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Horsley Nature Festival – a moment of Horsley magic!
Our churchyard is alive with nature, but over two days in late July, we began to discover just how much. It was inspiring to see the community become aware of what treasures were hidden on our doorstep, and we were bowled over by the generous, enthusiastic guidance of local naturalists and experts, on subjects ranging from swifts to bats, beetles to chucky-pigs, moths to lichens to wildflowers.
The first evening, handheld detectors were used to listen to the echolocations of foraging bats. The next morning, children set off with pots on a safari, collecting minibeasts, learning how to identify them by counting their 1, 6, 8, 14 or more legs. Light traps attracted several hundred moths, with over seventy species identified, including the Dowdy Plume (not so dowdy!). This striking moth has only been recorded once in the county since 2015. The gravestones, church walls and trees were home to over 100 species of lichen, and we discovered a similar number of grasses, wayside flowers and trees.
Horsley Nature-Spy proved a real hit — churchyard visitors young and old spent the afternoon spotting everything from bumblebees to Creeping Jenny, ticking off finds on their phones or on paper. This is an interactive, online ‘nature treasure hunt’ which we’re planning to run in future reflecting the changing seasons and habitats. In the meantime, the current chart stays live. Any time you’re passing, visit Horsley Nature Spy · 19 July 2026 and see what you can find. We should be doing an autumn to winter edition.
The festival provided a gentle atmosphere of wonder and discovery, and it was great to see the genuine delight on the faces of children and adults alike as they looked and listened to the stories of nature unfold. Science and art combined too with cyanotype printing and Scarlet Tiger-moth mask-making, bringing further richness to the event. All washed down with tea and coffee and delicious cakes!
We continuously hear news of species depletion, but finding a surprisingly large range of species in such a small area left us feeling elated and optimistic. Simply being aware of our local biodiversity is a positive act.
With a little more help, we’re hoping to run this event again next year. Our small group, ‘Horsley Nature’, is in discussion with the Diocese, the 3in1 and Horsley Parish Council about how to create a beautiful wildflower-rich meadow in part of the churchyard. And with the Parish Council we have other plans to safeguard the wider nature in our parish. If you’d like to get involved, please contact Horsley Nature – either Paul (07977 228973) or Jude (07971 861515).
Friends of Horsley School Summer Party, 4th July 2026
The 3in1 and churchyard came alive on a beautiful sunny afternoon with Friends of Horsley School welcoming many in the community to a family afternoon of fun, games, activities, live music and food.
With everything from drumming workshops to petanque, craft stalls to a BBQ, there was something for everyone to enjoy with all proceeds going to the Friends of Horsley School. A huge thank you to FHS and the whole school community for hosting such a happy event.