Tag: fbec; brandwood end cemetery

Local children produce their drawings of Brandwood End Cemetery!

Just prior to Christmas 2012 New Vision Community Group were part of the Christmas Fayre at St Albans School. FBEC, as members of this group, ran a small competition for the pupils to draw what they saw and liked within Brandwood End Cemetery. These are the three prize winners.

This beautiful drawing of our Chapels was produced by Nancy McAndrew, who is 10 years old.

 

Maisey Cox, aged 9, has captured the   avenues of trees that make Brandwood End cemetery so beautiful.

 

 

 

Our final winner is just 5! Roman Addy has managed to pack so many things into his picture. Foxes, trees, angels, grave stones, mushrooms….and even a cat he saw!

Full marks for observation.

 

Each of the three winners will receive a prize of some items to use for their future artistic endeavours and their efforts will be displayed on our notice boards as well as here on our site.

We would like to thank them for taking the time to enter our competition.

What a year it has been in the life of the Friends

Alistair McGowan
Alistair McGowan becomes Patron of Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery

The Friends work tirelessly to improve the Cemetery and ensure that visitors feel that it is well cared for and loved.  We thought we would share a few of our achievements in recent months and they include:

The establishment, last year, of a two year Memorandum of Understanding and regular monthly meetings with Councillor Timothy Huxtable, Cabinet Member for Transport, Environment and Regeneration, Bereavement Services officers and FBEC, have resulted in a mutually and clearly defined way forward for Brandwood End Cemetery.  The twin Victorian Mortuary Chapels have long been derelict and partially destroyed by fire, but since FBEC’s inception various works have been instigated to ensure, if at all possible, the retention of this wonderful building.  We are seeking, in conjunction with Birmingham City Council, to submit an application for Heritage Lottery funding for the chapels and will, of course keep you informed by Newsletter.

  • The Superintendent’s Lodge, vacated after flooding, is also currently being refurbished with plans being considered for its use within the cemetery.  The improvements will include the provision of a garden and refurbishment of the existing toilet block.
  • We were delighted to welcome two new Patrons.  Elizabeth Perkins, Director, Birmingham Conservation Trust, and Alistair McGowan, actor, impressionist and comedian.
  • FBEC continue to be represented on the Committee of ‘New Vision’, a group formed to continue the community cohesion begun by the 106 group.
  • FBEC have a representative on Birmingham Heritage Forum and in 2012 we will again be included in their promotional information leaflets which are distributed to most city tourist venues.

To read the full article and see what a few dedicated people and their supporters can achieve:

FBEC_Achievements

Fan mail from a Friend of Brandwood End Cemetery

Brandwood_End_Cemetery_Chapels_Enabling_Works_2012_Web
Victorian twin terracotta Chapels at Brandwood End Cemetery

 

“One of our members wrote this lovely letter and has kindly agreed to us publishing it.  As one of the Founding Members, current Chairman and Friend myself it is wonderful to know our efforts are both noticed and supported.  Thank you Jeannette!”

Anne Courbet, Chairman

 

 “It was uplifting to see some activity at the Victorian Mortuary Chapels when my husband and I visited Brandwood End Cemetery at Easter time.  It is such a pity that the metal safety fencing has to remain – not a pretty sight – but obviously it is there to protect what remains of the chapels from further vandalism.

I always try to make my small contribution towards the general appearance of the cemetery whenever my husband and I visit our family graves – picking up litter, raking dead leaves, etc. wherever it is needed.

I realise that it is only due to the dedication and enthusiasm of the Committee of F.B.E.C. that any of the improvements made during the past few years have been achieved.  I would like to say thank you to each one of you.  Thank goodness someone came up with the idea of forming F.B.E.C.

My husband remembers very clearly how beautifully kept Brandwood End cemetery was when his family lived in Yarningale Road in the late 1940s, and the general area was still quite rural.”

Regards,  Jeannette.