News from our Partner in Action Network

Members of our conservation team were able to visit most partners between lockdowns, train staff and work with them on exciting new projects. This includes a vertical garden and wildflower areas at Abernethy Barcaple in Scotland, house martin boxes at St. Madoc Centre in Wales and swift box-building at Ashburnham Place, Sussex. 

It’s particularly encouraging for A Rocha UK and the other network members that new partners are joining even during this global pandemic. Already this year the network has been joined by Stampwell Farm and ‘The Rock Christian Fellowship’.

Stampwell Farm (pictured) is an ancient fruit and livestock farm on the outskirts of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire. By using holistic grazing techniques, ecosystem protection and restoration of the farmland they have seen an annual increase in recorded plant, bird and insect species. ‘The Rock Christian Fellowship’, a church on St. Helena in the South Atlantic (a UK Overseas Territory), is passionate about sharing God’s love and good news with the local community as well as caring for nature. Their first conservation project, Seeds of Hope, will see packets of pollinator-friendly flower and vegetable seeds delivered to households on the island. Please do pray for this opportunity to share the gospel alongside inspiring the local island community people to take action for native wildlife.  

Despite the global pandemic and its impacts, our PIA programme is experiencing a surge in interest from organisations wanting to connect with us, as more Christian Land Managers recognise the importance and urgency to address climate change practically. Our Partner in Action Coordinator, Regina Ebner said, “Many organisations are looking to be part of a wider network working towards the same goals, having a platform to share joys and struggles, to encourage and find encouragement. Only with the help of God and our Partners can we scale up our efforts to protect nature and make a more significant contribution to communities across the UK.” 

A Rocha UK plans to bring on board another 10 partners by the end 2021, something enabled by the generosity of supporters in responding to our Autumn 2019 PIA appeal. So watch this space!

Update for March 2021 eNews