Slough church holds nature-themed event to launch new initiative

A church in Slough held a nature-themed event to launch its Nextdoor Nature initiative this month.

Supported by Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), the initiative at St Paul’s Church in Stoke Road is part of the nationwide Nextdoor Nature project run by The Wildlife Trusts.

The Trusts won a total of £5m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to bring together communities to help nature thrive where they work and live.

Individual Wildlife around the UK are providing advice and support to people to help nature on their doorstep and leave a lasting natural legacy to honour the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

At this month’s launch event, people of all ages attended and got stuck into a range of nature-themed ‘messy church’ activities, including making hedgehogs using pinecones, potato printing and creating cardboard frogs.

Former Slough mayor Cllr Amjad Abbasi also unveiled new nature features in the grounds of the church, including a wildlife garden, log pile and bird boxes.

The nature day, entitled Even the sparrow knows, and the wildlife features were provided with help from BBOWT’s Nextdoor Nature project.

Neline Kriek, the lead of Nextdoor Nature at St Paul’s, said:“As part of the project, we have completely replanted the extensive gardens around our church and put in place nestboxes for birds, bats, bees and hedgehogs.”

Barbara Polonara, BBOWT’s community wildlife officer, said: “In 2021 BBOWT won £90,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to work with people in Reading and Slough in Berkshire to take action for nature.

“It’s been wonderful to work with the community at St Paul’s – so if you live in Reading or Slough and you would like help creating more nature everywhere, for everyone, please get in touch.”