Bats in Churches LIVE Series Three
Welcome to the third season of Bats in Churches LIVE, our free online discussion series. Join our fabulously well-informed, expert guest speakers to delve into the wonderful world of bats and churches.
There's even more Bats In Churches LIVE content in season one and season two.
The Bats in Churches Project
Come and catch up with our incredible engagement officers who have spent the last five (phew!) years working with more than 100 ancient churches around England.
We'll be focusing on two key areas of our work. Firstly, engagement with young people and how we've connected with schools and communities via a range of fun and educational initiatives. And secondly, we'll be talking about some of the mindset shifts we've witnessed and how church communities have really embraced the positives of their resident bats.
Guest speakers: Bats in Churches engagement officers Rose Riddell, Diana Spencer and Honor Gay.
Wildlife in Churchyards
Churchyards can be wonderful places for wildlife, including, but not limited to, bats.
Join us for this fascinating lunchtime session in which our guest speakers will outline some incredible initiatives managing churchyards for wildlife, and share some success stories as well as practical tips and advice.
Bring your burning questions as we'll be featuring speakers from a range of organisations, not to mention one of our own project churches.
Speakers: Harriet Carty (Caring for God's Acre), Mariko Whyte (Dorset Wildlife Trust's Living Churchyards project), Revd John Saxon & team (All Saints Church, Wimbish, Essex)
Heritage Treasures in English Churches
Take a deep dive into some of the most unique and special heritage treasures tucked away in English churches.
We'll be joined by experts who will lift the lid on some of the most significant heritage items in our project churches. You'll also hear from Bats in Churches very own heritage advisor Antia all about her work with the project.
Guest speakers: Dr Christina Welch (University of Winchester), Colin Vogel (All Saints Church, Toftrees, Norfolk), Antia Dona Vazquez (Bats in Churches)
Around Britain By Church: In Conversation with Peter Ross
Join us for a very special lunchtime in which Bats in Churches comms officer Cathy will be in conversation with Peter Ross, author of Steeple Chasing: Around Britain By Church.
Peter is an Orwell journalism fellow who has written for national newspapers and magazines in the UK and US. He is also the author of A Tomb With A View: The Stories & Glories of Graveyards which won the non-fiction prize at Scotland's National Book Awards and will be a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week this year.
In Steeple Chasing, Peter sets out to tell the stories of churches, and through them, a story of Britain. We're thrilled that he chose to visit a Bats in Churches project church as part of the creation of the book, and this should be an informative, entertaining and exciting event for church, heritage and travel enthusiasts alike.