St James The Great

​Old Milverton, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

​Geoff's Eco Tips

​Geoff’s Eco-Tip for May

​Hi everyone,

With the summer approaching, there is a lot (‘eco-wise’) to update you on. This month’s tip from A Rocha is very appropriately themed as we are in the midst of looking at how the Churchyard can be better managed and improved in relation to the Churchyard Biodiversity & Heritage Project. Please do consider coming along to the events or even getting involved in the surveys mentioned later in the update.

Here’s this month’s Eco tip provided by A Rocha UK’s Easy Eco Tips 2026 Calendar. Easy Eco Tips 2026 Calendar - A Rocha UK

May ECO-TIP

Support pollinators. Nothing says Spring like the buzz of a bee! But these precious pollinators are declining due to habitat loss, climate change and agricultural intensification. Wednesday 20 May is World Bee Day, so look around to see how you can improve habitats for bees and other pollinators.

Read more about bees, butterflies and habitats that support them in our Target 25 resources at Target 25 - A Rocha UK . Sow a pollinator-friendly seed mix, make or buy a bee hotel, let some wildflowers grow in your garden, and don’t use pesticides. Pray that our pollinator populations will increase.

For more about World Bee Day visit: World Bee Day 2026: 20 May 2026 | Awareness Days

For more practical ways to enjoy, nurture and defend nature, sign up to A Rocha UK’s Wild Christian email: arocha.org.uk/wild-christian

Churchyard Biodiversity & Heritage Project - ST JAMES UPDATE MAY 2026.

Plans are being made for individual surveys in the churchyard for: Soil Health, Plants, Birds, Moths, Butterflies and Lichens.

There is a lot of scope for involvement by anyone who is interested and various events are being planned. Everyone is very much welcomed and encouraged to come along to the following ‘free’ and ‘all age’ events: -

Saturday 9th May 7.30am – 8.30am: ‘Moth Breakfast’ -come along to the church and look at the moths with an Ecologist - light breakfast provided -

- Sunday 14th June 3pm: ‘Bioblitz’ - come along to the church and help identify as many different species as possible across, grasses, insects, flowers, mammals etc! This coincides with our next Muddy Church event and you are invited to drop in anytime between 3pm and 4.30pm, staying as long or not as you like. Refreshments will be provided.

If you would like to get involved in some of the other surveying (no experience needed) you are most welcome and your help would be very much appreciated with the following:

- May 1st to May 8th – ‘Soil sampling and health assessment’ (please contact Geoff Wiggin or Michael Rayner) -

May to August – ‘Monthly butterfly survey’ – there is a free training event for this on May 13th – see poster (please contact Geoff Wiggin or Michael Rayner if you would like to be involved)

Thanks to everyone who has completed a Community Consultation Questionnaire about the project. If you haven’t yet done this, we would be very grateful if you could. It only has 5 simple questions and so is very quick to complete! The survey can be completed online by scanning the QR code below (also on posters in the churchyard noticeboards)

With love

​Geoff​

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