Bedmond Churchyard
The Living Churchyard Scheme aims to help churches manage their churchyards in a wildlife-friendly way, while being sensitive to the needs of all churchyard users.
Churchyards are important places for people, but they can be havens for wildlife too. As these habitats remain largely undisturbed, numerous plants and animals have space to thrive. With good management, wildflower rich churchyards can support a diverse ecosystem.
Many ancient meadows and pastures rich in wildflowers, butterflies and insects have been lost since the Second World War, due to the widespread use of fertilizers and herbicides. Churchyards can be the last refuge for wildlife in some cases and also play an important role in enabling species to move from one place to another.
We have just begun to manage our churchyard at Bedmond in accordance with the principles of the Living Churchyard Scheme and initially undertook a Flora survey which listed over 40 species not to mention the grasses, trees, mosses, fungi and all the living creatures that depend on them. In August 2017 we arranged a Moth Watch and you can see the species we found by clicking here.
As such we already have a rich flora and fauna but are seeking to encourage greater diversity and also maintain a healthy balance. With this in mind, areas of the Churchyard are managed in different ways. The grassed pathways around the Church and the car park are regularly mown for practical reasons and to provide a fit setting for the Church. Around these pathways and the car park though, and more especially in our large field area, we leave the grass to grow long during the summer months to encourage different flowers, butterflies, moths and birds. This also allows caterpillars that feed on the wildflowers and grasses time to pupate. In this way we are trying to conserve and encourage as diverse a range of wildflowers as possible.
Members of our congregation attended a scything course in the summer of 2016 to learn how to manage the grassland in an ancient and more environmentally friendly way. Following this we were awarded a Green Grant from the Diocese towards the purchase of our own scythe for Bedmond and we have just begun to use it.
In 2016 we also began to hold regular monthly Churchyard working parties. So far we have been focusing on coppicing the many Sycamores and Laurels which surround the Church, which had become very overgrown and were taking a lot of light away from the Yew Trees. The coppiced trees are now much easier to manage going forward and the Yew Trees are slowly beginning to recover. From the prunings we created a beautiful natural fence to separate the car park from the wildlife area.
We have also been creating many new habitats such as wildlife wood piles which are beneficial for many species, as well as new habitats for hedgehogs, stag beetles and amphibians.
We are always looking for more people to work in the churchyard. Tasks include all of the regular gardening jobs; mowing, clearing, weeding, pruning etc. There are jobs suitable for all ages and abilities so please make contact to find out when we are next meeting.
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The coming week...
Weekly Leaflet
Monday 10th February
9.0 am Morning Prayer
2.15 pm Tiny Tots in the Breakspear Room
7.30 pm Bell Ringing in St Lawrence
Tuesday 11th February
9.0 am Morning Prayer
10.15 am Coffee Morning in Breakspear Room
2.00 pm Tanners wood School visiting St Lawrence
7.30 pm Youth Club meets in church hall
Wednesday 12th February
9.0 am Morning Prayer
11.00 am Mothers Union Meets in Breakspear Room
11.15 am Quiet Reflection in St Lawrence
12 noon Eucharist (Mothers Union Corporate Communion) in St Lawrence followed by a light lunch
3.30 pm Messy Church in Methodist Church and Hall
7.45 pm Choir Practice in St Lawrence
Thursday 13th February
9.0 am Morning Prayer
10.30 am Home Communion at Hanover Gardens
Friday 14th February
9.0 am Morning Prayer
10.00 am Craft morning in the Tin Church
10.00 am AHAL Coffee in Henderson Hub, Abbots Langley High Street
2.00 pm Ascension Acorns in the Tin Church
2.00 pm Craft and Conversation in Breakspear Room
6.15 pm Youth Choir Practice in Breakspear Room
Saturday 15th February
11.00 am 'Exploring Christenings' in Breakspear Room
Sunday 16th February
8.00 am Holy Communion
9.30 am Christening of Malachy Kelleher-Bennet during Parish Communion with Seekers and Creche in St Lawrence
11.15 am Holy Communion at Bedmond in Tin Church
12.30 pm Sunday Lunch Club
12.45 pm Christening of Henry Glasgow
6.30 pm Evening Prayer in St Lawrence
7.30 pm "Is God a Monster?" in Breakspear Room