On the weekend that Tree Week began, we started planting The Zephaniah Forest in Burbury Park, with Qian Zephaniah planting the first tree for her husband, and Ebony Hikers joined us on the second day to celebrate the life and legacy of this iconic Brummie. Despite Storm Burt being forewarned, he once again didn’t stop […]
THE ZEPHANIAH FOREST Qian Zephaniah, her close friends and family planted the first tree (Milky Way tree from China), and subsequent four trees, in The Zephaniah Forest – the 65 strong legacy mini-forest being planted in Burbury Park, in memory of her husband Benjamin Zephaniah, this winter. Today marks the first day of National Tree […]
Free monthly urban forest volunteer training covered pests and diseases this month, in Handsworth Park with Tonia Clark. This wonderful morning session in the park, Saturday 16th November, saw the volunteers learning the risks to trees that come with illness and creepy crawlies, just like us humans. Fungi is ever-present, but what is that pattern […]
Our trees for National Tree Week and beyond arrived at the Bromford depot on Tuesday 12th November, where our keen BTP team was bright and early to receive the trees! Plenty of hard work done to unload and organise over 130 semi-mature trees. Through our various city-wide projects, we will be planting all over Birmingham: […]
An afternoon in Burbury Park! The poetree walk and workshop on 9th November was a lovely couple of hours, filled with creativity and history. Julianne Statham’s fantastic tree walk, coupled with the myths and legends and tie these trees to present-day beliefs, and being in a space where Benjamin Zephaniah grew up was truly inspiring. […]
West Midlands Combined Authority have bestowed on BTP a Community Environment Fund 2024 Award, to celebrate the work we have done during the ongoing Street Tree Survey project! Tonia Clark, BTP Chair, is pictured here with the Deputy Mayor Councillor Sharon Thompson receiving the award on behalf of BTP and its incredible surveying team. The […]
Poets Bradley Taylor (who has been working closely with us promoting the poetry competition) and Zakariye (our external judge representing the poetry community) ran a joint Zephaniah Forest Writing Workshop, on 30th October, at Cherry Reds’ in Birmingham City Centre. It was a truly wonderful session, with one attendee coming from Manchester, as well as […]
We had a great time at Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)’s Big Green Sunday at the Big Green Weekender! Catching up with Retrofit Balsall Heath, Fruit & Nut Village, Better Streets for Birmingham, City of Nature at Birmingham City Council, Marineau Gardens, Moseley Hive, and many more wonderful community groups. We were of course spreading the […]
This wonderful secular urban sermon, once given by Benjamin Zephaniah, was revived in the most spectacular way in his memory. On Monday 7th October, a heart-warmingly large crowd gathered in memory of Benjamin, with The Benjamin Zephaniah Family Legacy Group, held inside Birmingham Cathedral of St. Philip in the heart of the city centre, hosted […]
Caldmore Speaks Out was a truly wonderful event on Sunday 6th October filled with nature poetry, run by Poets, Prattlers & Pandemonialists at Caldmore Community Garden, hosted by Gracey Bee Poetry. We caught up with Barrington from Writers Without Borders, whose fabulous workshop inspired one of the poems that our Communications Manager read, as well […]
Bradley Taylor ran a fantastic Zephaniah Forest Poetry Workshop at Fletcher’s Bar, King’s Heath, 24th September. He has been working with us to promote the poetry competition for The Zephaniah Forest, as well as submitting his own poetry as well. As the Overcoat Poetry host, Bradley teamed up with us to run with incredible Benjamin […]
A magnificent day was had at Caldmore Community Garden’s Sustainable Futures Festival, where we were kindly invited to talk about The Zephaniah Forest and our poetry competition, encouraging people to write and submit their poetry with us towards Benjamin’s legacy trees in Burbury Park! With so many widely contributing community and corporate groups doing their […]
Yesterday’s (1st September) Benjamin Zephaniah: A Celebration held at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) was filled with positivity and emotion, as people gathered here to remember the Birmingham icon and celebrate with his family, friends, and many creative and nature-loving individuals from our beautiful city and beyond. With powerful performances from Jasmine Gardosi current Birmingham […]
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but we have found some rather malicious vandalism during our street tree survey in Gravelly Hill, on 28th August. Several of our newly planted trees have been intentionally attacked. Three of this year’s plantings have been sawn off at the base. They’re planted adjacent to each […]
Celebrating with Nechells POD for the end of the UFA Nechells POD recently held their POD Fest on 23rd August, and as part of the final UFA-related event, Katy teamed up with them once again (but certainly not for the last time) to bring many tree-themed activities to the celebrations! Katy Hawkins, our Engagement Officer, […]