Celebrating our Eco Churchyards

We’re delighted to share some wonderful news about the churchyards across our Benefice. Holy Trinity Church has been awarded Gold in the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Worcestershire’s Best Eco Churchyard Competition, while St James’ Church received an honorary prize in recognition of its work developing St James’ Orchard.

The awards were presented to members of the Benefice Eco Group, Rev Becky and our Churchwardens. These awards recognise the time, enthusiasm and care that goes into looking after our churchyards and creating spaces where wildlife can flourish.

The President of CPRE Worcestershire, Frank Hill who has donated hundreds of volunteer hours over the years, spoke about the history of CPRE and the importance of protecting our countryside. He explained how the rapid growth in population during the 20th century created an increasing demand for new homes, prompting concerns about the impact on the English countryside. CPRE was formed in 1926 in response to these concerns and is celebrating its centenary this year.

To mark the occasion, the organisation’s long-running Best Kept Churchyard Competition has taken on a new focus, celebrating Best Eco Churchyards and the ways in which churchyards can be managed to benefit wildlife and biodiversity.

During his visit to Holy Trinity, Frank was particularly impressed by the churchyard itself. Despite the heatwaves and exceptionally dry conditions in late July, the grass was looking remarkably green, as well as being neatly cut and level. In fact, this aspect of the churchyard scored a full 20 out of 20 under the old system!

However, it wasn’t just the appearance of our churchyard that impressed the judges. The CPRE team was particularly struck by the enthusiasm of the Benefice Eco Group and how it engages with the community. At Holy Trinity, this has included hosting the National Emergency Briefing event, involving local people in a bird survey, and working with community groups such as Rainbows and Men’s Sheds to design and build bug hotels.

At St James’, the developing orchard and pond were also singled out for praise, with the judges saying that they exceeded expectations.

Frank thanked everyone who had taken part and congratulated both Holy Trinity and St James’ on their achievements.
The awards are a lovely recognition of the work being done across our Benefice to care for our churchyards and encourage wildlife.

A huge thank you to everyone who has played a part in making our churchyards places where people, plants and wildlife can thrive.

Click here to find out more about our Benefice Eco Group.

13/09/2026

Planning your Visit

New to Church?

You are very welcome to come along and join us for any of our services.

Here is some information about what to expect:

Where and when we meet for worship
Our Sunday morning service
Watch these short videos to see more
Children & Young People
Connecting with others

Where and When

We meet at Holy Trinity Church (details here) for our main Sunday Service starting at 10:30am. When you arrive, you will be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team who will be wearing a red lanyard. You will be given a service sheet and hymn book to follow the service.

Find somewhere to sit where you feel comfortable. Not sure what to do? Don't worry, we're all very friendly so please do ask.

Accessibility: There is step-free wheelchair access and parking available right outside the door. We also have a sound loop, large print material and different colour overlays available. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up. We have an accessible toilet in the church.

Our Service

The service begins at 10.30am with a warm welcome to everyone. The service consists of hymns accompanied by the organ, bible readings and prayers. There is usually a sermon which is based on a bible reading that we've heard and that we can apply to our everyday life. During Holy Communion services there is an opportunity to receive bread and wine or a blessing. You are invited to join in with as much or as little of the service as you wish.

Please see our services page to find out more about all of our services.

After the service, you are welcome to stay for tea/coffee and biscuits. It is a great way to meet people and find out about all the activities that happen during the week. Refreshments are free, donations are welcome.

Want to see more?

Watch these short videos to see what a typical Sunday morning looks like at Holy Trinity.

Children & Young People

Children and young people are welcome to attend any of our services. We have a children's corner in church where younger children can play and colour during the service. We have some services which are particularly suitable for families (please see our calendar). We also have Creative Church on one Sunday afternoon per month during term time which is an informal service designed specifically for children and families - find out more.

Getting Connected

Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Coming to one of our activities in the week allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a range of regular activities happening throughout the year (see our Church Life page). We also run bible study groups and short courses at various times throughout the year - let one of our Ministry team know if you would be interested in joining the next one.

Serving and Volunteering

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the running of the church. This could be joining a team to help Sunday services run smoothly, helping with our work with children, or doing something behind the scenes like gardening and flower arranging. If you would like to volunteer your time and skills, please get in touch with one of our churchwardens team to discuss how you could help keep our community thriving.

Get in touch with us before you visit

If you have any questions, we would be happy to help! Click here to contact us.