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 […]
Tag: greenspace
Minworth Orchard
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 […]
Family Legacy Tree Planting
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 […]
Enchanted Orchard Tree Planting
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, […]
Ebony Hikers Tree Planting
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’s First Tree for Tree Week
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 […]
Pests and Diseases Training
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 […]
Trees for Tree Week!
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: […]
Burbury Park Poetree Walk
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. […]
Community Environment Fund 2024 Award: Street Tree Project
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 […]
Writing Workshop
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 […]
Big Green Sunday!
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 […]
Urban Sermon: A Tribute to Benjamin Zephaniah
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
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 […]
Zephaniah Forest Poetry Workshop
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 […]