Heartwarming reason a 'mini forest' is set to appear in Birmingham park

A heart-warming Benjamin Zephaniah tribute has been planned for a Birmingham park in the hope of "carrying on his iconic legacy." The BBC Peaky Blinders star and poet died aged 65 following an eight-week battle with a brain tumour.

The much-loved poet's death last December sparked shockwaves and grief through the community, with heartbroken tributes pouring in online. Now, his youngest brother David Springer, plans to pay tribute to his "love of trees and nature" with a mini forest in the city.

On behalf of his family at the Benjamin Zephaniah Family Legacy Group, David reached out to Birmingham TreePeople, an urban forest volunteer-led charity, with plans to plant 65 trees for each year of Benjamin's life. Burbury Park in Newtown has been chosen as the spot for the new 'Zephaniah Forest.'

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With its good number of tree-pit locations, the city park has been deemed the "ideal home". A 65-strong conglomerate of poetry-tagged, community-consulted, and communally planted trees, will commemorate his inspirational life and works.

Birmingham TreePeople said: "Alongside Benjamin’s dedicated family members, Birmingham TreePeople plan to work with other prominent individuals from across the city as well as nature, community and arts groups, so we can plant this mini forest in his name, and over the years it will have the potential to grow further.

"By working with the communities within which these trees will be planted, we hope to ensure their long-term care and establishment, ensuring the dedicated memorial forest continues to grow and thrive for years to come."

The trees will be tagged and documented using TreePlotter software, alongside a Tree Trail to follow the newly planted trees, Dedicated poems will be associated with each one, they said.

The charity added: "This means that we need 65 poems for the 65 trees. The TreePeople want to work with the arts and poetry community to achieve this – examples of the poetry themes could be Benjamin himself, the idea of memory and how we remember, or of course Mother Nature (and all that she includes) that he so revered. Trees, flowers, and the roots!

"During the next tree planting season which coincides with National Tree Week at the end of November, community planting days will be organised, as well as live poetry readings and music events. The final planting day for this project will be a private ceremony with his family members to plant the ultimate tree, to mark the one-year anniversary of Benjamin’s passing.

"Birmingham TreePeople are currently in the process of fundraising for The Zephaniah Forest and we would especially welcome other organisations’ support and involvement with the community memorial project, to create a legacy forest for a legend in the heart of his home city."