Queen Elizabeth state funeral: 6 things to do in Birmingham if you don’t want to watch the service

Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest on Monday 19 September and millions of people will be watching the state funeral. Thousands have already queued for hours in London to get a last glimpse and a bid her farewell. Monday has been declared a Bank Holiday and many shops and attractions will be shut.

TV channels will be broadcasting the service live and big screens across cities have also been set up, including in Centenary Square and West Bromwich, so people can share their grief together in public and pay their respects. You can still pay your tribute here.

However, some people might not want to watch the funeral. Here are six things to do instead:

1. Meal prep

It’s good to have control over what we put in our body. Usually, we don’t have time to prepare all our meals but you can use the Bank Holiday to do just that. Also, eating out or buying ready-to-go meals are getting costlier with the cost of living crisis. You are likely to find things in your pantry that can be turned into healthy and hearty meals for the rest of the week.

2. Organise your home

Whether it’s your closet or your kitchen or any other part of your home, today is the day to ensure that you are ready for the winter ahead. Autumn is here and organising your closet might throw up some old gems, including clothes and bedspreads. You could also dig out your stored Halloween decor and get ready for it end of next month.

3. Go for a walk

There are great places in Birmingham to go for a walk or just visit a park with your family. You could go on an autumnal walk to Mosley Bog, Edgbaston Reservoir, Handsworth Park, or the Lickey Hills - there are multiple options. If you have a dog, this might just be the right thing for you and your best friend.

4. Try gardening

If you plant vegetables now, you can get a crop by spring so, September is a good month to try out gardening. If you don’t have the tools but have a patch of soil and some beans or peas, that’s enough. You can plant spinach, broad beans, radish, turnip, peas, and even onions and garlic right now.

5. Watch a show

If you haven’t had the time to catch up to your favourite show, today is a good day to curl up on your couch with hot chocolate and binge watch. The Great British Bake Off is back, and so are spin-offs of The Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings. Netflix also has some interesting new options ranging from drama to true crime that are worth a watch.

6. Try a new hobby

You could combine two activities like photography and going on a walk, or if you prefer being home, you could try out something new like macrame, crochet, make-up or just some arts and crafts. You could also try cooking something easy and exotic like the Turkish egg-dish Cilbir or a Shakshouka.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. BirminghamWorld is Birmingham’s latest news website, championing everything that is great about our city - reporting on news, lifestyle and sport. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going.