Seeking to connect more deeply with the local community on environmental issues, St Francis Church, Banbury, a Local Ecumenical Partnership, has embarked on creating a community garden in the outdoor space at the church serving three housing estates in Banbury.
The idea for a community garden developed during a listening process at the church, a small group was exploring environmental issues and highlighted their enthusiasm for the church to be involved in environmental action. St Francis is now well on the way to achieving the A Rocha Bronze Eco Church award.
With fundraising help from individuals in the local community and a grant from the Delemere Dairy Foundation, the garden is being developed a section at a time to ensure that the project can be sustained for the long term, the most recent addition being an herb spiral.
The large outdoor space is being designed as a multifunctional site with space for growing plants as well as for missional activities such as outdoor worship and a forest church group. Incorporated into the garden is a vegetable patch, herb garden, small orchard, seating area, and a space for forest school activities.
The Revd Chris Gaynor describes some of the environmental aspects of the project:
“Just as it is important that the garden is a space for everyone in the community to spend time in and nurture, it’s also important that the garden supports the environment and encourages others to adopt sustainable lifestyle practices. We are trying to reuse as much as we can, many of the materials and tools we’re using are those already available to us and we are making use of the skills and gifts of local people. We’ve also sown a wildflower area to boost biodiversity.”
Chris shares the importance of a community focus:
“The project is one that is with the community rather than for the community, local people are involved in every part of the process. Working side by side with one another is helping us to form new friendships with those in the community who wouldn’t typically engage with church and other local partners including Girlguiding and the local school.”
“I have also been inspired by a permaculture course I completed online as part of my Continuous Ministerial Development and have been putting some of this into practice in the community garden project. One of the core principles is about valuing the edges and marginal parts of an ecosystem. When two ecosystems come together it creates a third. I think this is a great reflection of how the church and community are working together to create a new space.”
The church has plans to continue expanding the mixed use of the space with a permanent prayer labyrinth, supporting the local food bank with fresh produce, planting a tree for the Queen’s Jubilee, and providing educational opportunities for local young people.
Responding to the environmental crises facing our planet
Since Diocesan Synod declared a climate emergency in March 2020, our Environment Task Group (ETG) is overseeing an ambitious programme of change, and we’re investing over £200,000 over seven years on a carbon footprint reduction programme across our church buildings. As Christians, we're called to care for God's creation, and the climate issues facing our planet are hugely important to us. Find out more on the Environment section of our website.