Category: Events

Hard work, but lots of achieved.

We had a great turn out today for our ‘Grave Gardeners’ session. Volunteers drawn from several of our supporting groups , regular volunteers and some new recruits worked from 12 noon till 3pm and cleared a large area on the main drive of small Holly self setters. This was an area that we cleared larger plants from about 5 years ago but smaller saplings had begun to take over again.

After a quick tea break we carried on along the Broad Lane side of the cemetery, removing ground level brambles that were threatening to engulf or young Cherry Trees, taking extra care not to venture near any areas that might hide nesting birds. Our next date should be Saturday 13th April but watch this page for more details.

 

Grave Gardeners Session

FINAL REMINDER, SATURDAY 30TH MARCH 1pm-3pm- This Saturday the 30th March we will be holding a Gardening Session to try and clear some more Brambles and self set Holly in the Cemetery. Unlike our usual sessions that target large areas of mature Holly and Ivy, we are concentrating on areas where we represent no risk of disturbing nesting birds.

We will meet at the Cross of Sacrifice at 1pm and helpers are free to spend as much or as little time as they wish on site but we will be completing our work by 3pm to allow for the closing of the site at 4pm. We have the tools and some heavy duty gloves but would advise that you wear heavy duty footwear and warm clothing. We will be moving away from the area of the Cross but should be visible in our High Viz. If we are not there, try turning left at the WW1 memorial, passing the fenced area and looking to your right.(Section 38RC)

This map may help.

AGM 2024

The Friends are ’19’ this year and we will be holding our usual AGM but this year it will be back to an old venue as the Lodge at Brandwood End is out of use.

THURSDAY 11TH APRIL THE CONFERENCE ROOM , ST DUNSTANS CHURCH, KINGS HEATH.B14 7JN

10.30 start– Usually the AGM lasts about 20 minutes and then the committee are available to chat and answer your questions.

(This is best accessed on foot from Kingsfield road opposite All Saints Church. Parking is available in Institute Road but there is a charge. The 50 bus and several others stop nearby on the High Street.)

Anyone with an interest is most welcome and we usually end with cake and tea/coffee !!

Grave Gardeners session

We will be running another Grave Gardeners session to remove some Brambles that are choking some young trees and also some small Holly self setters in the cemetery.

 

The Friends and volunteers will be on site from 12 noon till approx. 3 pm on Saturday March 30th. Meet by the Cross of Sacrifice on the main drive. You are welcome to pop in at any time but if it is after 12 noon you may have to search for our ‘A’ frame as we will be disbursed around the cemetery.  Most people arrive at the start but only stay as long as they want and do as much or little as suits them.

Hope to see a few of you there. We have the tools, although you are welcome to bring your own. Rakes, brooms, secateurs and loppers always welcome. We also have some heavy duty gloves, but again you may prefer to bring your own.

Victims Remembered.

Many of our followers will be familiar with the Civilian Garden of Remembrance in Brandwood End but not so many of you will realise that this is the final resting place of close to sixty civilians who lost their lives during local bombing raids in 1940/41.

The names of those buried here are listed in a book of Remembrance held at King’s Norton but not recorded anywhere in the cemetery.

The Friends gave been working with a local Stonemason to create a Memorial in the Civilian Garden listing their names.

We hope by this summer we will have raised the funds and the memorial will be installed. Please watch our site for further information.

 

 

Volunteers keeping sites going.

Birmingham Open Spaces Forum, who collate the hours and tasks undertaken by Birmingham’s volunteers, have published their annual summary of work undertaken.

When you consider the financial position that Birmingham Council find themselves in, it really shows how much effort and time volunteers are putting in to shore up parks, cemeteries and other sites around the City. Without supervision and support by Park Rangers, Neighbourhood Action
Co-ordinators  and BOSF, much of this work would not have been possible.
Lets hope Birmingham Council understand the importance of maintaining the roles mentioned above because they are going to have to rely on volunteer services more and more.

Last gardening work party of 2023

The Friends have had half a dozen work parties in the cemetery but todays was the final one of 2023. As usual our aim was to remove as many self set Holly saplings from graves as possible. Many of the ‘saplings’ had now grown to cover several graves and hampered families in their genealogy searches or in many cases prevented the tending of these graves.

Today we managed to uncover several graves and one was particularly interesting. Watch this site for more information. To our surprise over a dozen people turned up to help. Some stayed all of the session, some stayed an hour or so.  All worked really hard to uncover graves.

     

A story from this stone?                            Eleven full bags awaiting collection.

Two of our volunteers have been concentrating on the Civilian Garden of Remembrance and beds have been tidied and under hedges cleared. An amazing impact created by Sue and Ray.

                               

Without our volunteers we would not be able to complete all the projects that we do- so can we give them all a huge thank you and wish everyone a Peaceful and Merry Christmas, as we all settle down for some family and personal time.