Conservation Society Report No. 48
Congratulations to St Mary’s Storrington for gaining the Churchyard Gold Award from the Area In Bloom Competition. Well done to all whose efforts were so appropriately rewarded in providing a fine setting for our heritage building. Happily, churchyards can also be used for conservation. St Mary’s also achieves this by setting aside an area as a haven for wildlife, again well done. Intensive farming and building development have considerably reduced such spaces. Churches help to redress the balance, such as that at Wiggonholt, where all the churchyard is given over to conservation, so from spring and throughout summer, lovely wild flowers and various grasses may be seen. To the benefit of small animals, birds and bees. It may look uncared for – not true. In the autumn, after the flowers and grasses have seeded, they are cut down ready for new growth next year.
Our work party met on Saturday 7th October at Fryern Dell, continuing managing and restoring the woodland. Our next one is on Saturday 4th November at 10.00am, again at Fryern Dell. For those who wish to give more time, the morning work can be extended to 3.00pm. For details of the Thursday work party on 16th November at 2.00pm, please refer to our website nearer the time. It is good to see enthusiasm for caring for invaluable sites cheerfully continuing. It is an enjoyable occupation open to all. We hope others will enjoy the results.
For information about this and all our activities, or becoming a member, please get in touch with Mick Denness on 01903 745971, or look on our website www.storringtonconservation.org.uk.