Friends of Brinsley Headstocks group delighted to be Green Flag winners again

For the 11th successive year, the group has been awarded a Community Green Flag – part of the Keep Britain Tidy Green Flag Awards scheme – Green Flag organisation – in recognition of the local community input to the ongoing growth of the Headstocks mining heritage display and the adjoining nature reserve.

Ken Hamilton, chairman of the Friends of Brinsley Headstocks acknowledged the wide support of the village community, saying: “They are appreciative of having such an endearing asset within the village.”

The restoration of the old Brinsley Colliery site reached a significant milestone recently when representatives of the contributing agencies met on site to review progress to date.

Coun Robert Bullock (Brox All), Mayor of Broxtowe, also unveiled a new miners memorial bench and viewed the newly-planted memorial orchard in memory of the 33 men and boys who died whilst working at the mine.

Broxtowe Council has also produced a unique plaque listing the name, age, date of death and locality of each miner.

The bench has been carved from timbers saved from the recently-removed headstocks structure and features colliery wheels, a miner’s lantern and helmet along with a wildlife design.

The memorial orchard comprises 33 fruit trees, a mix of seven Nottingham-sourced apple varieties and a Merryweather damson.

To accompany the orchard an information board has been installed outlining the origin of the trees and their likely fruiting date.

Coun Milan Radulovic (Brox All), Broxtowe Council leader, described the dual project as an ‘important part of Broxtowe’s history’ and ‘something that was just the start of the council’s wider re-building project at the Brinsley headstocks site’.

Coun Helen Skinner, the council’s environment and climate change portfolio holder, added: Fruit has been carefully chosen to be of the time.

"We hope people will enjoy this peaceful setting for years to come.”