More than seventy people packed into the Fellowship Room on Thursday 6 February 2020, keen to find out from Derby University staff and students, and a local resident, why wildlife in our gardens and in the churchyard is so important. Dr Andrew Ramsey, spoke about theGlobal Context. Starting with the industrial revolution he explained that towards the end of the 1960s human beings started to make demands on the planet that could not be sustained. This is steadily getting worse and plants, insects and animals are the losers. Nature regulates the planet and improves quality of life. So we must act.

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Speaking on the role local gardens can play, Dr Briony Norton gave the results of a survey conducted by students in the village. The gardens are a good size but residents would not be prepared to take up decking or patios to increase cultivated areas. Villagers scored highly in bird feeding, erecting nest boxes and planting but preferred walls or fences to hedges and to mow lawns regularly. Jo Watson explained how she approached the churchyard working party to see if there was support for encouraging wildlife. A species survey in March 2019 was encouraging and a decision taken to let the grass grow unchecked in the lower area. Only this area, where no burials have taken place, would be used for the initiative. Students came to help harvest the mown grass and in October a marked area was scarified and donated wildflower seed sown.

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​Following refreshments Ella Wall and Chloe Warren explained how they were able to incorporate their involvement into their final year Zoology course work. Chloe had studied lichen, which grow slowly over many years and are often undisturbed on gravestones. She did a survey of older headstones, noting an array of colours and textures, and then designed and made a replica headstone as a teaching aid for junior school pupils. Ella had produced a management plan, identifying aims and creating a leaflet which could be printed and distributed locally. They concluded by thanking the church for welcoming them. Finally Professor David Sheffield, a psychologist, looked at spending time in nature, which is proven to be mentally and physically beneficial for all, but especially children. Listening to birdsong or watching a tree blowing in the wind brings a realisation of our shared place in nature. There is still a large percentage of the population who are not engaged with nature and that needs to change. After an interesting question and answer session the Vicar closed the evening by thanking all participants.