St. Andrew's Church in Chew Magna recently hosted a weekend-long festival celebrating the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Chew Valley area. The event, the culmination of nearly a year's worth of planning, centred around a wildlife photography competition that attracted close to 500 entries from both local residents and visiting nature enthusiasts. It provided an opportunity for the community to come together to think about and pray for God’s wonderful creation.
The Chew Valley is known for its rich ecological diversity and migrating birds including various unusual species, that visit the Chew Valley Lake. The Festival was the inspiration of Revd Richard Greatrex, he says, it was “….the beauty and nature of the Chew Valley which inspired him to create a way in which to showcase the valley’s natural wonders and in turn encourage a deeper sense of stewardship for the environment through the competition.”
To build interest St Andrew’s, hosted two evenings over the summer, including a talk by renowned naturalist Mike Dilger, who shared his experience of documenting 1,000 species of UK flora during the lockdown, and an address by Justin Morris, CEO of Bristol Zoo, detailing the zoo’s significant transition to its new site on the city’s outskirts.
The competition itself, divided into under 12s and adult categories, received high-quality submissions that reflected the region’s unique wildlife. A team of judges selected winning entries, while an additional thirteen images were handpicked to feature in the first-ever Chew Valley Wildlife Photography Calendar. These images were printed in A3 size and displayed in the church, alongside portfolios from local wildlife photographers. All other submissions were showcased digitally on screens, giving every participant a moment in the spotlight.
Throughout the festival weekend St. Andrew’s was a hub of activity with several hundred visitors attending the festivities. Visitors enjoyed wildlife-themed beers, live music, children’s activities, and there was a dedicated prayer space for people to reflect on the environment. A special Sunday morning service attended by more than 100 worshippers, was centred around the competition’s photographs, and concentrated on encouraging everyone to take better care of God’s earth. Richard says, “The message that our local environment is precious, that it is up to us to nurture it and that the Church is part of the community of those who are working to do this, came through strongly. Over the weekend there were many profound conversations with adults and children, some poignant prayers written and much encouragement offered for future community engagement.”
Financially, the festival has proven to be a success, raising over £1,700 for St. Andrew’s, a figure expected to double with ongoing calendar sales. The Festival has also established an online presence, with both an Instagram account and a dedicated website, providing a platform for future community engagement and environmental advocacy.
For more information, visit the festival’s website: https://chewvalleynpf.wordpress.com/
