Here is a small selection of photographs showing progress to date. To see the caption place the cursor on a picture and to see a larger version of a picture just click on it (the larger picture will open in a new window, close it to return to this page).
The following were taken on July 26th
We will regularly update this page with photograhs as the project commences. Look out soon for the 'before' photographs of the site as it was before we started.
If you would like to find out more then have a
word with Fr. Roy, Frank, Tony or Rose.
Come along on Saturday 2nd August between 10am and 12 noon,
to help clear the ground in preparation for the
construction of the Quiet Garden. Please bring with
you, garden gloves, a strimmer and pruners if possible.
Finally you may wish to look at the website of the Quiet Garden Trust to gain a better understanding of the concept of a quiet garden and to see examples of existing gardens.
Do you like gardening, or praying quietly, or greeting
visitors, or making cups of tea and soup and
sandwiches? If so, then please read on!
We are hoping to develop the wilderness down the side
of church as a “Quiet Garden” or an “Inner Garden”. To
do this we need a few willing folk to share a few hours
a month to create one of the most beautiful quiet
places in the north of England!!
Our hope is to develop a programme of six Saturdays
and six Thursday afternoons over the next year for
people (old and young) to come along and help us develop
a monastic garden. People would be invited to come for
1pm for soup and sarny followed by 10 minutes of
prayer in a Celtic Christian style. This would be
followed by 45 mins of silent, meditative, prayerful
“work” in the garden - great for the relief of stress
and to be close to God! The work would be chosen by
people themselves. It could be digging or weeding or
raking pea gravel or watching the plants grow! After
work we gather again for tea, have half an hour natter
and end in prayer. We hope to attract lots of people
eager to have some gentle, prayerful time creating a
beautiful inner garden that could be used for retreats
etc.
July 19th update
Many thanks to Frank, Tony, Joe, Rose, Mike, Josh and Malieka, who turned up last Saturday and started clearing the area, for the construction of the quiet garden. Can you spare just 2 hours, no more, no less, to help clear the area of all the debris that has accumulated over years of neglect. A cup of tea is usually provided. It is surprising what can be achieved in such a short period of time.
If you can spare 2 hours, come along on Saturday 26th July, 10am to 12 noon. Bring with you, garden gloves.
July 26th update
The third clean-up session took place on Saturday morning, 26th July, and the progress so far has been quite spectacular. Vegetation has been cut back to ground level on almost all of the area, then with the aid of a rotary mower the original turf has been revealed in surprisingly good shape. The action on Saturday was completed with a very satisfactory bonfire of the accumulated dry vegetation from the previous 2 weeks.
If you can spare 2 hours, come along on the next session, contact Tony for next date. Bring with you, garden gloves and tools if you have them. There will be something to do for everyone, young or old.
If any parishioners wishes to donate old or no longer used garden implements, i.e., trowels, hand forks, rakes, hoes, spades etc, a box will be provided in the porch.
A unique opportunity to help create an inner or quiet garden.
Our quiet garden offers you a space for sharing prayer and stillness, meditative work, learning and laughter. Visitors will be able to return to their lives restored and nurtured by a time apart.
Starting with an initial six Saturday afternoons and three Thursday afternoons in the school year 2003/04, we invite all those who work in schools, including chaplains, support staff, teachers, headteachers and grounds staff to come along for a taster session and see if this exciting new venture helps relax you and if the concept could be adapted for your school.
Our dates for 2003/04:
Saturdays: Nov 15th, 13th March, 27th March, 17th April, 15th May, 19th June
Thursdays: 18th March, 22nd April, 10th June
The programme for each session follows the same pattern:
1.00 – 1.30 Light lunch
1.30 – 1.45 Prayer
1.45 – 2.30 Silent meditative “work” in the quiet garden
2.30 - 3.00 Tea and natter
3.00 – 3.30 Invited speaker
3.30 – 3.45 Closing liturgy
“Work” in the secure, enclosed garden is chosen by each participant and may include weeding, digging, hoeing, racking, spraying, trimming, planting or simply clearing litter, grass cutting or flower picking, depending what each person feels able to do. All we ask is that you respect the silence of this place for this 45 minute session. We each “do” something in the garden to help us “be” with our God.
Each “invited speaker” is invited to share something “gentle” with us – nothing too heavy! At the moment our booked speakers include Bishop John Rawsthorne, a headteacher who has developed a quiet garden in their own school, a nurse from Uganda, a parishioner with a passion for Celtic Christianity, a High school Chaplain and an aroma therapist.
There are no charges for these sessions but we do ask participants to make an anonymous donation to our ongoing work in the box provided.
Schools wishing to make use of the resource are asked in the first instance to contact Frank McDermott, Diocesan Director of Schools on 0114 2566440 or Tony Shay on 01302 844605, or email anthony@ shay2977.freeserve.co.uk .
Any schools wishing to make use of the facility must first make an exploratory visit and conduct their own risk assessments, a copy of which must be made available to a member of the inner garden management committee. A charge of £1.00 per student per session will be charged.
The “work” during our session in November will focus on planting 100 rose bushes and 300 spring bulbs!