It has been a busy June at St Mary’s Church in Car Colston, Nottinghamshire where we have been celebrating our churchyard and ‘Caring for Creation’.

What started as a relatively small project to build a bug hotel in the churchyard developed into the construction of a beautiful Bug Church and Hedgehog Annex.

The project was a wonderful opportunity to engage with

the wider community who enthusiastically donated all the necessary components for the Bug Church and a local artist painted the intricate clock face for the tower. Children from a nearby nursery school visited and helped with the provision of the habitat for the bugs and hedgehogs.

Our work coincided with the Churches Count on Nature, and we decided to hold a Wild Churchyard event to celebrate the Bug Church and also promote the biodiversity of the churchyard. We wanted to offer something that would be of interest to all the community and particularly appeal to young families, that was environmentally friendly and also educational.

The Wild Churchyard morning on Saturday 12th June involved approximately 30 people visiting the churchyard and enjoying refreshments of tea, coffee, bacon rolls and homemade blueberry muffins. Children took part in QR code nature trails around the churchyard identifying wildflowers, drawing colourful pictures of wildlife to decorate the church porch and enthusiastically inspecting the Bug Church. The rural setting of the Church traversed by footpaths is much appreciated and well used. Wildflower areas have been planted to encourage pollination for local bees and a seating area is available for those who wish to the enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the setting for quiet reflection.

A Pets Service held the following week led by Reverend Ruth Colby incorporated a blessing for the Bug Church. In addition to the many local families and dogs who attended and to whom the churchyard is familiar territory we were delighted to welcome a tortoise and a chicken. We also included special activities for children to join in with during and after the service.

The construction of a Bug Church with a tower and clock face to replicate that of St Mary's coupled with the Hedgehog Annex has been a tremendous achievement. The work which is ongoing has all been done by volunteers in the community assisted by enthusiastic children from the village and beyond. Visitors to the area have been in touch to express their delight and appreciation for what has been achieved in the churchyard. This feedback is much appreciated and very rewarding for all the hard work of those involved.