After encouragement from Katie, a Charlton resident who works for the conservation charity Plantlife, we have supported #NoMowMay in our churchyard. We continued to mow the paths and the space around the popular picnic table, but have not mowed or strimmed elsewhere in the churchyard.

For those who like to see things looking neat, this is quite a challenge. However, this does feel like the right thing to do. Allowing the grasses and plants to grow unhindered provides additional habitat for insects, particularly pollinators, and also for small mammals, snakes and amphibians.

Over the next few weeks, we shall be restarting the mowing programme and clearing between the most recent graves, as in our published maintenance plan. Our aim is to provide areas of short grass, medium grass and long grass, along with a scrubby area under the yew tree. 

This year, we will be leaving a margin inside the front churchyard hedges, as areas of long grass - to Give the Flowers the Edge.

Should you wish to give any feedback on our new approaches to churchyard maintenance, please speak to any member of the PCC or clergy team.

#ecochurch #chalkevalleychurch #charltonallsaints #nomowmay #givetheflowerstheedge