It has been deteriorating for years but thanks to a partnership between young people from Castle Bromwich Youth & Community Centre and members of the Castle Bromwich Community Project the closed graveyard by St Mary & St Margaret Church Castle Bromwich is getting a much needed facelift. Castle Bromwich Community Project with the support of the Solihull Neighbourhood Management Team has spent the past 18 months slowly clearing the over growth and the weeds to reveal the hidden graves and the stories behind the head stones, but the project received a boost when Project members were joined by members of the Castle Bromwich Youth Centre, Castle Bromwich & District Lions, local residents and members of the Neighbourhood Police Team for a four day mass clear-up where young people and older residents worked side by side.
Taking inspiration from the planting schemes of Commonwealth War Graves which were researched by young members of the Community Project, the volunteers created a strategic planting scheme to highlight the 9 war graves contained within the graveyard, the graves of pilots killed during duty whilst serving at the Castle Bromwich Aerodrome and other historically important graves. The young people from the Youth Centre donated £100 which would normally have been used for in Centre activities or equipment to provide gravel and plants for the project; Castle Bromwich & District Lions also donated gravel and plants and Solihull Environmental Champions loaned the tools needed for the clear-up.
A Spokesperson for the Castle Bromwich Community Project said that “the graveyard clear-up provides an opportunity for young and old to get to know each other better whilst learning about local heritage, helping to improve the environment and conserve historically important monuments”.
The project is ongoing with advice currently being obtained on maintaining a wild life friendly environment and research being undertaken on the lives of people buried within the graveyard with hopes of producing an interactive discovery trail. There will be a further extended clear-up in the graveyard during the October half term together with a bulb plating session as part of the Castle Bromwich Bulb Planting Festival which is also organised by the Castle Bromwich Community Project.
Anybody wanting more information or to get involved should check out www.thecbcp.co.uk or phone: 0845 5212436
