Olympic Torch in Bristol

We got up early to go to the centre of Bristol to see  the torch on its first leg of the relay today.  Here are some photos...

Wildflowers on Radio

Lady's Mantle or Cuckoo Flower in a wildflower meadow near Bicester

Last week I went to St Birinus church in Dorchester-on-Thames to see a group of parishioners, led by Linda Francis, plant a Mary Garden. This is a garden full of wildflowers that have a religious significance, particularly to do with Mary. Forget-me-nots are called Mary's Eye's, Lily of the Valley are known as Mary's Tears - see an earlier post and the Tablet article for more details.

Sunday on Radio 4 broadcast this interview this morning, along with an interview with Giles Strother from the Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust at a meadow near Bicester. This was a glorious wildflower meadow, one of a few on a farm they are hoping to buy next year. Its a great pity the producer cut out the main part of the interview with Giles who explained really well why wildflower meadows are so important to the UK - as a store of carbon (as much if not more than a woodland), as a source of pollen for a whole variety of insects, as a water storage to hold excess water etc.  And we have lost 98% of them since World War 2 due to high intensity farming and grazing.  All that was cut out so the piece that was broadcast was weak and didn't really make any sense! However - here are the photos of the wildflowers and St Birinus and we keep on...

Lilly of the Valley - or Mary's Tears - in St Birinus' Garden and parishioners planting the garden below

Nurture In His Name - film series

Here are the first 3 films in a series called Nurture In His Name - aimed at clergy and church communities to encourage environmental care.  We will do more, but so far there is an Introduction, one on Nature and one on Solar Power.  Do pass them around if you think they can be useful.

Wildflowers and Churches

The Tablet published my article on May, flowers and Mary.  We have lost 97% of our wildflower habitat in the last 30 years.Flowers of the Rarest

And some churches are doing their bit. St Birinus in Dorchester-on-Thames are just about to create a Mary Garden, a garden made of wildflowers that are associated with Our Lady.  I'll be recording a piece for Sunday on BBC Radio 4 this week which will be broadcast this Sunday (May 20th)
No 02 Spring 06

Mary's Garens exist already in some churchyards, for example St Birinus told me about St Mary de Haura, Horsham

Here is some info from them:


Mary Garden Leaflet

Swifts are soaring

There's been some great news about people taking up the request to put swift boxes on churches or religious buildings.  

My article appeared in The Tablet and was called Holy Birds of the Heavens.

Holy Birds of the Heaven : Tablet 21 April 2012

St Albans putting up swift boxes

 St Albans got on with it straight away as they already had scaffolding on the roof.

St Beuno's

St Beuno's in N Wales - the Jesuit retreat house featured in The Big Silence - are just about to put up two boxes and will send pictures when they do.

The Churches Conservation Trust have also agreed to put up swift boxes in suitable places - they have 341 churches that might work!  They are in the process of getting a plan together so I'll keep you posted.

There has also been interest from Bristol Cathedral - so watch this space for swift updates.