A Rocha UK are encouraged to see that many Eco Churches have been as busy as bees during the lockdown period. One story in particular from Westfield and Cannington United Reformed Churches, two Silver awarded Eco Churches, had us buzzing with excitement…
Like many churches during lockdown, Westfield and Cannington church have been offering extra help to their neighbours, collecting prescriptions, delivering puzzles and shopping for those self-isolating. Children’s Youth and Families Coordinator, Kathryn has also been producing weekly ‘Nature Explorers’ children’s activity packs, delivered to families homes or through the church café’s take-away hatch.
The purpose of these packs was to reach isolated families in the local Bridgwater area. These packs have been in high demand and by week 4, Kathryn and two volunteers had increased production and circulation, putting together 94 packs and sharing these with families beyond those in attendance at their church.
Kathryn explains, ‘Within each pack there are five activities; usually one craft, three practical/experimental and one observational, giving about three hours of family activity time followed by ongoing monitoring (watching seeds grow, noticing birds at their feeders, checking their bee hotels etc). I try to include everything a child would need to carry out the task within the pack, including compost and seed.
Each pack is made from three sheets of newspaper sewn together and some of the activities have further utilised this paper, making newspaper pots and wildflower seed paper for example. The title page is glued to this and doubles up as an activity sheet (colouring or puzzling).’
Their social media is full of lovely pictures of families enjoying these packs and connecting with nature.
Let us know how your church has been continuing it’s Eco Church journey during lockdown in the comments below!