Our thanks to Bereavement Service staff who have produced a lovely plaque to mark the first grave following the opening of Brandwood End in 1899. The Friends had marked this spot with a temporary interpretation notice but it now has a lovely official plaque.
REMINDER. With effect from Sunday 25th October Brandwood End will have revised opening hours. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 2pm – 4pm Wednesday 8.30am – 4.00pm. Saturday, Sunday 10am – 4pm. Please can you spread the word. Opening will still be later at 11.30am on Sunday 8th November to allow for a Service and wreath laying . Unfortunate this will NOT be a public event.
With effect from Sunday 25th October Brandwood End will have revised opening hours. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 2pm – 4pm Wednesday 8.30am – 4.00pm. Saturday, Sunday 10am – 5pm. Please can you spread the word. Opening will still be later at 11.30am on Sunday 8th November to allow for a Service and wreath laying . Unfortunate this will NOT be a public event.
Couldn’t resist these beautiful trees !
At last we have managed to get new acrylic and a new backboard so we have been able to refurbish our very tired Notice board on the main drive. All looking good now. (It had done us proud for years)
Please pass this information to anyone who would normally attend our annual Remembrance event.
The Friends deeply regret that in these strange times we are not able to hold our usual Remembrance event as we often have in excess of 100 attendees, which under Covid restrictions would not be allowed.
An alternative arrangement has been agreed, details of which are listed below.
All Brandwood End cemetery gates will remain closed to the public till 11.30am, to allow for a service and the private laying of wreaths at the Cross of Sacrifice. All the usual organisations will be invited. The cemetery gates will then be open to the public from 11.30am (after the service) till-5pm, for anyone wishing to visit family graves or pay their respects at the Cross of Sacrifice.
These arrangements follow discussions with Bereavement Service staff and we agreed on a compromise. We need to protect the public but also acknowledge the importance of the day.
Can we thank you for your understanding and trust that you will all return in 2021, when we hope things will have returned to some normality.
The weeds were taking control in the Civilian Garden of Remembrance and so we thought we needed to take them in hand, seeing as the hedges look so smart!
Our thanks to Lisa for stepping into the breach at very short notice, so three of us ‘set to’ and pruned, cut back and weeded. Looking good now.
You can see that we made use of the ‘poo’ kindly donated by the carriage horses!!
The Friends notice board on the main drive had become increasingly difficult to see through as the Perspex had clouded, so today we began phase one of its refurbishment. Replacing the Perspex with UV stabilised acrylic. Looking much better.
Next job will be the replacement of the baize covered backboard. We can then tidy up the display. (The FBEC name plate is safe but it fell off when we opened the door!!) To be fair we have had this board for a fair number of years so it was due a facelift.
As we place our 300+Poppy Crosses in time for Remembrance each November, we get to read the names, ages and often family details of those who’s graves we visit. We are often astounded by the facts we read. We have listed below just a few facts that may also surprise you.
20 MINUTES-Time taken for Luftwaffe aircraft to reach UK target once detected
16 MINUTES-Time taken to scramble RAF fighters to successfully intercept a raid
4 MINUTES-Time the RAF had to decide how to respond to a Luftwaffe raid. At the height of the Battle of Britain the RAF had only 749 fighter aircraft available as against 2550 Luftwaffe aircraft.
20 YEARS-Average age of an RAF Pilot in 1940
2 WEEKS-Training time for an RAF fighter pilot in August 1940
Consisting of 2,945 aircrew, the RAF was joined by volunteers from13 different nations, some of whom had battle experience against the Luftwaffe in their own air forces. This international force became known as ‘The Few’.
544 Members of ‘The Few’ killed during the Battle of Britain
https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/our-history/anniversaries/battle-of-britain/
Our first Fairy Ring ! Last year we had some huge rings around the cemetery so keep your eyes peeled and please post photos on our facebook site, or e mail them to us to display on our web page.