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CHURCH TRAILS are organised for children aged 8 – 12 as a way of encouraging them to explore a church, to learn about it and enjoy the experience, so that they are inspired to visit other churches. The Arts Society Haslemere has compiled two Church Trails to date, one at St. Christopher's Church in 2014 and one at St Bartholomew's Church in 2018.  The Trail can form the basis of an interesting family activity as well as an educational project for school visits.  The questions on the trail, which leads the participant round the church, stimulates further thought about both the church and local history.  Laminated answer sheets provide plenty of additional background information. 

CHURCH TRAIL AT ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH

The second church trail organised by The Arts Society Haslemere took place on 18th April 2018 at St. Bartholomew's Church.  Jane Stopford-Russell and Sue Davis compiled the questionnaire and planned the launch which was a great success.

28 children from Year 5 from St Bartholomew’s Primary School were the first to follow the St Bartholomew's Church Trail at the launch.  The children scattered around the church in small groups, each with a teacher or volunteer guide, armed with a double sided questionnaire.  There were questions about features found in the church such as carvings on the pulpit, the number of bell ringing ropes and the stained glass window dedicated to Tennyson.  

The questionnaire included a map and interesting snippets of information.  
 
On completion each pupil received a certificate.  Cake and juice followed in The Link, where the children were able to check if their answers on the form were correct.

Representatives from The Arts Society West Surrey Area attended the launch, as did the Deputy Mayor of Haslemere who presented the certificates.  Members of The Arts Society Haslemere committee, past church recorders and Reverend Mary Bowden were also present.

CHURCH TRAIL AT ST. CHRISTOPHER’S CHURCH

As a follow on from the work carried out on the St. Christopher's Church Record, a Church Trail has been compiled by Jan Wickens and Frankie Gaiter, the leaders of the original Church Recorders Group. The trail, taking the form of a questionnaire (a double-sided A4 sheet), guides children round the church looking at the architecture, history and furnishings. A corresponding double-sided sheet is provided for accompanying parents and teachers, with answers and explanatory notes. The questionnaire is designed in a child friendly format for ages 8 - 12 years.

St. Christopher's has plenty to interest children and, for example, the questionnaire asks children to search for the church mouse and to see how many representations of St. Christopher they can find. It gives information on the history of the building and past rectors and aims to stimulate further thought about local history as well as about the church itself. 

With the help of Brian Wickens, the trail questionnaire was set-up in Microsoft Word and was tested on a small group of children of different ages during the Autumn of 2012. The Trail could not be immediately put to use owing to a delay caused by work carried out at the Church, during which the font was re-located. As a result, the order of the questions had to be rearranged to take this into account. The final copy was approved by NADFAS House in October 2013.

THE FIRST CHURCH TRAIL: 13th March 2014, at St. Christopher's Church.

30 Year Three children from St. Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School took part in the launching of the Church Trail.

Mrs Sarah Taylor, St. Bartholomew’s Religious Instruction Teacher, led 30 pupils from Year Three into the church, along with Mrs Sandy Clarke, the Parish Youth Minister, Gideon Bridgman, Trainee Youth Minister, and four staff members. They were welcomed by the Church Warden, Mr Clive Hawkins. Mrs Sarah Barnes, HDFAS Chairman, formally handed over the Trail to the Church and declared the Trail open. 

Mrs Frankie Gaiter then explained how the children should use the trail and they were divided into 6 groups of five, each group accompanied by an adult. Adult guides giving clues and background knowledge included Mrs Liz Cook, Mrs Liz Hawkins and Mrs Celia Gregory, members of St. Christopher’s.  The groups started at different points around the trail so that they would have plenty of room to explore.

Also present were several members of the HDFAS Church Recorders group who compiled the St. Christopher Church Record, HDFAS President Mrs Rocelyn Rees and Mrs Barbara Naylor, in charge of NADFAS West Surrey Area Church Recording. Mr Brian Wickens also attended.

The trail involved quite a lot of crawling about on the floor, looking up at the ceiling, some counting and much discussion.

Once the questionnaires were completed the children sat down and refreshments were handed round by Carol Boxall and Heather Berry, both members of the Parish. Mrs Barnes thanked everyone involved and the children in turn thanked the organisers - it was the loudest thank you of the day.

The Trail was received with great enthusiasm by children and teachers alike. It is hoped that other classes from St. Bartholomew's and other local schools will also come to try it out. The question about the church mouse proved to be the most popular. Many of the children also said that they liked counting how many representations of St. Christopher they could find.

Some comments:

"I had a fantastic time! Learning about St Christopher and Christopher Tanner. I met a lovely man called Clive who told me about the history of the church. It was just amazing!" (William Barnard) 

"I had a wonderful time at St Christopher's Church. I thought the church trail was so much fun! I would say it's a 10/10!" (Issie Berg-Rust)

"I had a really good time doing all the questions and going inside St Christopher's Church. My favourite part was seeing the mouse in the corner." (Laila Southerden)

"I enjoyed it because I was give clues to where things are. My favourite bit was the mouse in the corner. I think St Christopher's church trail was epic! It was a fun way to teach us about the church." (Poppy Hunt)

CHURCH TRAILS are organised for children aged 8 – 12 as a way of encouraging them to explore a church, to learn about it and enjoy the experience, so that they are inspired to visit other churches. The Arts Society Haslemere has compiled two Church Trails to date, one at St. Christopher's Church in 2014 and one at St Bartholomew's Church in 2018.  The Trail can form the basis of an interesting family activity as well as an educational project for school visits.  The questions on the trail, which leads the participant round the church, stimulates further thought about both the church and local history.  Laminated answer sheets provide plenty of additional background information. 

