Caring for Creation .......
Dalby Eco Church ..... a brief over view
Our Church registered as an Eco-church through the ARocha Eco Church scheme. We've now achieved our Silver Eco Church Award and are currently working to reduce our energy consumption, to become carbon neutral by 2030, we're also rewilding our small area of garden..............
The church garden is planted with whatever will survive there!
It's bleak spot with poor soil, once the old school yard, that's hit by the strong Easterly winds that come down from the hills. We're regenerating the soil through annual mulching from two sturdy compost bins, and we've some hardy shrubs, a Mountain Ash tree , and Buddleias all shaped by the wind; as well as spring bulbs and hardy perennials, that by mid summer manage to create a colourful patch that attract pollinators, insects, butterflies and bees ....as well as offering a colourful space for any weary hiker to rest .
On the south side of the church there's a small stretch of land alongside a traditional fresh water land-drain that now has kingcups, and meadow sweet in it. We've left it as a wildlife area, just cutting it back once a year. Last year we counted 36 different species of flowers amongst the various long grasses , including two Northern Marsh Orchids!
Our Church registered as an Eco-church through the ARocha Eco Church scheme. We've now achieved our Silver Eco Church Award and are currently working to reduce our energy consumption, to become carbon neutral by 2030, we're also rewilding our small area of garden..............
The church garden is planted with whatever will survive there!
It's bleak spot with poor soil, once the old school yard, that's hit by the strong Easterly winds that come down from the hills. We're regenerating the soil through annual mulching from two sturdy compost bins, and we've some hardy shrubs, a Mountain Ash tree , and Buddleias all shaped by the wind; as well as spring bulbs and hardy perennials, that by mid summer manage to create a colourful patch that attract pollinators, insects, butterflies and bees ....as well as offering a colourful space for any weary hiker to rest .
On the south side of the church there's a small stretch of land alongside a traditional fresh water land-drain that now has kingcups, and meadow sweet in it. We've left it as a wildlife area, just cutting it back once a year. Last year we counted 36 different species of flowers amongst the various long grasses , including two Northern Marsh Orchids!
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We've introduced a small bird bath, nesting boxes, feeder, picnic table and garden bench, and whenever the wind allows it's used as a resting place , or a gathering space, with sea views of the West coast down to Peel Hill and across to the Mountains of Mourne
It's an exposed site so our visiting birds are few, but a wren lives amongst the ivy on the garden wall and common visitors are Hedge Sparrow, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit , Chaffinch, Swallow, House Martin, Rook & Herring Gull. We've started recoding wildflowers and birds in the garden and plan to extend this further into the community.
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Community engagement :
We've created a "Dalby Growers Group " for anyone in the village and at Patrick Allotments to be able to access the discount price on seeds offered by Suttons to recognised groups. This usually means there's a fair amount of seed swapping in the Spring, and then later on young plants available for sale for our plant stall. This is a regular source of interest, income .. and work, particularly for the regular team of folk who pot-up, split and divide, take cuttings and grow from seed.
We sell garden flowers plants, herbs and shrubs, fruit bushes and veggies and wildflowers plants throughout the summer. And in a good year, when we have surplus in our gardens, we have a roadside stall and honesty box for fruit and veggies; and throughout the winter sell Local Farm Veg .
Dalby Recycling Bins
This initiative works in conjunction with the Western Civic Amenity Site, with 5 wheelie bins at the front of the church to take the recycling for our church and community :
We've created a "Dalby Growers Group " for anyone in the village and at Patrick Allotments to be able to access the discount price on seeds offered by Suttons to recognised groups. This usually means there's a fair amount of seed swapping in the Spring, and then later on young plants available for sale for our plant stall. This is a regular source of interest, income .. and work, particularly for the regular team of folk who pot-up, split and divide, take cuttings and grow from seed.
We sell garden flowers plants, herbs and shrubs, fruit bushes and veggies and wildflowers plants throughout the summer. And in a good year, when we have surplus in our gardens, we have a roadside stall and honesty box for fruit and veggies; and throughout the winter sell Local Farm Veg .
Dalby Recycling Bins
This initiative works in conjunction with the Western Civic Amenity Site, with 5 wheelie bins at the front of the church to take the recycling for our church and community :
We're recycling :
Paper ( not Cardboard)
Plastic bottles and cartons, trays etc. anything plastic with the small triangle on the base, numbers 1,2,4 or 5
Glass bottles and jarsTins and cans
Cartons of any kind including Manx creameries, Please crush the plastic, can and cartons so that we can cope with the bulk
Can & Tins
The bins are emptied every Wednesday, manually, so please ensure all recycling is clean and dry,
This service is for free and is open for anyone to use!
NB > if the bins are full please don't try to ram more into them, or leave your recycling in bags on the ground.
We're in the windiest corner of the village and paper & plastics go flying.
Please take them home and bring them back when the bins have been emptied. Many thanks
Paper ( not Cardboard)
Plastic bottles and cartons, trays etc. anything plastic with the small triangle on the base, numbers 1,2,4 or 5
Glass bottles and jarsTins and cans
Cartons of any kind including Manx creameries, Please crush the plastic, can and cartons so that we can cope with the bulk
Can & Tins
The bins are emptied every Wednesday, manually, so please ensure all recycling is clean and dry,
This service is for free and is open for anyone to use!
NB > if the bins are full please don't try to ram more into them, or leave your recycling in bags on the ground.
We're in the windiest corner of the village and paper & plastics go flying.
Please take them home and bring them back when the bins have been emptied. Many thanks
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Some of the on-going Eco community initiatives are : Energy Saving :
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