The A Rocha award has seen the team put through their paces to show how Eco Church is embedded in our worshipping community.

It involved providing an insight into how Trinity is committed to creation care across five sections: worship and teaching, buildings and energy, land and nature, community and global engagement, and lifestyle.

Twelve months of hard work gathering the evidence required, culminated in a visit from A Rocha assessors, Rose Gosling and Philip Taylor, on Friday 23^rd May.

They carried out an inspection of the premises and held intensive discussions with church officials and volunteers on our Eco credentials. The large group of volunteers who have worked hard over the past five years to achieve this award, were also present on the day.

Trinity has had an Eco Group for the past five years, started by church member Archie Whymark after an excursion to the Briksdal Glacier. Archie was devasted to see how much it had melted. He saw proof of Global Warming and wanted to take action.

Action is exactly what followed, and now, known as Trinity’s Climate Action Champion, Archie leads the seven-strong team to promote and push forward initiatives to care for the environment in and around the church and hub.

An important part of the project has been the development of a Community Garden in the semi derelict area around the Church Hall. Built at the foot of Clitheroe Castle rock as a primary school in 1836, it is now a wonderful place for visitors to Trinity to enjoy.

There is a living wall, generously donated by Natural England, raised beds filled with flowers, ferns and vegetables, and a stumpery is nearing completion. There is also a memory garden with war memorials and new picnic tables, and garden seats for relaxation and contemplation.

The Community Garden has benefitted from a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and financial support and ongoing advice, from The Ribble Rivers Trust.

Young people, including Brownies and the Pizza the Action youth group have enjoyed working on the garden, having planted potatoes earlier this year, they are now looking forward to harvesting them!

In an email confirming the award, A Rocha’s Delyth Higgins said that particular highlights from the visit were: the creative vision used to develop an unpromising area at the side and rear of the church into a wonderful eco-garden, the amount of community engagement, which led to 80 different groups meeting in the church buildings, the church supporting Traidcraft for many years, and a monthly prayer letter for creation and environmental issues, which has also been in place for several years.

Wish us luck!

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However, any transformation did not happen by chance. The Trinity Eco Group had this vision in late 2022 of something better, that could enhance the church, be more eco-friendly and serve the local community, an Eco Community Garden. They commissioned a professional garden designer, Marion Barker, of Gardens of Grace, to “design” a garden for Trinity. The design was completed in February, 2023.

Now the Trinity Eco Community Garden includes plants, bird boxes, birdfeeders, a Bug Hotel, raised plant beds and a Living Wall, which continues to be established and improved thanks to the efforts of our lovely garden volunteers.

The Living Wall is a wall that is covered with plant growth, giving the appearance of a hedge made of several different types of plants. Ours was established and stocked thanks to the efforts of Jenny Griggs, a Senior Adviser at Natural England. However, once established it needs regular tending.

This picture shows Sandra, one of Trinity’s Eco Group, spraying its leaves with water.

Bookings are now available at special discount rates for bugs!

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