Living Churchyard Workshop Day

Time & Location

13 Jul, 09:30 – 16:30

St Mary's Church Hall, Potton, St Mary's Hall, Hatley Road, Potton, Sandy SG19 2RP, UK

About The Event

A one day event, made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, will be held in Potton, Bedfordshire, in July 2019 to draw people from churches and communities across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. They will learn about how best to care for their churchyards to benefit wildlife and local communities at the same time bearing in mind the needs of bereaved families and visitors to graves. The day will provide useful information and expertise through workshops, talks and providing printed materials to take away.

Churchyards are often the only unimproved grassland within a parish and are recognised for their rich and diverse natural heritage, from species-rich old grassland, to veteran and ancient yew trees and lichen covered stonework. The animals associated with these ancient sites, which are usually the oldest enclosed piece of land in a parish, are of equal importance to the plant life and dependent on it – bees, butterflies and other insects, amphibians and reptiles, small mammals and birds, including some species which are now endangered. Correct management is essential for their survival.

The man-made heritage of the historic stonework of the church, monuments, memorials and boundary walls is important for the architectural style, inscriptions, local history of the people and their community, and for their geology and lichens.

The heritage of burial sites is also important to our culture and to cultural traditions such as those around death, burial and remembrance.

There is no charge for the day but booking will be essential and is available at:

https://www.stalbans.anglican.org/faith/living-churchyards-2/

Free tea and coffee are provided. Free parking available in the field opposite the church.

Some workshops and the cloakrooms are across the road in the church hall. One workshop in each session is likely to be held up stone stairs. Some workshops will take place wholly or partly in the churchyard, weather permitting. Please enquire if access is likely to be a problem to you.