I am sure that it will come as no surprise that the committee of FBEC have made the decision to cancel their annual AGM, due in April. Members will receive full details of our alternative provisions in the next few weeks by e mail or post.
Category: Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery
More work on Chapel buildings
The eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed that the shrubbery has been removed from the steeple of the Chapels and that the weather vane, loosened in a recent storm, has been removed and is now in safe storage.
Grass cutting season starts in Brandwood End
Great to see the main drive has been cut and most areas now on schedule. The Cemetery is looking good !
Our thanks again to the BCC grass cutting crews and also to Tony and his ground staff for trying their best, under financial constraints and the unusual conditions at this time, to keep Brandwood looking as if someone cares!
Trail bikes damage Jasmin Fields Nature Reserve
It is only a week or two since we mentioned our neighbouring site at Jasmin Fields. On a recent visit we were met with a number of trail bikes indiscriminately tearing up the grass.
This nature reserve is rich in wild life and now one of the main paths through the woodland has been turned into a quagmire and the area adjacent to the canal , crisscrossed by bike tracks.
The bikes appear to have travelled along the tow path from the Yardley Wood area. Lets hope they don’t become frequent visitors as they damage they do is extensive.
Dry weather for our first Litter Pick of 2020
Our thanks to our volunteers who helped at our March Litter Pick. The first one of the year is always a good one, as we have lots of wind blow items to clear away. Spring has sprung in some areas!!
Heavy winds take their toll.
Very sad news that we have lost yet another tree to sodden ground and high winds. This time the tree was a Cedar just down from the Chapels. This tree was well over 120 years old so is a sad loss. It had begun to snap and tilt and so became a danger.
What was fascinating was to watch the removal of the remaining timber after the Tree Surgeons had done their work.
Unfortunately, due to the age of many of the trees in Brandwood End, this is a sight we are going to see more frequently- so we need to concentrate on slowly replacing and increasing the existing tree stock. As well as helping to improve air quality, these trees and their roots aid absorption of water and slow the flow of surface water in the cemetery. Recently this has been an issue to neighbouring properties,
WE NEED MORE TREES IN THIS URBAN GREEN SPACE.
Adjacent site AGM-Jasmin Fields.
Lying just across Broad Lane, almost adjacent to the cemetery, is Jasmin Fields Nature Reserve. Their AGM is on Tues. March 3rd at 3.30pm in Park House, Kings Heath Park.
The Friends Of Jasmin Fields and The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery share many of the same aims and interests. Both sites share wildlife that moves between them and both sites represent a green space in an urban area. If you have an interest in the plans for this site, or feel you would like to know more, please pop along on the 3rd and support their efforts.
March 7th, a date for your diary.
Please join the Friends for their first Litter Pick of 2020.
10am, meet at the Lodge. We have the bags and the pickers, but please do wear suitable footwear and clothing. Gloves are advisable.
Yet another tree hit by high winds!
I am afraid we have lost several other trees in the recent high winds. One came down very close to the Lodge, luckily it appears it didn’t cause any damage.
both trees were quite large but have now been cut into manageable pieces. It is hard to tell if any grave stones have been damaged by the tree shown but we will certainly have to re-site our section marker!
It is a sad fact that many of the trees in the cemetery are over 120 years old, and so reaching the end of their lives (Not all trees live as long as Oaks). They are regularly tested for the strength of their trunks but in both these cases it was the sodden earth that failed to hold on to the weight of the tree above- an issue that can’t be tested for!
Interesting addition to a tree!!
This may look as if someone has just wedged a rake into this tree and gone off for their cup of tea…..
The truth is a little stranger. This rake was undoubtedly propped here many years ago by a member of staff but for whatever reason it was never retrieved. It is in a not often visited area of the Cemetery and over many seasons the tree grew, absorbing the rake within its growth! The wooden stale has long ago rotted away. Recently Birmingham Trees for Life published a similar item but instead of a rake it was……a bike. Check it out on their site.