by Rachel Westwood.
Low cost ideas to enjoy woods and forests
Forestry England is encouraging us to enjoy our woods and forests, learning more about nature whilst boosting our health.
There are lots of reasons why spending time in nature, including in our woods and forests, can help us https://www.forestryengland.uk/blog/10-reasons-to-be-in-the-forest . There is increasing evidence that being in nature is good for our mental and physical health - not only because it can involve exercise, but also learning about the world around us and connecting with nature. This may mean going to visit a forest, but it can be as simple as using the parks (which are more accessible) and walks and footpaths we’re lucky to have in and around Balsall Common.
Forestry England have also suggested some low cost ideas to help children and families make the most of their time in nature https://www.forestryengland.uk/blog/10-low-cost-family-fun-ideas-winter, including trying map reading and orienteering, or getting into wildlife photography (many of our phones have very good quality cameras). They have also developed some Gruffalo themed activity sheets which are free to download and include this scavenger hunt.
Where are we Now? |
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We are proud to say that we have achieved the ‘Silver’ award level of the A’Rocha scheme. We intend to build on this and achieve Gold by recycling more, encouraging our church members and other churches to follow environmentally sensitive policies, and looking after our site (the churchyard) to promote ecological diversity and the wellbeing of the natural world. As part of this, we are thrilled to say that we were able to host the YCCN pilgrimage to the Glasgow Climate
Here’s our newly planted native (organic!) Yew hedge and our bee-friendly wildflower area which is showing good results!Summit!
| Recycling: |
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We have “recycling” boxes in the entrance to the Church and Hall where you can leave old mobile phones, stamps, spectacles and printer cartridges! These can often be sold to raise funds for the needy or passed to charities who can use them. We also can help with the recycling of many other things - contact us if you would like to help our Recycling efforts as we do need a new Coordinator!
We also try to feed the birds, encourage native wildflowers to grow in our grounds, and welcome people to use our space to relax - but please do so responsibly and do not leave litter! That’s what the bins and recycling boxes are for.