Villagers hit road to give bishop field petition

Seven people standing in front of the padlocked entrance to the Glebe. They are all wearing winter coats and hats. Second from the right is Teri Trickett, who is holding the petition that they plan to hand to the Diocese of Lichfield. Behind them you can see a large metal gate, with the Glebe - a green field surrounded by trees and shrubs - beyond the fencing.

The Friends of the Glebe travelled from Bayston Hill to Lichfield to hand over their petition

Ellen Knight
BBC Radio Shropshire

A group of Shropshire villagers has travelled in convoy to deliver a petition to the Diocese of Lichfield, as part of its efforts to protect a local green space.

The Glebe, a large field often used for village events in Bayston Hill, is next to Christ Church and owned by the diocese, but was fenced off to the public in November.

Campaigners questioned whether the diocese "really knows our village" - with the convoy of cars setting out to "take the village to them."

A spokesperson for the Church of England's Diocese of Lichfield stated that "as charitable trustees, [dioceses] have a binding legal obligation to manage such property to obtain the best return for the benefit of their beneficiaries."

The diocese first leased the Glebe to villagers in 1949.

It has since hosted fairs, events, the local Scout troop, and is a popular spot for dog walking. It is also home to a number of ancient oak trees.

In November, villagers said they were appalled to discover a 2m (6ft)-high spiked fence stopping them from accessing The Glebe - a space about the size of a football field.

Since then, the fencing has been replaced - but the site is still inaccessible behind padlocked gates.

A petition for the diocese to reverse its decision has gained more than two thousand signatures - but instead of sending letters, campaign group Friends of the Glebe delivered it in person.

Teri is looking into the camera and smiling. She's wearing a black coat with an orange and blue floral pattern on it, and a black woolly scarf. Behind her you can see the silver and green fencing blocking access to the Glebe, and beyond that the Glebe itself, a large green field with trees and shrubbery around its edges.

Campaigner Teri Trickett said she wants the diocese to listen to their concerns

Ms Trickett said the aim was to encourage the diocese to listen to the group's concerns and engage with it in person.

"The Church of England has been an important part of the village since the first church was set up [in Bayston Hill] in the 1800s - so it would be lovely if they would listen to us," she said.

"We could enter into a long lease with the diocese, or even look to buy the land", Ms Trickett added.

Close-up shot of a padlock holding the silver metal gate to the Glebe firmly shut. It's made of thick black wire with a black and yellow combination lock. To the right of the image there's a dark green fence post - part of the fence that was installed to replace the original spiked fence. Beyond the gate you can see the Glebe; a large green field with trees along the horizon. The sky is grey and overcast.

The Glebe has often been used for village events like fetes, and is also popular with dog walkers

Chris Hitchcock, who lives nearby, moved with her family to Bayston Hill from London.

She observed that in the capital, "within ten minutes' walk we could be in seven different parks," but in Bayston Hill there is only the Glebe.

"Disabled people like me who use a walking stick or a walking frame have a long way to go now," she said.

Chris is looking into the camera and smiling slightly. She's wearing a green wool overcoat, with a brightly coloured scarf underneath. Behind her you can see the Glebe, a large green field with trees and bushes around the edges. Between Chris and the field is a large silver padlocked gate, and waist-height green wrought iron fencing.

Chris Hitchcock moved to Bayston Hill from London and said the capital protected its green spaces better

The parish council is in the process of applying to protect the Glebe as a village green, amid fears the land will be developed for housing.

Councillor Mark Underwood hoped the diocese would reconsider its approach.

"I'm a member of the church here, and I am deeply concerned that this could alienate the church [in Bayston Hill]," he said.

"The church does a lot of good work in the village and is well-respected, but this could take all that away."

Photo of the seven campaigners stood next to a sign reading 'St Mary's Lichfield'. They are all wearing winter coats, and Mark Underwood, a man with white hair and glasses, is holding the petition booklet to be delivered to the diocese. They are standing on a street with a wooden fence running along the right hand side of the image. Friends of the Glebe

The group arrived in Lichfield and successfully delivered their petition to the diocese

After arriving in Lichfield, the Friends of the Glebe said they were "warmly welcomed" by the diocese as they presented their petition.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Lichfield stated that the land was fenced off "to protect our legal rights as charitable trustees."

They continued: "Dioceses, as charitable trustees, have a binding legal obligation to manage such property to obtain the best return for the benefit of their beneficiaries, in our case the clergy."

The spokesperson added that the diocese's advisers "tell us that this land is developable, and we continue to explore options as we must."

"Once developed it is our hope that any development would include an area of open space."

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