Creation Care

Sheldon Road Church is committed to do all we can to care for God’s Creation in our worship, lifestyle and engagement with our community. We include this commitment in our church vision: Caring for the whole of God’s creation so that it thrives now and into future generations. We are part of A Rocha UK’s Eco Church programme, and we are currently working towards the Gold Award.

Focus For April 2025

Living Lightly 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
Earth Day 2025 find out how you can join in: https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2025/

Holidays, with creation in mind: At this time of year, our thoughts can often turn to the hope of warmer weather and planning a summer holiday. Visiting new places and seeing God’s creation is a great way to be refreshed and rested. Yet how we travel and where we stay can either be positive or negative for the very environment we care about.
Take a look at Green Traveller for some ideas: https://www.greentraveller.co.uk/
Loads of ideas for travelling and holidays in this country and abroad. You can sign up to their newsletter from this site, to receive the latest news and information.


Where will you take the bus? Our local bus services are really good and can take us all sorts of local places. A quick route to Bath: take the X31. A shopping trip to Swindon: try the 55. Explore Malmesbury on the 99. What routes do you enjoy?

Spot wildlife in action: Buff-tailed bumblebees are the biggest of the bumblebees and emerge in early spring. They are named after the buff-coloured tail of their queen, as the worker bees have almost white tails. They love open daisy-like flowers, where they can more easily reach the nectar with their short tongues. They nest underground in large groups of up to 600 bees often using old mammal nests. Buff-tailed bumblebees are known as ‘nectar robbers’: if they come across a flower that is too deep for their tongue, they bite a hole at its base and suck out the nectar.

Spot the blackthorn: One of the first signs of spring: will it be early or late? The Woodland Trust are monitoring this, and you can help. Once you see the petals of the first flowers opening sufficiently to see into the flower, log your sighting here or go to their website (woodlandtrust.org.uk)

Heat pumps for homes: You may have seen this BBC news article last month about the number of heat pumps installed last year, as increasing by over 50% from the previous year: the government grant is a great incentive! But there are other benefits, not the least of which is living without fossil fuels heating your home. Why not find out more for yourself? The Addicotts and the Durstons have been living with a heat pump for some time now, and both couples would welcome questions or visits to check out the system. Just ask…

A Bunch of Dates Tuesday April 22nd: is the 55th anniversary of Earth Day. Want to know more? Go to their website Earthday.org, and find out more about solar opportunities.
Saturday 3rd May: Our plant sale hits the streets of Audley and Sheldon once again! If you’re a planter of anything, could you consider planting up a few extra things to be sold for funds for Creation Care and the church, please?
Saturday 17th May: Join Wiltshire Wildlife Trust at Monkton Park, 10am to 4pm, for their annual open-air Country Comes to Town event. Join in with this fun, family-friendly event to celebrate nature and wildlife across Wiltshire. Engage with the vital work of the Trust through interactive experiences, educational activities, and the chance to chat with their friendly team. Discover how we can all create a sustainable future for wildlife and people! There are a wide range of activities and attractions planned, including: Wellness activities Fun nature-themed arts and crafts Meet the animals! Opportunities to learn about local conservation efforts, such as Vincients Wood. With free entry on the day, why not come along for a fun and educational day out for all the family?