The Bring It Back Initiative

Bring It Back was formed last year by Amersham Town Council, Wild Amersham, and Amersham Museum to restore the biodiversity in and unearth the history of St. Mary’s Churchyard, which Amersham Town Council (ATC) manages. The group combines ATC’s and our partners’ commitment to the environment with an interest in Amersham’s rich local history. Through Bring it Back, we aim to:

• Engage young adults and the public on nature and local history.

• Improve the biodiversity of the churchyard and support St. Mary’s as it seeks to become a certified ecochurch

• Connect the community

• Inspire others to act to protect our fragile and unique ecosystem

Churchyards provide strong foundations for restoration of biodiversity, being less impacted by intensive agriculture, harmful chemical sprays, ploughing, and development that have left the U.K. so nature-depleted.

Bring It Back gives young adults in the community a space to build up practical skills and support a greener future for the churchyard. This is achieved through planned sessions led by ecology and history experts. The sessions provide the volunteers with the knowledge and skills to design and implement the most effective intervention possible.

The Story So Far

Last September, after much planning and coordinating with our partners and young volunteers, Bring It Back marked off three circles to let wildflowers grow in the churchyard. This was the first of many planned interventions that will continue throughout 2026.

The volunteers have already seen that something as simple as avoiding mowing these spaces will give nature the best chance to thrive. They’ve gained practical experience and knowledge about nature and history.

Future Plans

With the support of local experts, the group has developed plans to maximise our impact and monitor our progress. Early surveys of the churchyard showed enormous promise and potential to build on – the area was found to already be home to around 100 native plant species and 15 fungi species.

Bring It Back has much planned for the future as we hope to plant a native hedgerow and install bat boxes, bird nest boxes, insect hotels, and amphibian refugia mats to support and monitor populations and track progress. We also want to introduce more signage and seating to share information about the area’s wildlife and history, and encourage people to pause to enjoy the surroundings.

For more information about the group or get involved, see the Bring It Back homepage or contact Briony Hudson: briony.hudson@amershammuseum.org. There are many exciting upcoming events and we’d love for you to join us or spread the word.