“What a blessing it is to have St Thomas’s wildflower flower meadow circles to stimulate interest in biodiversity” – Paul Youlton, founder member of Winchelsea Wildlife.
The Sussex Wildlife Trust team visited St. Thomas’s churchyard as part of their encouragement of churches to promote biodiversity. They reported that they were “treated to an amazing display of waxcap fungi. These colourful species thrive in churchyards and Winchelsea volunteers were thrilled when we discovered the internationally rare Ballerina Waxcap performing a pirouette in the shadow of the church of St Thomas.” (Sussex Wildlife Trust Wildlife magazine spring / summer 2022)
As one of our speakers, Mark Betson, the Church of England’s national public policy advisor puts it: “Within the bounds of many of our churches we have an amazing resource for people and nature in a place where death and new life can sit comfortably together. Our churchyards can be places of comfort and peace, but also places of awe and wonder that can reach out and inspire people in our communities bringing creation and Christ together, present suffering and future glory.” (cf Romans 8:18-30)
Our theme in 2023 is Nature and God’s Creation. Inspired by our wildflower circle project started in the autumn of 2021 which flourishes and has captured the interest of the local community and many visitors to Winchelsea. It now receives much local support. In part it was inspired by the fragility of our swift population, which returns to nest in the church annually. Swifts, once believed to be souls of the dead, on account of their unearthly, strangely beautiful and piercing cries rely on abundant insect life and setting aside areas for wildflowers increases such life.
Development of the meadows and no-mow areas is an ongoing labour of love supported and encouraged by a former employee at Kew Gardens and local artist. The local wildlife group, Winchelsea Wildlife, have started to monitor the growth in species of associated insects, moths and butterflies too and a rare wax-cap fungus was found in the churchyard last year.
There will be visits by our two church primary schools in Winchelsea and Icklesham to see the wildflower circles and hear about the swifts, biodiversity and the importance of protecting and nurturing the abundance of God’s creation.
Cliff Dean, chair of the the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and supporter of Winchelsea Wildlife will give an informal talk about our swift population on Friday, and Mark Betson, will be speaking on “Life in all it’s Fullness” on Friday afternoon. Mark has doctorates in theology and hydrology and will help us see the importance of how we can weave a respect for creation and our environment into a life that based on Christian principles that harnesses the richness within our churchyards.
Winchelsea Arts have an association with the church going back several years and to mark this weekend and the flower festival, they have arranged for the Hasting Philharmonic Orchestra to perform Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony under the conductor Marcio da Silva. Music is another gift of creation. Marcio will give a short talk to local school children at the rehearsals on Saturday afternoon at 2:15pm.
There will be twelve flower arrangements on the theme of creation done by local arrangers and enthusiasts.
Programme of Events
Thursday May 18, Ascension Day
6pm Deanery Service of Choral Evensong – Preacher Bishop Will Hazlewood Followed by drinks
Friday May 19
10:30am – 11:30am Churchyard walk and talk for schools (tbc)
11:30am speaker Cliff Dean. ”Swifts”
2pm Speaker The Revd Dr Mark Betson “ Life in all its Fullness”
(C of E national public policy advisor)
Saturday May 20
10:30am Special church market with plants; cards and prints, jewellery, bread, cakes and deli stalls
7:30pm Winchelsea Arts Hastings Philharmonic – Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, The Pastoral
Sunday May 21
11am Holy Communion
3pm Pet service followed by the grand draw
Refreshments: throughout the festival coffee, teas and lunches will be available in church and from the New Inn.
Image Credits: Shirley Meyer .