Worship in Wellies

23 November 2009

The tradition of wearing your best clothes to go to church was completely overturned this month by the congregation of St John's, Hurst Green. Instead, they turned up in wellies for the service and their annual churchyard maintenance day, now fondly referred to as 'Worship in Wellies'! Apart from the necessary clearing of leaves, cutting back of overgrown shrubs and mowing grass, the children helped build a wildlife tower (pictured left). This stack of palettes, filled with leaves,dead wood, bricks and plant pots will provide a habitat for beneficial insects, frogs, hedgehogs and other small mammals. In fact, before they had finished, the children spotted a spider, a woodlouse and an earwig already in residence!

The tower contributes to the church's policy to manage the churchyard for the benefit of wildlife. Areas are left unmown to encourage wild flowers and grasses to re-establish and to increase diversity of insect life.

The church gained its second Eco Congregation Award last year for its efforts to raise environmental awareness and show the Church's responsibility for God's creation.