About the event

Let’s breathe new life into our churchyards with the first Wilder Churches online event of the year! Bishop Michael Beasley, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, will be in attendance for our March Meetup, sharing his love for the natural world, including stories from his own woodland and his passion for environmental care. This is a unique opportunity to ask questions, gain inspiration for creating wilder churchyards, and hear the Bishop’s vision for a greener, flourishing Diocese. Together, let’s sow the seeds of change for nature and community alike!

Wilder Churches began in March 2021 as a partnership initiative between Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The initiative aims to support communities to get to know the wildlife in their local churchyard, other church land or burial ground and work together to find ways to increase the value of these special places for wildlife.

Churchyards are often the oldest enclosed piece of land in a parish and many still support a rich variety of wildflowers and wildlife, having remained unscathed from the widespread loss of habitats seen in the wider countryside due to changing land management practices. The Diocese of Bath and Wells oversees 477 parishes of over 900,000 people in the county and are working with us to bring communities and church leaders together to learn more about their churchyard or burial ground and how they can manage them with wildlife in mind.

Everyone is welcome, and you can find more information and resources on the Wilder Churches webpage: Wilder Churches | Somerset Wildlife Trust