Final reminder for our Gardening Day coming up on Sunday. Come and join us 11am till 2pm. Boots and gloves are advisable. Meet near the Cross of Sacrifice. 
Category: Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery
M P Steve McCabe meets the Friends.
Our thanks to M P Steve McCabe who spent a morning with The Friends and members of Bereavement Services staff in Brandwood End. We all had a very enjoyable and useful tour of the cemetery and were able to highlight all the good work undertaken by the Friends with the support of the staff.
It was a great opportunity for the M P to meet with the staff who are at the sharp end of maintenance and also staff and resource shortages. Tony and Tony go above and beyond when they get the chance to work in Brandwood End but unfortunately there are not enough hours in the day to do all that needs to be done.
Hedge tamed again.
We are again indebted to the Grounds Maintenance team for the help we receive in taming the Civilian Garden Hedge. It makes such a difference to the way it looks and despite our ‘cut’ a couple of months ago we can never cut as hard back as the professionals.
Service of Remembrance 2023
A reminder to everyone that it will soon be time for our annual Service of Remembrance at Brandwood End Cemetery. Can we remind everyone attending to wear suitable footwear as the road surfaces are uneven in places, especially around the Cross of Sacrifice.
Cemetery Notice Board
Just a reminder that if you visit the cemetery please do check out our notice board opposite the Lodge. It will give you lots of helpful information about the cemetery.
Gardening help needed
Just a few photos!
Our thanks to Paul of PB Build and Gary Staples for these great shots. Not forgetting Valerie for her amazing screen of Autumn leaves.
A visit to a part of the Council house that not many see !
Julia (Chairman) and Jane (Secretary) enjoyed a really fruitful meeting with Councillor Nicky Brennan at the Council House, Who knew that all these corridors and offices lay beneath the thickly carpeted and gold embossed upper floors? Councillor Brennan holds the portfolio that includes Cemeteries and Crematoria, so the meeting was a good opportunity to put names to faces.
Whilst leaving via the main entrance we spotted this memorial plaque. It reminded Julia to continue with her research into ‘our’ Belgian refugee – little Mariette Jamme born in Verviers 16/9/1905 and died in Sparkbrook 23/6/1918 – her grave is 44 Section D2. As you can see, Mariette made it to safety in England but lost her life violently in a fire. Watch our facebook site and this web site as when we have a full story we will share it.
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.