The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery will be working on a project relating to an area of War Graves in Brandwood End Cemetery in 2014 and we are pleased to announce that Veolia have kindly awarded us a grant of £500 towards costs.
Watch this site for details of how you can become involved.
http://www.veolia.co.uk/
2013 has been a year when Friends of Brandwood End have had to take a step back and think again about the way they want to move forward in 2014. We were all very disappointed when Birmingham City Council had to withdraw their financial support for a lottery bid relating to the twin terracotta mortuary chapels at the centre of the cemetery. Along with many local organisations we saw the time when Birmingham would be in a position to support any bid we proposed move further and further away. We are now working with Bereavements Department to investigate alternative fund raising options but in the meantime we will continue with our other achievable projects within the cemetery, whilst keeping the chapels at the front of our campaign.
FBEC members joined representatives of Friends groups from Jasmin Fields Nature Reserve, Brandwood Pool,The Park Ranger Service and the local Neighbourhood Policing Team at St Albans Primary School Christmas Fayre. Since the loss of the community 
‘Space’ in Sunderton Road all the groups have been involved in the Summer and Christmas Fayres at the school who kindly offered them an opportunity to promote their individual groups to attract membership. Santa made an appearance and visitors were entertained by the school choir and assorted musicians. The Police were on hand to offer crime prevention advice and the Ranger Service had a busy time making natural willow wands and decorations. The event was organised by the school PTA and New Vision sponsored ‘Santa’ !!
Our thanks to all our supporters who have collected ‘Wish Tokens’ for us. We have received over 4000 tokens, which for a small organisation is admirable. Those of you who still have tokens please send them, as soon as possible, to the address in our previous blog post. Thank you all again and we will let you know the outcome of your efforts.
Just a reminder to all those who support us and a appeal to anyone new who feels they can spare a couple of hours to help keep this cemetery litter free. Meet at the Lodge on the main drive at 10am this Sunday, 1st December. Please wear suitable stout footwear, outer clothing and gloves but we have plenty of litter pickers and bags!
Can we take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported our litter picks in 2013 and if you cant make this one, we look forward to seeing you in 2014. Watch this blog for confirmation of dates.
Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery worked with pupils from Woodthorpe Primary School to discuss what can be done to reduce litter locally. This was followed up by a litter pick in their school grounds and then in nearby Brandwood End Cemetery. The pupils followed their litter hunt with some time spent collecting leaves, cones and other natural items to complete a collage. Watch this space to see their results! Our thanks go to all the helpers, particularly Class 5 of Woodthorpe School.
We all agreed we had enjoyed our adventure in Brandwood End Cemetery and look forward to working with together again.
Community members and local Councillors joined the Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery in an Act of Remembrance at the Cross of Sacrifice in Brandwood End Cemetery.
The Deacon of St Dunstans Church, David Fairbotham, led a short but poignant service. Following this wreaths were laid on behalf of Birmingham City Council and its Citizens, Kings Heath Branch of The Masons and the Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery.
This year we had not one but two buglers who performed the Last Post beautifully. Two minutes silence was observed and this, along with the buglers, brought tears to the eyes of many of the people attending.
Many of the visitors stopped behind to ask about the cemetery and the work the Friends are doing.
You are invited to join Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery in a short Act of Remembrance in Brandwood End Cemetery on Sunday 10th November 2013.
Please meet at the Cross of Sacrifice on the main drive at 10.45am for a brief address by David Fairbotham, Deacon of St Dunstans Church, Kings Heath followed by 2 minutes silence at 11am and the laying of wreaths by Councillor Barry Henley and other local organisations.
Please note that there will be no access along the main drive from the Chapels to the Broad Lane gate from 10.45 to 11.15 whilst the Service is taking place. All other roads within the cemetery remain open. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery, like many other groups in Birmingham, have been short listed as an organisation to receive a share of £25,000 from the Birmingham Post and Mail 2013 WISH Campaign.
To get our hands on our share of this fund we need YOU to collect the tokens that will appear in the Birmingham Mail every day from Tuesday 1st October to Saturday 30th November 2013. The more tokens we collect, the larger the share of this fund we will receive.
PLEASE cut out these tokens and post your pile to us at FBEC c/o Julian Pritchard (Treasurer) The Lakeside Centre, Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NU.
The Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery are all volunteers and we constantly need to raise money to help us carry out every project we work on within the cemetery. This is a way you can help without actually providing cash. Tell your family, tell your friends. Buy the Birmingham Mail for a few weeks to help us all achieve goals within this beautiful cemetery.
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