Two Cheltenham churches are promoting nature corridors as they make the push towards their Gold Eco Church Awards. St Peter’s Church, Leckhampton and St St Philip and St James’ Church, Leckhampton are putting the environment high on the agenda as an essential part of our Christian responsibility to care for the world around us.
On 15 October, the eco-groups from both churches are bringing people together in the hope of creating a nature corridor in the south of Cheltenham.
A nature reserve corridor is a series of connected habitats that allow wildlife to move freely between areas. By joining gardens, allotments, churchyards, and green areas, these corridors provide food, water, shelter, and safe routes for animals, protected from the risk of being poisoned by pesticides.
They are a simple yet effective way to maintain genetic diversity and reduce the risk of local species becoming extinct.
There will be a talk from Megan Adamou, Community Action Co-ordinator for Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, who will explain easy ways to create a space for nature on our doorstep by creating nature reserve corridors in our gardens through the GWT’s ‘Pledge a Patch’ campaign.
Joey Kerr-Wilson, minutes secretary at St Peter’s Leckhampton Eco Group, said: “People can sign up to GWT’s People’s Nature Reserve and ‘pledge a patch’ to have their garden or patch recognised as an eco-friendly space. It might be a balcony, window box, allotment, or garden – size doesn’t matter. It’s about taking individual action to make wildlife thrive.”
Marie Owen, a member of the eco group of St Philip and St James, said: “We are very concerned at the severe decline in the wildlife in our area, resulting in very few butterflies, ladybirds, lacewings and honey bees, the disappearance of swifts and song thrushes and rarity of hedgehogs. Our local wildlife is struggling to cope with the joint impacts of climate change and the local damage we are doing to our environment by loss of green space and the continued use of harmful insecticides and herbicides, both by individuals and our local council.”
Three years ago, the Eco group at Pip and Jim’s linked up with the local neighbourhood association (SPJARA) to begin an annual plant giveaway of insect friendly plants. The aim of this was to encourage local people to plant them wherever they could find a space, while pledging to avoid the use of noxious chemicals which would damage the insects visiting the plants.
Marie said: “As the event gained momentum, we were joined by St Peter’s Leckhampton and received the support of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. This encouraged us to work together as two Church Communities, with GWT and local residents to preserve this wonderful world which God has created. We are delighted for the Wildlife Gardening event on 15 October to be joined by Brian Johnston of the Beekeepers’ Association, since the decline in honey bee numbers in our area has been a major concern.
“With cheese and wine, as well as free insect friendly plants and a little retail therapy on offer, we hope that it will be an enjoyable evening and will provide us with inspiration to do all we can to protect our precious wildlife.”
Joey added: “Both St Peter’s and St Philip and St James are working towards the Eco Church Gold Award. This event encourages conservation, care for God’s creation, and community involvement. By working together as churches, we can extend our impact beyond the churchyard. It’s about helping our local environment and setting an example of stewardship in action.”
The event will have refreshments, stalls of local products, giveaway plants, and information about other local initiatives. Cheese and wine will be available for £2.50. It starts at 7.30pm at St Philip and St James, Leckhampton. Attendance is free.
If this has inspired you to get involved, find out more about Eco Church here —>
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