Time to Blossom

St. Catherine’s Parish Church 

Blossom Project

The Environment Group of St. Catherine’s Church are working towards making the Churchyard and The Rectory Garden into a Therapeutic experience for the Community of Burbage to enjoy. 

They have taken up the Bishop of Carlisle’s challenge to use parish land as therapeutic gardening spaces for their community:  

Churches should offer their green spaces as gardening projects for people with mental health problems, a senior Church of England bishop has said.

Studies had established the therapeutic benefits of gardening, said James Newcome, the Bishop of Carlisle and the C of E’s lead bishop on health issues.

He said: “Churches should look at the land they have around their buildings to see if there’s any possibility of people who are homeless or have mental health difficulties or who are lonely [getting] involved in hands-on gardening.

“In urban areas there is a real shortage of green space, and churches often have the only green space in a neighbourhood. In rural areas there are real problems of isolation and loneliness. There are all sorts of benefits – therapeutic, meeting up with others, finding a sense of belonging and purpose. [This idea] is not complicated but it can make a huge difference.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/05/free-up-church-land-for-therapeutic-gardening-says-bishop-of-carlisle

Over the next five years the main outcomes will be Raised flower beds for easy access to planting, a scented garden area for the visually impaired to join in the project and paths & walkways for young and old alike to wander through at their leisure. This will add to our wonderful existing wildlife garden and quiet area.

The Rectory is already part of the Quiet Gardens in Leicestershire and Fr Andrew has quiet days throughout the year in it. Plans are afoot and ground has been cleared in anticipation of building a covered area for social functions, visitors will be able to enjoy the gardens in all weathers.

Over the next five years sponsorship and volunteers are needed to turn this into the Social and  Therapeutic Haven envisaged by its forward thinking Group. 

The Environmental Group already organise litter picking up teams around the village, now they want to encourage and envision young and old alike to get ready for Spring. 

We are also planning a series of Table-top gardening sessions, watch out for details.

Here’s to the future, let’s see our village BLOSSOM; please consider joining our group and supporting it financially too. 

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