We believe we are a people called to share God's love through Jesus: following Christ and living this out in the community
Eco Church
You may not know that we are an eco church. In 2021, we were awarded a Silver Eco Church Award. The reason is that the church building 'was built with sustainability in mind with a sloping roof, adaptable space and compact windows. In addition, the church benefits from a large wrap-around garden space (which is not a burial ground).'
This is the story of how the garden has been developed over the years:In 2017, a small group of dedicated volunteers (pictured below) began transforming the overgrown and neglected garden at HTC Church. Led by Rev Gaenor, the team started on a Saturday morning by tackling the tall grasses that had taken over what is now the rose garden. At that time, the space was completely wild— thick vegetation had covered everything, even hiding the tool shed and boundary fence.
Before this, Dave had been maintaining the front of the church and car park area on his own for years. He was later joined by his friend Ray, and together they kept the space tidy, although clearing the massive amount of leaves was a challenge until Rev Gaenor arranged for a motor blower to help. Meanwhile, Sue started looking after a small patch of the garden at the front, which had since grown into what is now the WI Garden, running along the entire front boundary wall.
Then, during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Sue and her husband worked in the back garden every day. Their hard work paid off, and over two years, they turned a wild and neglected area into a beautiful garden. The lockdown rules allowed for volunteer work, allowing them to put in the time and effort to revive the space.
The garden has a long history, with early volunteers like Edith and her husband donating the tool shed and looking after the grounds when the church first opened. But now, with the current gardening team getting older, it’s time to bring in some new hands.
The current team has a combined age of 316 years, with the youngest in their 70s! They’ve done incredible work, but they’re looking for younger volunteers to help keep the gardens beautiful for years to come. This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of a legacy of community care, transforming the church grounds into a peaceful, green space for everyone to enjoy.
We have even been featured on BBC Points West
