Wilder Church!

Amazon Class had a wonderful day today with the return of Wilder Schools. The children in Year 5, who have collaborated with Lauren Mack from the Suffolk Wildlife Service over the last two years to improve the school grounds for wildlife, took the lead as the project broadened out to include St Peter and St Paul’s Church. We partnered each of them up with a child from Year 6 who are new to this work. The collaboration forms part of the Eco Church project, which is driven by the desire to care for God’s creation.

The children first conducted a survey of the churchyard, identifying areas and features that are already supportive for wildlife – such as the hedges, log-piles and areas of brambles – and areas that could be improved. They also spent time conducting a survey of the birds and invertebrates they could identify in different parts of the churchyard. This data will be used to help determine the success of their work once the project is completed.

Next, they worked with great endeavour, collaboration and enthusiasm to make an enormous, five-star bug hotel. You’ll find this in the churchyard to the rear of the Swan; we’re hoping the Men’s Shed might make a sign to explain what it is. If you head that way, feel free to take some canes or pine cones to add to the stack.

In the afternoon we made gigantic bird feeders using pinecones, lard and seeds, which were hung on trees around the churchyard – they look quite Christmassy! I hope the birds like them.

We’d like to say thank you to Virginia Skoyles for inviting us to be a part of the project and for arranging the volunteers who worked with us.