarah from Valley Contractors to the Rescue ! They heard about our plight and popped in and did the one side and now they have done it all. We will diligently water this half and it will soon be gloriously green, as the other side now is.
Section Markers
On the same day that Nat West staff were busy gardening, two members of our committee were busy with their shovels and cement, placing section markers back where they should be! A number had been displaced either by tree removal or collision with vehicles (Usually trucks!)
Over 10 years ago the Friends, with the financial support of Co op Funeral Care, managed to install new black marble section markers throughout the cemetery to aid those searching for graves. Occasionally these become displaced so we are checking and reinstalling where we can.
