Category: Events

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

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 !

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.

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Rest and Reflect Trail.

If you visit the cemetery and look at the Friends notice board, on the left as you enter, you will see a poster for the Rest and Reflect Trail and a QR code that enables you to download it on to your phone. If you prefer you can download it here and print your own version.

Today was the launch of this trail which invites you to stroll and rest a while ion one of the benches in the beautiful surroundings of the cemetery. Why not download it and pop in on a sunny day? This is a new project planned by Suze Carter but if people are interested then the Friends intend to expand the choice of routes and the reasons to walk/stroll/run/cycle around this 53 acre site. Brandwood End is a wonderful calm, quiet, green site which is packed with trees, wildlife and views but has the added benefit of over 100 benches.

Nat West staff work hard in the cemetery.

We were lucky enough to be approached by Nat West staff to do some volunteer work in the cemetery for us. Our thanks to one of their team who also happens to be a supporter! Shout out to Tracy Egan….

A really busy day of weeding, bramble removal and section marker cleaning. What’s even better is that they want to come back and do it again !  Thank you all for your marvellous work.

     

Special thank you to Piers for taking time to try out the Rest and Reflect Trail, due to be launched on Thursday. Special mention to Tony. who helped us move all the bramble back to the yard. It will mean a reduced Blackberry crop this year but the Brambles were strangling the other shrubs.