Track 1: Hope and Nature

VDD: Exploring the World of Bees

July 8, 2020 by Rima

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Exploring the World of Bees

13th July at 19:00- Virtual Q&A Dinner Discussion
With local bee keepers: Richard Emmett & Joey Snoad

Bees were living on the planet many years before the first humans stepped out into the world. As well as honey being a “super-food”, harvested by us for thousands of years, we now know that the bees who make honey are critical to the planet’s eco-system. Without them, first plants then animals, then humans would struggle to find enough food to live on.

So what makes this tiny animal so special? Why are they different from wasps? How and where do they live? And what do I do if bees start building a nest in my garden or roof?

Local beekeepers: Richard Emmett & Joey Snoad have hives in Virginia Water, at The Beehive pub Englefield Green and at the Forest Estate Community Hub Englefield Green Hub where there is a Beekeeping Club.

Join them for a discussion on all things bees and honey. Ask as many questions as you like to reveal the wonderful world of bees – our world.

To connect with us:

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsEcoChurch

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.instagram.com/stjohnsecochurch/

Email: StJohnsEghamEcoChurch@gmail.com

VDD: Habitat Monitoring in Runnymede

July 6, 2020 by Rima

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Habitat Monitoring in Runnymede

14th July 19:30-20:30: Free Virtual Discussion – Ticketed Event

The UK Govt’s biodiversity plans: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biodiversity-2020-simple-guide-and-progress-update-july-2013

Runnymede National Trust explores Habitat Monitoring

The Runnymede and Ankerwycke National Trust site contains a diverse range of habitats for wildlife including homes for many rare and endangered species. Habitats include Langham Ponds, which is a protected area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and additional wetlands, meadows and woodland.

In mid 2019 the Trust decided to form a new volunteering programme solely focused on understanding the species of butterfly, bee and plants found on the site, offering an opportunity to experience a different Runnymede- known historically as the site of the signing of the Magna Carta.

Since 2019 a lot has changed and the trust are proud to work with a dedicated team of volunteers who have embarked on their first formal butterfly transect routes, priority habitat surveys and we are now looking to the next stage of developing the programme further.

Jess Kellard is part of the Runnymede Explored team, a National Lottery Heritage Fund project. The aim is to make Runnymede National Trust’s stories more accessible, particularly how the landscape played a role in the story of Magna Carta and how we as a community can look after it today. Jess’s work involves co-creating meaningful volunteering opportunities, events and activities that everyone can get involved in.

Come join Jess in this live virtual dinner discussion and bring a picnic.

If you want to leave a question for this discussion please submit a question via our question form. Click here to access

To connect with us:

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsEcoChurch

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.instagram.com/stjohnsecochurch/

Email: StJohnsEghamEcoChurch@gmail.com

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Clean Up Egham

July 2, 2020 by Rima

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Clean Up Egham

Sat 25th to Friday 31st July 2020

Genesis 2:15
¹⁵ The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it

As part of the St John’s Eco-Festival, we are excited that Egham Residents’ Association (ERA) is co-ordinating a Litter Pick Week and is inviting you, as households, families or groups of neighbours to get together to Litter Pick on your road – or part of your road.

How to Start

Form your “group”, and choose a time during the week for your Litter Pick.
Email ERA to register your interest on residentsegham@gmail.com
ERA will draw up a timetable of litter picking, and post it on their Facebook Page: “Egham Residents’ Association (ERA)” https://www.facebook.com/EghamRA/
ERA will arrange for litter pickers and heavy duty gloves to be delivered to you in time for your litter pick. All Litter Pick Groups are encouraged to advertise that they are joining in by creating a poster and putting it in their window(s) – like the COVID19 Rainbows
Email a picture of your poster to ERA residentsegham@gmail.com and to St John’s Eco-Church* stjohnseghamecochurch @gmail.com and your poster will be published on both our Facebook pages as well as on St John’s Instagram.
On the day of the Litter Pick if possible please take Before and After photos. ERA will put these in an Album to celebrate your achievement – and encourage others to join in.
It doesn’t matter how big or small your Litter Pick patch is. Every piece of litter picked up is one less to pollute and endanger the environment.

*St John’s is running a small competition: see St John’s Poster Competition

After this Litter Pick week, ERA will be organising an Egham-wide litter pick as part of the Great British September Clean 2020 on World Clean Up Day, on 19th September.

Hope that individual, families and groups will enjoy taking part and please do check the government guidelines for groups outside your household that can gather as this is changing depending on outbreaks. Do also remember to maintain social distancing.

To connect with us:

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsEcoChurch

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.instagram.com/stjohnsecochurch/

Email: StJohnsEghamEcoChurch@gmail.com

To return to the main schedule – click here

VDD: Climate Change Action & Eco-Anxiety

June 29, 2020 by Rima

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Climate Change Action & Eco-Climate Anxiety

29th July 2021 at 8-9pm – Free Ticketed Virtual Discussion + Q&A

At COP25 (2019) climate scientists estimated the world had only twelve years to tackle the problem of greenhouse gas emissions. In November 2021 the UK will be hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), with the conference’s ambitious aim of “Uniting the World to Tackle Climate Change”. The problem is, many nations lack urgency, and continue with Business As Usual. The UK says it will strive to be carbon neutral by 2050, which is twenty years after the “deadline’ set by the climate scientists. Does this remind you of an apathetic Covid response that large nations took?

Members of St John’s Eco-Church appealing to Runnymede Borough Council to create a Climate Change Strategy (*June 2021*)

How can we alleviate our own fears and anxiety about this? What can we do to redirect that energy to create positive actions to alleviate society’s contribution to climate change?

