News

Thank you and goodbye from Bats in Churches

23rd October 2023

On October 31 2023, the delivery phase of the five-year £5m Bats in Churches project, a partnership between Church of England, Natural England, Bat Conservation Trust, the Churches Conservation Trust and Historic England majority funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund came to an end. It’s time to say thank you, and goodbye.

Yorkshire church ‘brought together by bats’ to be permanent roost for On A Wing And A Prayer

23rd October 2023

After a successful tour across England, our unique multimedia art installation celebrating the long-standing connection between bats and churches is to be permanently displayed at the Grade I listed medieval church of St Peter in Wintringham, North Yorkshire.

Bats in Churches in the news!

23rd October 2023

As the Bats in Churches project draws to a close, some of our successful case studies have caught the attention of the national press.

Flying to the Future: Highlights of the Bats in Churches end of project event

23rd October 2023

On September 14 2023, more than 70 delegates gathered at the church of St Mary Magdalene in Paddington, London to celebrate the successes and consider the legacy of the five-year £5m Bats in Churches project.

Representatives from Bats in Churches and Heritage Lottery Fund outside Gayton Thorpe church

Heritage Lottery Fund visits Bats in Churches project churches to discuss successes and legacy

2nd August 2023

Bats in Churches welcomed representatives from the Heritage Lottery Fund and our partner organisations to project churches to share some of the amazing successes of the project and look towards its legacy.

Image shows art installation On A Wing And A Prayer inside Chacewater church

On A Wing And A Prayer flies to Chacewater for summer roost

27th July 2023

Our unique touring wildlife and heritage art installation will spend the summer in our project church of St Paul’s, Chacewater, Cornwall. Find out more about this lovely church, its bats, and the inspiration behind the artwork.

Bats in Churches working party polishes up pews at project church

21st July 2023

The Bats in Churches team joined members of the congregation at our project church in Edgeworth to clean up after the church’s resident bats.

Bats in Churches LIVE Season 3 – wildlife, heritage and Steeple Chasing with Peter Ross

17th July 2023

Watch our latest series of fascinating lunchtime events featuring guests including wildlife experts, heritage champions and an award-winning writer!

Two panels from the On A Wing And A Prayer art installation on display inside the chancel of Wintringham church

Next stop for On A Wing And A Prayer: the ‘church brought together by bats’

9th February 2023

As our travelling art installation On A Wing And A Prayer tours project churches around the country, we look at the story behind its latest destination, St Peter’s Church in Wintringham, the ‘church brought together by bats’.

A group of people meeting Griff the educational bat at St Sampson's Church

On A Wing And A Prayer attracts 500 visitors to Wiltshire church

23rd January 2023

Our community art project On A Wing And A Prayer is currently touring churches across England. Here, Bats in Churches volunteer and creator of the artwork Ilene Sterns reports back after a hugely successful weekend at the church of St Sampson in Cricklade, Wiltshire.