A plan to – Rewild the churchyard – Improve the building – Create a centre of mission for the community
For some time Bedes School has been working with the Parish Church Council to look after Holy Trinity and its churchyard. The school has been an active user of the church, holding morning assemblies during term time. Furthermore, the school has generously maintained both the church and its grounds for the community. In order to meet the challenges of modern times and to enhance the church’s value to the community, the school is leasing the building and the churchyard from the Diocese of Chichester on a long term and committed basis.
School and village will now work together to make the churchyard environmentally sustainable to improve and preserve the building for future generations, and to provide a centre of mission for the community.
Plans include:
- Rewilding the churchyard – by sustainable & regenerative management of the churchyard biodiversity will increase.
- Creating sacred space – by improving the church interior and providing points of spiritual focus in the churchyard, the church will become a space of sanctuary for the community.
Improving the building – providing toilets and catering facilities to create another place for the village to gather for celebrations, performances and meetings. - Maintaining access – despite the change of management, the church and its churchyard will continue to be available and used for regular Sunday worship, weddings, funerals and burials. The church will be open as now for use during the day for quiet reflection.
If you’d like to find out more contact Reverend Jeremy Sykes (Vicar);
Email: revjeremysykes@icloud.com, 07714 426286
or Vicky Radtke (Arlington Parish Councillor);
email vickyradtke@icloud.com, 07876255792
Watch this space:
Look out for information about a celebratory service and tea in June to mark this new phase in the church’s life.
“I am very excited with the potential this partnership offers the community of Upper & Lower Dicker. This is a creative moment for the village and offers huge scope whilst maintaining rights of usage and access”.
Reverend Jeremy Sykes
