Last Wednesday 19th March, a keen group of Sparkbrook residents, helped by Councillor Izzy Knowles, planted 5 trees supplied by Birmingham TreePeople to improve their local environment. A Magnolia Galaxy went in next to the bus-stop, and a Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glypto ’Goldeush’) was given a more generous planting location in which to flourish and […]
The Zephaniah Forest has been completed in a final planting session. In Burbury Park, Newtown, there are now 65 new trees signifying each year of a life well-lived and respected, dedicated to Benjamin Zephaniah. In a final celebratory planting session, the legacy forest dedicated to Benjamin was completed by returning community members and volunteers from […]
We were joined by friends from the Refugee and Migrant Centre, on 6th February 2025, to help plant nine more trees in The Zephaniah Forest. Together we spent the morning digging holes and carefully unwrapping the trees, ready for their new home in Burbury Park. Millicent Springer, sister of Benjamin and member of the Benjamin […]
We teamed up with Birmingham City University students for Go Green Week on Friday 30th January. The keen squad joined Matt and Charley – with support from Birmingham City Council Woodlands Team’s Leon and Nick – to fulfill some of our targets towards the Urban Forest Masterplan for Birmingham. We had a wonderful few hours […]
We’ve been planting in The Zephaniah Forest with Benjamin Zephaniah Family Legacy Group and the community again! On 23rd January we planted more trees with Millicent, Benjamin’s sister, as well as returning volunteer Ebony, and several other amazing local people in Burbury Park for The Zephaniah Forest! Millicent bought a marker to write her family’s […]
The Mossy Bank Treemembrance Planting on 16th January saw Angela Poultney remembering her parents, Patricia Ann and John Bryan Bower, with the ceremonial planting of a Copper Beech. The Friends of Mossy Bank’s Chair was present, Shiela, Keatley, who was a wonderful help throughout. The grandchildren blessed the tree by planting bulbs at the base, […]
On 9th January 2025 in Handsworth Park, our first tree planting of the year took place, which was a wonderful commemorative occasion for the Treemembrance Programme. We were terrifically lucky with the weather; it was sunny and bright all day whilst planting in memory of Natasha Wade, who sadly passed away last February. The day […]
A new orchard was planted last weekend in Minworth, alongside Minworth Action Projects and Friends of Stephens Pond & Berryfields Orchard. The crisp January morning consisted of the community coming together to plant 22 new fruit trees, opposite The Boat Inn on Old Kingsbury Road, for everyone to care for and enjoy for the foreseeable […]
The time finally came for David Springer to plant a tree in memory of his brother, Benjamin Zephaniah, with his family from the Benjamin Zephaniah Family Legacy Group. David originally contacted us from the Family Legacy Group wanting to plant a tree in memory of Benjamin. We decided it wasn’t enough, and thus The Zephaniah […]
Celebrating Benjamin Zephaniah and his love of fruit trees! 19th December we planted The Zephaniah Forest’s Orchard in Burbury Park. The Zephaniah Forest saw a momentous planting day take place on 19th December, where we teamed up with not only the Benjamin Zephaniah Family Legacy Group, but also Burbury Park Community Forum, Birmingham Empowerment Forum, […]
We had the pleasure of planting trees with pupils from Highters Heath Community School once again this year (they are becoming quite the enthusiastic tree-planting squad), after we had arranged with the Friends of Daisy Farm Park to have six new elms planted, replacing the old lost street colonnade. Steve (President of FDFP) and Mac […]
On Friday 29th November in Kings Heath Park, a Magnolia x loebneri Leonard Messel Treemembrance tree was planted in memory of the mother of Julia and Terry Kirby. Kings Heath Rangers from the Horticulture Department, Dave and Graeme, planted the tree in a flower bed, where it should flourish. Julia and Terry were accompanied by […]
On 3rd December, Birmingham City University’s (BCU) Volunteer Network students joined us to celebrate one of their Honorary Doctorates, Benjamin Zephaniah, by planting several of The Zephaniah Forest’s trees with us in Burbury Park. Benjamin Zephaniah was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from BCU, so it was wonderful to plant trees with the student volunteer network. […]
Our first planting of the year was for the Treemembrance programme in Bournville, 21st November, planting a tree with the friends, family, Friends group, and pupils of the local school, all in memory of Carl Green. It was a lovely morning after the snow had fallen in Bournville Park, where Rachel had organised with our […]
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 […]