What we have achieved

Since 2013

World War One Memorial Garden

Funding

    • Restoration of the World War One Memorial and creation of a Memorial Garden

    • Drainage repairs

    • Framing of the Life of Henry Chichele in fabric and thread now housed in the Bede House

    • Repair of the churchyard lantern

    • Creation of an external oak cross

    • New church noticeboard

    • Entrance from Midland Road - replacement gate and new pathway.

School children planting spring bulbs in Bee Bed

Churchyard planting

    • Yew tree, rose bushes, herbaceous plants in the memorial beds and thousands of spring flowering bulbs

    • Maintenance of the planting with involvement of children and young people.

Afternoon tea in the Bede House

Events

    • Many fundraising social events from Coffee Mornings to Cheese and Wine Evenings

    • Afternoon Teas with SERVE

    • Dementia awareness training

    • Involvement in local heritage projects including the Town Charter Project and Heritage Family Fun Days at Rushden Lakes

    • Contributions to Chichele Society Heritage Exhibitions

    • Conducting Town Tours.

The Jolley family memorial

Research

    • Churchyard memorials: World War One, Richard Hacon and the Jolleys

    • Publication of book on Richard Hacon and Typhoid in Higham Ferrers

    • Exhibition on Richard Hacon; Higham’s Forgotten Hero.

Volunteers building the dead hedge

Conservation

    • Churchyard Wildlife Conservation Project creating a wildflower meadow, dead hedge, Bug Hotel and Bee Bed

    • Surveys of wildflowers, moths and a bat watch, recorded sightings of insects, birds, and mammals

    • Outdoor exhibition of information boards featuring wildlife in the churchyard

    • Northamptonshire Churchyard Conservation Scheme Silver Award from The Wildlife Trust.