Category: Events

October Gardening Event

On Sunday the 29th October we will be holding the first of our Winter Gardening and Shrubbery removal sessions.

The October event is always important as it is our last chance to tidy the Civilian Garden and its hedge, as well as the hedge around the Cross of Sacrifice- ready for the Remembrance Sunday Service.

We will be in the cemetery from 11am till 2pm so please come and join us if you have any time to spare during those hours. We have the tools and we have the gloves, all we need is the ‘person’ power !

Great to meet so many visitors.

Well- that is HERITAGE OPEN finished for 2023 in Brandwood End. We have to admit that it was a lot of work and took a lot of planning but without the support of Ian Binnie (Gallipoli history) Josie Wall (Stories from the Stones) Shirley Hancock (Lichen for Beginners) and Chatty Chatty Brum Brum for their great refreshments we couldn’t have offered such a wide choice of events.

                                  

Saturday was the final event and a chance to meet the Friends of Brandwood End. Our committee were able to explain what we do and why we care so much about the cemetery as well as offer some self led walks and a chance to read some of our research.

                 

We were surprised how many casual visitors to the cemetery stopped to chat but also the distance some visitors had travelled after reading about our events on the Birmingham Heritage Open site.

Thank you all for your support and the interest everyone showed, especially those that either joined our members list or donated funds.

Finally, a thank you to all the committee that were at the event and gave up their Saturday.

Successful Heritage week so far!

The Friends got off to a good start with a fascinating ZOOM and walk by Ian Binnie giving everyone such insight into the Gallipoli Campaign. We followed that up with a session recording inscriptions from historic memorials and understanding the underlying meaning of the stock phrases in use in the early 20th Century.

Tomorrow, Friday, we have  morning and afternoon sessions for beginners to learn more about Lichen. These have proved very popular but we still gave a few spaces.

All that remains is a chance to pop along and meet the Friends this Saturday the 16th between 11 and 2pm. Find out what we do and see some of the projects and research we are involved in.  There will be some colouring for the little ones and also a ‘find the stones’ challenge.

 

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.

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HERITAGE OPEN EVENTS- BRANDWOOD END 2023

This year the Friends will be hosting several events at Brandwood End Cemetery. If you would like to reserve a place at any event or have any queries then please contact us by e mail on friendsofbec@gmail.com or phone 07811393259. All events are also listed on the National Heritage Open site and the Birmingham Heritage Open event site.

8th SEPTEMBER – FRIDAY – ZOOM TALK  Ian Binnie – 7.30pm-8.30pm – Gallipoli and Brandwood End (Ian is the Education Officer for the Gallipoli Association) He will also be on site Tuesday.

 12th SEPTEMBER – TUESDAY – GRAVES WALK  Ian Binnie – 11am-12pm – Gallipoli and Brandwood End – Start at the Lodge

 13th SEPTEMBER – WEDNESDAY – STORIES FROM THE STONES  FBEC Memorial / Headstone Inscription Recording – 1000am-1200pm –Assemble at The Lodge. Be part of this larger project to record inscriptions and condition of memorials on to a digital map, for future generations.

 15th SEPTEMBER – FRIDAY – LICHEN STROLL SESSIONS X 2   Shirley Hancock – 10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-1500pm – Start at the Lodge. Learn more about the secret world of Lichen. It is everywhere but do we really know anything about it? (A magnifying device would be helpful but not essential)

 16th SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY – MEET THE FRIENDS (FBEC)1100am-1400pm – The Lodge –Maps of measured routes in the cemetery, children’s painted stones trail – colouring competition etc. Find out what the Friends have been doing and our future plans. Enjoy a chance to look through some of our extensive research. No need to book for this event just come along  and partake in a chat and tea/coffee- provided by ‘Chatty Chatty Brum Brum’.

 

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.

Collaboration is the key to success.

It was great for members of the Friends to meet Chloe, Fran and Simon today in the cemetery. Its rare the team that manage Brandwood End get chance to leave Kings Norton and spend time discussing projects in Brandwood, as overseeing 5 cemeteries takes up most of their time.
We were meeting them to discuss a project suggested by a member of the public that we all agreed was very worthwhile so watch this space for more details.

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