Join our discussion on the 29th July with:

Chris Hyde is chair of the Surrey Climate Commission transport group, and is working with others to deliver a more sustainable approach to transport across Surrey. He is also a transport planner and has worked with Transport for London. He was in the team that wrote the first Mayor’s transport strategy, briefing Mayor Ken Livingstone on walking and cycling policy and strategy.

Maria Gabauerova is an active member of Extinction Rebellion (XR) in Guildford since late 2019 and a member of Doctors for XR since mid 2020. Maria is also a student mental health nurse at the University of Surrey.

Esther Prior is St John's Vicar. In her last APCM, she outlined a bold vision to see St John become carbon neutral by 2030

Dal Hettiaratchi has been working as a counselor for about 15 years with a Christian charity who provide counselling to those who cannot afford to pay the full price for it. In her job she has dealt with many issues around anxiety and depression. Dal has a BSc in Psychology and BACP accredited integrative counselling diploma from Guildford.

This is a free virtual ticketed event with a limited number of places available. Please register below if you would like to attend.

If you want to leave a question for this discussion, please submit your question via our question form. Click here to access

Resources:

https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/news-and-statements/general-synod-sets-2030-net-zero-carbon-target

Climate anxiety and the Church

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191010-how-to-beat-anxiety-about-climate-change-and-eco-awareness

To connect with us:

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsEcoChurch

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.instagram.com/stjohnsecochurch/

Email: StJohnsEghamEcoChurch@gmail.com

To return to the main schedule – click here

Nature Adventure Activities

June 29, 2020 by Rima

Explore Nature at St Johns and with Naturehood throughout the Year

Nature Discovery at St John’s

Naturehood with EarthWatch

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt

Psalm 24:1: “The Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it”

The natural world that our God created is a magical world with animals and plants that can do amazing feats. Who better to tell you about this than David Attenborough:

The UK’s biodiversity is in decline and we have an opportunity to change that in St John’s Church grounds, our gardens and in the wider community. We have nature activities that families and children can be part of to regenerate and heal our biodiversity: one is an ongoing project at St John’s which is an on going project as we rewild sections of the grounds. The other is at your home and when you are outside. See below.

Nature Discovery At St John’s

Learn and discover the biodiversity (flora, fauna and wildlife) within the St John’s church grounds (or your local church grounds) by using an App like PictureThis and Picture Insect to identify the plants and potential insects. Once you have discovered a plant and /or insect, then log the information at Caring For God’s Acres: https://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/our-beautiful-burial-grounds-project/share-your-records/

You will need to provide:

What you saw
Where you saw it
Date you saw it

Share your St John’s nature adventures in our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/StJohnsEghamEcoChurch/ and tag us on instagram @StJohnsEcoChurch #StJohnsEghamNature

Naturehood with EarthWatch

Naturehood is an initiative organised by EarthWatch for 16+ with tips and tricks and projects that can be undertaken at home or in the community (loads of excellent information for teachers). To find the actions you can take and to join a platform to be inspired and share with people who care, join Naturehood: https://naturehood.uk/ For more information, we will have a live Q&A session with EarthWatch on the 20th July. Join us for a dinner discussion at 6pm. See our listing on the main schedule for more details.

To connect with us:

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsEcoChurch

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.instagram.com/stjohnsecochurch/

Email: StJohnsEghamEcoChurch@gmail.com

Trail of Hope and Visions

June 25, 2020 by Rima

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Trail of Hope and Visions

Activity Throughout July

Covid19 and the global lockdown has required rapid lifestyle changes for many around the world and with that has come a feeling of displacement. To help people reflect positively, we would like our community to generate 5,000 messages / drawings on scrap pieces of wood to collectively demonstrate our personal and community hopes, visions and dreams to build our world back better. With your messages we will create a trail of hope and visions within St John’s Church grounds in Egham to help local people and visitors to our community to reflect, inspire, encourage and to provide a vision for 2020.

If you live in or pass by Egham, please contribute a message/ drawing on a scrap piece of wood with your hopes and visions for:

Our Planet and Natural World
Our Community
Each Other

by Simon
By Vera

For more examples, see our instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stjohnsecochurch/

Materials Required:

Scrap piece of wood: could be on pieces of log slices, plank, etc. We would prefer that you used scraps that you or neighbours might otherwise have thrown away to minimise waste.
Scrap house paint or permanent marker as the messages will be outside

Collection Period: Entries will be collected daily up to 1st August 2020. After that we will be organise the messages in the grounds of St Johns. We will announce when we have completed the trail of hope and visions within our Facebook group and Instagram account (see at the end of this post)

Leave your message at St Johns, Egham near the front of the church doors. A sign has been left to indicate where you can leave your piece of wood

Enter from Church Road to find the front of the church

To connect with us:

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsEcoChurch

@StJohnsEcoChurch https://www.instagram.com/stjohnsecochurch/

Email: StJohnsEghamEcoChurch@gmail.com

If you have a Facebook / Instagram account, connect to us @StJohnsEcoChurch, as well as add the following tags onto your post #StJohnsEcoChurch #HopeMessages #VisionMessages #StJohnsEgham #TrailOfHope

Wishing you many visions for 2020 😀

Track 1: Hope and Nature

Exploring the World of Bees

Habitat Monitoring in Runnymede

Clean Up Egham

Climate Change Action & Eco-Climate Anxiety

Nature Discovery At St John’s

Naturehood with EarthWatch

Trail of Hope and Visions

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