|
TRIPS & TRAINING
Gwent Living Churchyards Project can help with money for training
courses, walks & talks by local experts to help you learn more about the
special wildlife & heritage features of your churchyard. We can also
help support churchyard heritage & wildlife events to encourage local
interest and help. If you’re keen to see a training course or talk on a
particular churchyard topic please let us know!
For more information or to book a place contact: Rebecca Price on 01600
740358 or email
rprice@gwentwildlife.org
An Introduction to Dry Stone Walling
Practical course led by Brian Polson, Professional Member & Qualified
walling instructor of the Drystone Walling Association. Join Brian to
learn about the art of dry stone walling & help restore the boundary wall of
Groeswen Chapel.
Two day course – 26th/27th September 2009 (PROVISIONAL DATE)
Groeswen Chapel, Caerphilly.
FREE as part of Living Churchyards Project. Booking required. Please contact
Rebecca Price
rprice@gwentwildlife.org
to register your interest. Depending on the preference of participants this can
be a 1 or 2 day course.
Penterry Photographic Competition 2009
The second annual photography competition in aid of Penterry Church is now
underway.
Last year's competition was very successful and had a large number of entrants.
The competition culminated in an exhibition at St Arvan's Village Hall and
selected images appeared on the popular Penterry Calendar.
This year the theme is 'The Living Landscape' and is open to all photographers
both amateur and professional and all age ranges. The exhibition this year will
be held again at St Arvans Village Hall.
Closing Date for entries - Friday 31st July
Evening Preview - Friday 4th Sept
Exhibition - Saturday 5th Sept Download
the exhibition
poster.
Harvest Celebration - Sunday 6th Sept
For more information
download rules & entry form here or see:
www.penterry.org.uk
Reports on Recent Events
St Michael’s (Tintern) - held an open church & churchyard over the May
bank holiday weekend. Despite the inclement (!) weather on Sunday and Monday, a
steady stream of visitors were warmly welcomed, with plants on sale by the
Village Produce Association & wonderful home baked cakes care of the WI. The
church was specially adorned with flowers & there was the opportunity to learn
more about the trail wildflower meadow area. Visitors also had the opportunity
to view recently computerised burial records for the churchyard. Careful work by
a local volunteer over the last few months means every record since 1813 can now
be searched and printed out by villagers.
St Michael’s (Glasoced) - at the start of May volunteers invited visitors
to join them for an ‘Orchid & Cowslip spectacular’. Local people enjoyed tea &
cakes whilst enjoying the wonderful display of spring wildflowers the churchyard
supports.
St Oudoceus (Llandogo) – a local group of volunteers has been busy
identifying opportunities for wildlife and together with individuals from
Tintern enjoyed an evening guided walk around the meadows at GWT’s Pentywn
nature Reserve to provide a little inspiration! Their trial meadow area may be
on a slightly smaller scale to those at Pentwyn but even the smallest
churchyards can provide important havens for a variety of wildlife.
Penallt Old Church Led by Caroline Howard, Penallt Old Church in the Wye
Valley is developing a wildlife conservation project for it’s lovely old
churchyard. A group of keen individuals are looking to record the wildlife of
the churchyard over the next 12 months, with a view to then agreeing upon a
suitable plan of management. The churchyard is known to be home to a rich
variety of wildflowers. Leaving sensitively chosen ‘meadow areas’ in the
churchyard will enable these wildflowers to flower and set seed, and delight
members of the congregation and visitors to the churchyard alike. Under the
guidance of Caroline the first recording and teaching session took place back in
January where she pointed out some of the more common mosses that are amongst
the many the churchyard supports.
St Cadoc’s Churchyard (Llangattock Lingoed). The churchyard under the
guidance of Revd Jean Prosser has been managed for wildlife & people for a
number of years, with a lovely wildflower area, slow worms and bats. On 3rd
July, Jean talked about how she’s achieved it, problems they’ve encountered and
have a look at some of the wildlife for which the churchyard provides a home.
If you know of a churchyard in Gwent with potential wildlife appeal, would like
to learn more or are keen to develop a living churchyards group in your area
please contact:
Rebecca Price - Living Churchyards Project Officer
01600 740358
rprice@gwentwildlife.org
If you have skills you’d like to offer to our
living churchyards around the county then we would like to hear from
you.
|
