All Saints' Church, Halifax

serving Salterhebble, Skircoat Green & Copley

Garden

The Welcome Garden was designed to be used by the church, school and community.

It was intended that we have an official opening in 2020 but, unfortunatelty, due to the Covid pandemic this wasn’t able to happen. But at least, being completed, it was able to be used for small groups to meet when they could outside, and helped with the safe spacing of school children entering the school on a morning, and for parents waiting to collect/drop-off.

In 2022 we were able to have a number of events in the Garden and it has been used by school classes, and community members who have come to play with children or sit and eat lunch on the benches.

There is a small team of volunteers who maintain the garden and the Community Payback Team kindly mow the grass with their petrol mower when they come to work on the graveyard.

All Saints' School event. summer 2022

With some of our Harvest donations in October 2023 we twinned the Welcome Garden with one in Migori, Kenya.

This was through an organisation called ‘Ripple Effect’ https://rippleeffect.org/

We are encouraging wildlife in the garden with the bug boxes and bird feeders erected by the Uniformed Organisations.

February 2023 – the Cubs have designed and planted a herb garden.

June2023 – the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides donated a bird bath.

Bike Rack

A bike rack was installed in the garden in March 2023, at the side of the main church door. It will accomodate six bikes and is intended for use by church and school.

It was a joint garden and eco project and there is more information on the Eco Church page.

Just finished, with test bike!
In use, June 2023

Welcome Garden Timeline

To start with …

  • October 22nd 2015 – First Meeting

  • The Rev Steve Lees, Anita Watson, Richard Mullen and Margaret Binns

  • Developed a basic vision

  • Started work on Faculty

  • Comprehensive research into grant bodies.

Formally underway …

  • Sept 7th 2017 – PCC endorsement

  • Faculty continues to be developed

  • Ian Byfield and Paul Gunningham join

  • Building on research, grant bids developed

  • Start talking to contractors

  • In all we contact more than 25 different contractors.

Consultation begins …

  • The Faculty is agreed!

  • Very helpful Diocesan Advisory Group

  • Very supporting Archdeacon

  • Loads of involvement form church

  • Faculty Approved August 2018

Grant money begins to arrive …

  • Jan 28th 2019 Bank account opened

  • PCC present £13,000 from reserves

  • Donations start coming in

  • Fund raising begins

  • First event raises £1200

  • Nearly £40,000 in grants (so far)

  • Around £15,000 in donations and fundraising (so far)

    • Planning well underway work begins

The Future …

It’s good to talk (!)

The development of All Saints’ Welcome Garden was complicated and wide ranging. Here is a summary just some of the various activities involved in bringing the project to its present state.

  • All Saints’ PCC discussion and resolutions

  • Consultation with the Diocesan Advisory Committee

  • Consultation with Diocesan Archaeologist

  • Dialogue with local historical society

  • Dialogue with neighbouring All Saints’ School

  • Consultation with Diocesan Architect

  • Consultation with Digitisation companies

  • Appointment of and consultation with Landscape Architect

  • Formal Congregational Consultation

  • Formal Community Consultation

  • Consultation with Diocesan Registrar re legal matters

  • Consultation with Calderdale Council Planning Office

  • Consultation with Council Countryside Officer

  • Reference to Ecclesiastical Insurance

  • Consultation and subsequent approval of Victorian Society

  • Applications to several funding bodies and follow-ups

  • Researching contractors, assessing bids, appointments and oversight

  • Discussion with local uniformed organisation leaders

  • Discussion with local visual arts groups

  • Discussion with home schooling support group

  • Discussion with nearby hospital staff wellbeing group

  • Discussion with local Age UK

  • Discussion with local Allotments Society

  • Discussion with local toddler and childminding groups

  • Development of groups for maintenance, management and event planning.

Our grants givers

We have received the following grants towards the cost of our Welcome Garden

National Lottery Community Fund

Bishop’s Development Fund

Bearders Trust

All Churches Trust

Community Foundation for Calderdale

Total Grants:

£29,700

£3,000

£2,500

£1,500

£1,500

£38,200

Our grants givers

We have received the following grants towards the cost of our Welcome Garden

National Lottery Community Fund             £29,700

Bishop’s Development Fund                            £3,000

Bearders Trust                                                         £2,500

All Churches Trust                                                 £1,500

Community Foundation for Calderdale   £1,500

Total Grants:                                                             £38,200