Category: Events

Stunning setting for a poignant Remembrance Sunday service

IMG_6460 (800x600) (3)Community members and local Councillors joined the Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery in an Act of Remembrance at the Cross of Sacrifice in Brandwood End Cemetery.

The Deacon of St Dunstans Church, David Fairbotham, led a short but poignant service.  Following this wreaths were laid on behalf of Birmingham City Council and its Citizens, Kings Heath Branch of The Masons and the Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery.

photo mix copy (2) (800x533)This year we had not one but two buglers who performed the Last Post beautifully.  Two minutes silence was observed and this, along with the buglers, brought tears to the eyes of many of the people attending.

Many of the visitors stopped behind to ask about the cemetery and the work the Friends are doing.

Act of Remembrance within Brandwood End Cemetery

Remembrance Service at Brandwood End Cemetery

You are invited to join Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery in a short Act of Remembrance in Brandwood End Cemetery on Sunday 10th November 2013.

Please meet at the Cross of Sacrifice on the main drive at 10.45am  for a brief address by David Fairbotham, Deacon of St Dunstans Church, Kings Heath followed by 2 minutes silence at 11am and the laying of wreaths by Councillor Barry Henley and other local organisations.

Please note that there will be no access along the main drive from the Chapels to the Broad Lane gate from 10.45 to 11.15 whilst the Service is taking place. All other roads within the cemetery remain open. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

Grave Walk at St Nicolas, Kings Norton – 9th November

St Nicolas, Kings Norton

Grave Walk with Steve Wright on Saturday November 9th
On the day before Remembrance Sunday why not join the Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery as we explore the history of St Nicolas’ Graveyard in Kings Norton?
Meet 11am at the Lych Gate of St. Nicolas Place, Kings Norton Green. The walk will last about an hour, depending on numbers, and questions. Please come appropriately dressed – and just turn up.   No charge!
NB.This coincides with a Farmer’s Market day; the market usually has a number of stalls with hot food and drinks.  We believe parking in the pub car park is free on market days, but please check.

We need your help!

We are in need of all the help we can get to keep the Cemetery looking clean and tidy.

The next one is on Sunday 1st December 2013 – see you there?

New Event: Bat Walk through Brandwood End Cemetery, 19th September

Many people enjoyed the bat walk that was led locally by Brum Bats in 2011. They attempted the event in 2012 only to have it rained off, like so many others last year.   Brum Bats and the Ranger Service are hoping the weather will be kinder this year and have set a new date.  The walk starts at Jasmin Fields and takes us through Brandwood End Cemetery, ending at Brandwood Pool.  The Cemetery is closed in the evenings so this is your chance to get exclusive access, and hopefully see some bats!

The walk, lasting about 2 hours, starts at 7pm, please meet at the farm gate on Bayston Road, Kings Heath (opposite Kinsey Grove). Please wear suitable shoes and outdoor clothing and all under 16’s must be supervised. You will need a strong torch. This event does need to be booked due to popularity- so contact the Ranger Service on 0121 675 0937 if you want to join us.

Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress visit Jasmin Fields

Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery joined other members of New Vision at an ‘Explore Jasmin Fields’ event last Saturday.  A similar event last summer was completely drowned out so we were dismayed when we started to set up in rain and wind! The wind was so strong that one or our gazebos briefly became a kite……but the wind soon dropped and the rain cleared and by starting time we had very acceptable weather.

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We were very pleased that the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress came along to open the event and stayed most of the morning. The Ranger Service and the Friends of Jasmin Fields, supported by New Vision, had arranged a circular walk of the nature reserve, pond dipping, cake icing, badge making, bike repairs and advice on security by the Neighbourhood Policing Team. The event gave local groups, including FBEC, the opportunity to make residents more aware of their activities and to enlist members for future events. Everyone agreed to had been a real success and well worth the effort by the volunteers.

If you have an interest in any of the local groups, especially Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery, please contact us via this site and we will add you to our e mail list to be advised of anything happening in our local community group areas. We all need your support at our events and it is so good to see local people interested in any of our sites.

Hedge gets first serious cut!

Those of you that follow this blog will know that just over a year ago pupils from St Albans Catholic Primary School joined Friends and volunteers to replace an ailing hedge around the Civilian Garden of Remembrance with a new hawthorn hedge.This peaceful area had been abandoned for many years until The Friends, with lottery support, restored it to a restful place to sit and enjoy. Initially we had surrounded the area with a beech hedge but the soil, being clay and waterlogged much of the year, did not support this species, so a major plan was put in place to replace it with a more tolerant hawthorn hedge.

20130811_15403020130811_154043This hedge has thrived and grown and had begun to look unruly, despite occasional trimming, so this weekend it had its first serious ‘cut’ and we are pleased to say it looks fantastic. This will only be its second winter coming up and already it is starting to look like a well established hedge.  I think you will agree from the photo’s above that the area looks inviting and is well cared for volunteers from FBEC.

If you feel you could help us at all with this ongoing task of weeding etc please contact us via our web site. Many hands make light work and there is always something to do.

 

Local community activity event -17 August

The Friends of Jasmin Fields Nature Reserve, supported by New Vision, are holding a local event to encourage residents to become members of local Friends Groups and support their community.  The event will run from 11am till 1pm on Saturday the 17th August on the main field area of Jasmin Fields, which can be accessed from Jasmin Croft or Bayston Rd, Kings Heath.

Misc 013The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery will be at the event to encourage people to support their cause, along with other local groups.

The Neighbourhood Policing Team will be security marking bikes and running repairs will be available from ‘Bike Fixers’

The Ranger service will be stream dipping and bug hunting and members of Jasmin Fields Friends will be leading a walk around the site and the canal area.  If you want to be sporty, Billesley Tennis Centre will be holding some activities and there will be various crafts for children to get involved in. There will also be a wood carver demonstrating her skills. Hopefully lots of local people will attend and all our groups will benefit from new members.

Local school children enjoy the cemetery trees!

Before the end of the summer term, pupils from Woodthorpe Junior and Infant school joined members of the Friends to investigate our ‘Tree Walk’ as part of their ECO week. The pupils, accompanied by members of staff, collected leaves and cones and did leaf and bark rubbings.20130722_111804 The school hopes to be working with us again in the Autumn term on a number of small projects. Woodthorpe has a newly instated Forest School area and a keen ECO group and the children were very enthusiastic and entered into the spirit of the activity despite occasional slight drizzle.

Hobbits and crafts!

The New Vision Community Board made its first appearance off site at the Middle Earth Weekend at the Shire Country Park (Sarehole Mill). Many people stopped to ask questions about the Brandwood End Cemetery and we hope, as a result we will see some new members to our already growing group. Please do think about joining The Friends (There is information on how to do this on our site). There is always strength in numbers and more members lead to more ideas as to how we can work with BCC to retain and improve the quality of this magical cemetery site.