St Helen’s church, a much loved island landmark, had been falling into decline. A Heritage Lottery Fund grant is repairing the church and, through a range of engagement projects, aim to place it at the heart of Lundy’s spiritual, educational and recreational life.
Excerpt from Press release 2018
St Helen’s Parochial Church Council in partnership with the Landmark Trust commissioned an artist to make textile banners celebrating Lundy’s unique ecology. The textiles project helped to mark the opening of St Helen’s new community space and was just one small part of a major restoration project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Led by artist, Alice Crane, and project coordinator and environmental educator, Frances Stewart, Lundy’s biodiversity became the focus of a series of community events for mainland and island communities.
Taking the overarching theme ‘Lundy – All Things Bright and Beautiful’, islanders, volunteers, visitors, artists and Hartland’s children and families created drawings, poems and collages that inspired the final designs and now populate the textiles banners.
The banners hang high in the nave at St Helen’s and here you can see St Helen’s Banners close up find out how St Helen’s Banners were made and learn about Lundy’s Bright and Beautiful Landscapes and Creatures.
Inspired by Lundy inhabitants’ love of the island and through conversations with Lundy’s Education Officer, a narrative emerged about the special and sacred natural spaces that might get overlooked on a short day trip to the island and needed to be shared.
Artist, Alice Crane