Category: Environment

Great gardening day.

Despite the heat, the Friends were joined by 6 extra volunteers to tidy up the Civilian Garden of Remembrance and replenish the 3 planters by the Lodge.

Our special thanks to Brian from ‘Friends of Lifford Reservoir’ for sparing time from the work they do at the Reservoir.

Lots of rain in May and sun in June had made everything, especially in the flower beds, burst into life. Our thanks to Josie and Bren for taming the growth !

Extra thanks to our Chairman Julia for visiting the Birmingham Parks and Nursery site at Cofton and filling her car with Geraniums. They are now all deployed in planters and around the Rose beds in the Civilian Garden.

There is still a lot to do but we hope to have a team from Nat West Bank on site helping soon, so watch out for news of that.

  

Drainage work continues.

Work is continuing at the lower end of the cemetery site, adjacent to Broad Lane. Today contractors from the Gas Board and Water Board were working outside the cemetery fence but extensive work continues inside. This is all part of a flood alleviation scheme but became extended when contractors damaged a gas main. Looks like it is all back on track now.

Sad loss of Heritage Oak

Unfortunately one of our Heritage Oaks has had to be removed as its roots were causing a major issue in an area of flooding by obstructing  pipes. A large flood alleviation project has been happening in the area and has involved a large woodland area of Jasmin Fields Nature Reserve and the lowest section of the Cemetery, adjacent to Broad Lane.

This area was previously an overgrown bramble patch so we are trusting that there will be some effort made to improve the look of this corner. We hope we have managed to keep a large section and a decision as to what to do with it will be made in the near future but we will be working with the Ranger to try and create a ‘slice’ indicating a time line for this ancient tree.

Mothering Sunday Traffic appeal.

This morning we were in Brandwood End, which was very busy as it was Mothering Sunday. Can we firstly remind everyone that there is a 5mph speed limit in the cemetery. Many cars were travelling well in excess of this causing a dangerous hazard as there were many pedestrians.

Secondly we were horrified to see vehicles parking on verges and churning up the grass adjacent to graves. The side drives were not designed for cars to be visiting so please do not drive on the grass to pass vehicles. Use another avenue or park on the main drive and walk ! Several people who had resisted parking on the verges were then being verbally abused by others who wanted to pass. Again. Use another avenue or park and walk.

This is a cemetery and people are visiting loved ones, please all show some respect!

Leaving flowers?

The Friends know that many of you will be visiting graves on Mothering Sunday and leaving flowers. Can we appeal again to ask that, if you are not frequent visitors, you remove the wrapping paper (Especially cellophane), as when the flowers die- they rot and return to the soil over time. The paper that surrounds them, especially cellophane are silver/gold paper NEVER does. It becomes lightweight and then blows around the cemetery in the wind. If we are lucky one of our litter picking volunteers will collect it but if not it may get shredded in the blades of the sit on mowers ! Either way, it can end up making the environment unpleasant.

If you are a frequent visitor then we presume you always remove dead flowers etc but many of those that do come to Brandwood End travel a distance and may get only a few opportunities to visit. If this is you- Please consider removing any flower paper. Also try not to leave ‘Glass’  vases etc as they do get smashed by Frost, Squirrels and Ravens and last summer caused great concern as a source of fire ignition in the cemetery.

Finally can we ask that any artificial flowers are well secured, as they often suffer the same fate as the paper- which is sad as many of them are beautiful and obviously bought with love.

Thank you again in anticipation of your assistance in this matter.

FBEC Committee