Our Grave Gardeners group spent a morning getting the Civilian Garden ready for the summer. All that was needed was a light cut back of shrubs and a lot of weeding but all looking spic and span now.
Category: Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery
Grave Recording Project- can you help?
As part of our 20th Anniversary celebrations we are undertaking a project to photograph all the gravestones in Section 16 as we are concerned at the speed with which they are deteriorating. Each headstone/memorial will be photographed and inscriptions recorded for future generations who may be seeking relatives. If you want to assist please e mail us at friendsofbec@gmail.com and one of our committee members will be in touch. We hope to extend this to other sections of the cemetery.
Annual AGM Final reminder
This is the final reminder that the Friends are holding their annual AGM at 10.30am tomorrow, Thursday 10th April. The venue is the Conference Room at St Dunstans RC Church in Kingsfield Rd Kings Heath.
To find out what we have done in the last year and what we have planned for the next year, our 20th, then come and join us . We will also have refreshments…..and cake afterwards.
New Memorials in Brandwood End
One or two people were concerned as the ashes memorial plots had nearly all been purchased. The good news is that another area has now been developed.
‘Fruit and Nut Village’ Tree plant with FBEC
Gardening Volunteers from FBEC had a fantastic morning in the sunshine with Laura and her helpers from Fruit and Nut Village. They kindly donated 5 trees,( 3 Hazels and 2 Walnuts) to kick off our 20th Anniversary Tree Planting project. Our aim is to try and plant an minimum of 15 trees in the cemetery to replace 21 lost in recent storms. The tree stock has been depleted by over 150 in the last few years due to storms, disease and general age and as most of the cemetery was planted up over 125 years ago we can expect to lose many more in the next few years. We have raised over £4000 already but need to get to £6000 to complete the project next Autumn.
If you would like to see some of our planting photographs from today then follow this link.
Tree Planting
Join our Grave Gardening team, along with Fruit and Nut Village, to plant some new trees in the cemetery. We are making a start on replacing the trees lost in last years storms. Meet opposite the Lodge at 11am on the 6th April.
FBEC Annual AGM 10th April
PLEASE JOIN THE FRIENDS AT THEIR ANNUAL AGM ON APRIL 10TH AT 10.30AM, AT ST DUNSTANS CONFERENCE ROOM AT THE END OF KINGSFIELD RD, KINGS HEATH. STAY AND CHAT OVER A CUP OF TEA AND SOME CAKE!
Operation Varsity
The 80th Anniversary of ‘Operation Varsity’ took place earlier this week. Over 3000 planes and gliders dropping troops around the Rhine area. One in five troops taking part were killed. Look it up. A forgotten battle.
Lots of our followers wanted to know more about the Glider Pilot Regiment so here are some links to their facebook site that you can access if you use facebook or their web site.
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/gprpublicgroup
You can also find more information on their web site
Fruit and Nut Village planting.
Most of you know that we lost a lot of trees in the recent storms and have started a campaign to try and slowly replace them. ‘Fruit and Nut Village’, who have been planting orchards in Druids Heath, have kindly agreed to plant some lovely nut trees in the cemetery and we will be holding a small event on April 6th at 11am. Everyone welcome. Boots and gloves advisable.
Protecting our last tree planting.
Before Covid we worked with Birmingham Trees for Life to plant 15 standard size trees on the boundary with Broad Lane and Sunderton Road. A few years on these trees needed their tree ‘guards’ and stakes removing so this morning seven volunteers from our Grave Gardening group set about that task and also made a start clearing brambles around the. Our thanks to all of them for their efforts as brambles are especially unpleasant to deal with !
