Installation of the Dean of Lincoln
The Very Revd Dr Simon Jones will be installed as the 85th Dean of Lincoln at a service in Lincoln Cathedral on Saturday 14 September 2024.
Read the storyOffering swift support
It’s unusual to spot a swift swooping through the summer skies over great Grimsby. And we don’t mean the global chart-topping singer on her way to another concert!
Since 1995, these arrow-shaped urban dwelling birds have seen a rapid decline in numbers (As much as 60% in the UK alone).
Stiorra Xander-Crabb, Deanery Environment Champion for North East Lincolnshire and avid Lay Reader, has noticed a possible solution to help reverse the decline – in the form of local church steeples.
The birds respond positively to tall architecture, seeking secluded spots to rest or nest, before continuing their migratory journey or deciding to stay for a longer period of time.
The area in and around Grimsby offers many suitable churches that could be safe spaces for swifts.
Where better to rest or nest than at the very top of a peaceful church?
Taking a GASP
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Grimsby Local Group has already been installing swift boxes in the local area via their ‘Grimsby Area Swift Project’, also known as ‘GASP’.
These boxes are like normal bird boxes, except they’re specially designed to suit a swift.
Joy Croot has volunteered for RSPB for years and has been closely collaborating with Stiorra, the Deanery Environment Championfor North East Lincolnshire, to get swift boxes placed on churches in the area.
There are plenty of environmental benefits that stem from a thriving swift population, including healthier eco-systems for both plants and other wildlife.
The Diocese of Lincoln is committed to caring for God’s Creation, so swift boxes on more churches is just another way to bring the joy and beauty of the natural world back onto people’s doorsteps and help us live and breath in unison with nature.
St Andrew’s ‘Environmental Fun Day’
A recent Environmental Fun Day at St Andrews Church in Immingham was instrumental in promoting the GASP project and raising vital funds for its important work.
It was part of a wider event to highlight the home-grown activities, creations and eco-inspirations that people in the local community have been creating, using and celebrating.
Some of the highlights included a swift conservation talk, creative stands that shared tips and tricks to look after the natural environment, bug hotel crafting, and fundraising activities.
“We were blown away by how many people came along. This was about coming together in friendship, fun and fellowship to celebrate God’s creation. We all discovered little differences that we could make in our churches and personal lives to help the environment.”
The event offered a remarkable opportunity for ten churches to come together and express their support for an eco-friendlier future. The Lady Mayor of Immingham, Councillor Karen Swinburn, also attended.
It’s no surprise, then, that St Andrew’s has been earmarked for the installation of some swift boxes on its bell tower. If planning permission is granted (since it is legally protected heritage), it will be a welcome addition to their eco-focused outlook.
The event, however, would not be complete without some delicious treats for everyone to dive into.
Grimsby is going greener
Back in May, we reported on another eco-project that had a particular church at the very heart of its mission. St John and St Stephen’s, Grimsby, continues to grow its eco-village vision, which you can read about below: