Category: Events

Carols in the Cemetery

How lucky are we ? The sun shone and the rain stayed away for the visit of the choir from St Albans R C Primary School who walked up to the cemetery to sing a mix of traditional and modern carols interspersed with interludes of Wham and Shakin’ Stevens songs!

The pupils have recently been singing in Touchwood shopping centre in Solihull so we were so pleased to welcome them. Parents joined FBEC members and Bereavement Officers to enjoy a lovely start to Christmas festivities. It was followed by a moment of quiet when pupils selected an interesting grave nearby and said a short prayer for those buried within.

Our thanks to all the pupils and their Teachers who made time in their busy school day to come into Brandwood End. We all really enjoyed it !!

 

Graves uncovered by FBEC and Deutsche Bank

We were pleased to welcome yet another Team of volunteers from Deutsche Bank to Brandwood End this week to help with our ongoing project to make every grave in the cemetery accessible. Many of the older graves have been lost for some years under Ivy, Holly or in some cases self set trees. The Friends, assisted by various Corporate groups, have been working all over the cemetery to try and make sure visitors can get to family graves.

The coppice area they were working on and how it looked afterwards, graves revealed

Sometimes this involves removing Ivy or small Holly bushes and other shrubs that have grown out of control. There are lots of self set trees, mainly conifers, growing on or between graves. Many of these have now reached significant height and width and can obscure maybe 6 or 8 graves! If possible we remove lower branches (crown lift) to allow access to graves but occasionally the tree will be removed.

Deutsche Bank have been on site on several occasions this year and we hope to welcome them again in the New Year. Follow this link to see further photos.

Remembrance 2024

Todays Remembrance service was well attended with well over 150 people attending. The leaves quietly falling off the trees during the two minute silence in some way added to the atmosphere and the Buglers performance was top rate as usual.

Wreaths were laid by a number of organisations including the Police, Fire Service, Ambulance Service and local Councillors.

If you follow this link you can find an album of photos taken by committee members.

Grave Gardening Session in December 2024

Our last Grave Gardening Session for 2024 will be on the 14th December starting at 11am and running till 12.30pm        Meet by the Lodge on the main drive near the entrance. Please try to arrive on time as we will be moving to another area on this 53 acre site and may be hard to find.

Everyone is welcome but under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.

Stout footwear is advisable and you may want to bring your own heavy duty gloves, although we do have some available.

Grave Gardeners session- 9th November 11am

We will be hosting this months Grave Gardeners in the cemetery on this Saturday, the 9th November at 11am for a couple of hours. Why not come along and enjoy the fresh air whilst helping to keep Brandwood End Cemetery looking at its best. We have the tools and gardening gloves but you are welcome to bring your own. Meet opposite the Lodge by the main entrance in Woodthorpe Road.

Please arrive by 11am as we will be moving to other areas of this 53 acre site

Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult.