This is a text-only version of an article first published on Thursday, 18 February 2021. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
A church in Buckinghamshire has come up with a novel way of combining the environment, ecology and education.
All Saints' Coleshill's churchyard is home to an apiary, and their bee club has made quite a buzz with their younger members.
After each Sunday service, the bee club open the hive together to check on the progress of the colony.
They follow up with a discussion on aspects of bee life and the impact bees have on our environment.
While there were initially safety concerns, the careful, experienced leadership has helped the club run smoothly.
All Saints' Church also secured money from the diocese to provide beekeeping suits for their members, and the club has proved a hit.
Howard Pool, the churchwarden and a trustee of the British Beekeepers' Association, says,
"The enthusiasm and wonder of our young members has been infectious.While the bee club is on hold during lockdown, they look forward to resuming their services again soon.We also organised a bee service each year to draw out parallels between bee life and Christian teaching, which have proved both fun, popular, and an attraction to young families. "
All Saints' Coleshill run a bee service in the summer.
If your church has a new and exciting way of engaging with the environment, let our Environment Action Programme know.
Learn more about what your church can do to work to a greener future.