CHURCH TRAIL AT ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH

The second church trail organised by The Arts Society Haslemere took place on 18th April 2018 at St. Bartholomew's Church.  Jane Stopford-Russell and Sue Davis compiled the questionnaire and planned the launch which was a great success.

28 children from Year 5 from St Bartholomew’s Primary School were the first to follow the St Bartholomew's Church Trail at the launch.  The children scattered around the church in small groups, each with a teacher or volunteer guide, armed with a double sided questionnaire.  There were questions about features found in the church such as carvings on the pulpit, the number of bell ringing ropes and the stained glass window dedicated to Tennyson.  

The questionnaire included a map and interesting snippets of information.  
 
On completion each pupil received a certificate.  Cake and juice followed in The Link, where the children were able to check if their answers on the form were correct.

Representatives from The Arts Society West Surrey Area attended the launch, as did the Deputy Mayor of Haslemere who presented the certificates.  Members of The Arts Society Haslemere committee, past church recorders and Reverend Mary Bowden were also present.

CHURCH TRAIL AT ST. CHRISTOPHER’S CHURCH

As a follow on from the work carried out on the St. Christopher's Church Record, a Church Trail has been compiled by Jan Wickens and Frankie Gaiter, the leaders of the original Church Recorders Group. The trail, taking the form of a questionnaire (a double-sided A4 sheet), guides children round the church looking at the architecture, history and furnishings. A corresponding double-sided sheet is provided for accompanying parents and teachers, with answers and explanatory notes. The questionnaire is designed in a child friendly format for ages 8 - 12 years.

St. Christopher's has plenty to interest children and, for example, the questionnaire asks children to search for the church mouse and to see how many representations of St. Christopher they can find. It gives information on the history of the building and past rectors and aims to stimulate further thought about local history as well as about the church itself. 

With the help of Brian Wickens, the trail questionnaire was set-up in Microsoft Word and was tested on a small group of children of different ages during the Autumn of 2012. The Trail could not be immediately put to use owing to a delay caused by work carried out at the Church, during which the font was re-located. As a result, the order of the questions had to be rearranged to take this into account. The final copy was approved by NADFAS House in October 2013.

THE FIRST CHURCH TRAIL: 13th March 2014, at St. Christopher's Church.

30 Year Three children from St. Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School took part in the launching of the Church Trail.

Mrs Sarah Taylor, St. Bartholomew’s Religious Instruction Teacher, led 30 pupils from Year Three into the church, along with Mrs Sandy Clarke, the Parish Youth Minister, Gideon Bridgman, Trainee Youth Minister, and four staff members. They were welcomed by the Church Warden, Mr Clive Hawkins. Mrs Sarah Barnes, HDFAS Chairman, formally handed over the Trail to the Church and declared the Trail open. 

Mrs Frankie Gaiter then explained how the children should use the trail and they were divided into 6 groups of five, each group accompanied by an adult. Adult guides giving clues and background knowledge included Mrs Liz Cook, Mrs Liz Hawkins and Mrs Celia Gregory, members of St. Christopher’s.  The groups started at different points around the trail so that they would have plenty of room to explore.

Also present were several members of the HDFAS Church Recorders group who compiled the St. Christopher Church Record, HDFAS President Mrs Rocelyn Rees and Mrs Barbara Naylor, in charge of NADFAS West Surrey Area Church Recording. Mr Brian Wickens also attended.

The trail involved quite a lot of crawling about on the floor, looking up at the ceiling, some counting and much discussion.

Once the questionnaires were completed the children sat down and refreshments were handed round by Carol Boxall and Heather Berry, both members of the Parish. Mrs Barnes thanked everyone involved and the children in turn thanked the organisers - it was the loudest thank you of the day.

The Trail was received with great enthusiasm by children and teachers alike. It is hoped that other classes from St. Bartholomew's and other local schools will also come to try it out. The question about the church mouse proved to be the most popular. Many of the children also said that they liked counting how many representations of St. Christopher they could find.

Some comments:

"I had a fantastic time! Learning about St Christopher and Christopher Tanner. I met a lovely man called Clive who told me about the history of the church. It was just amazing!" (William Barnard) 

"I had a wonderful time at St Christopher's Church. I thought the church trail was so much fun! I would say it's a 10/10!" (Issie Berg-Rust)

"I had a really good time doing all the questions and going inside St Christopher's Church. My favourite part was seeing the mouse in the corner." (Laila Southerden)

"I enjoyed it because I was give clues to where things are. My favourite bit was the mouse in the corner. I think St Christopher's church trail was epic! It was a fun way to teach us about the church." (Poppy Hunt)