Eco Churchyard award for Malvern churches

Holy Trinity Church in Malvern has been awarded Gold in the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Worcestershire’s Best Eco Churchyard Competition, while its sister church, St James in West Malvern, received an honorary prize in recognition of its work developing St James’ Orchard.

The awards were presented to members of the Benefice Eco Group, the vicar, Becky Elliot and the churchwardens. These awards recognise the time, enthusiasm and care that goes into looking after the churchyards and creating spaces where wildlife can flourish.

When presenting the awards, the President of CPRE Worcestershire, Frank Hill, spoke about the history of CPRE and the importance of protecting our countryside. He explained how the rapid growth in population during the 20th century created an increasing demand for new homes, prompting concerns about the impact on the English countryside. CPRE was formed in 1926 in response to these concerns and is celebrating its centenary this year.

To mark the occasion, the organisation’s long-running Best Churchyard Competition has taken on a new focus, celebrating Best Eco Churchyards and the ways in which churchyards can be managed to benefit wildlife and biodiversity.

During his visit to Holy Trinity, Frank was particularly impressed by the churchyard itself. Despite the heatwaves and exceptionally dry conditions in late July, the grass was looking remarkably green, as well as being neatly cut and level. In fact, this aspect of the churchyard scored a full 20 out of 20!

However, it wasn’t just the appearance of Holy Trinity’s churchyard that impressed the judges. The CPRE team was particularly struck by the enthusiasm of the Benefice Eco Group and how it engages with the community. At Holy Trinity, this has included hosting the National Emergency Briefing event, involving local people in a bird survey, and working with community groups such as Rainbows and Men’s Sheds to design and build bug hotels.

At St James’ Church, the developing orchard and pond were also singled out for praise, with the judges saying that they exceeded expectations.

Frank thanked everyone who had taken part and congratulated both Holy Trinity and St James’ Churches on their achievements.

The awards are a lovely recognition of the work being done across the Benefice to care for the churchyards and encourage wildlife.

Well done to both churches!