“WHAT is the religious significance of the red squirrel?” asked Hanako Kuyama. She was the manager of a very courteous Japanese film crew who had come to film the St Francis Window in our church at Chapel Stile. They were apparently the Japanese equivalent of the BBC, and were filming a children’s programme - an attractive, young female presenter would walk up to the window, point out the squirrel at St Francis’ head, and the rabbit at his feet, smile and say something completely unintelligible! (only to be told to do it again slightly differently). Like so many of our visitors from Japan they were in love with all things Beatrix Potter, so to have a stained glass window which contained both Squirrel Nutkin and Peter Rabbit was too good to be true. This window is very popular with British people too - for its radiant colours done by a local craftsman and the fact that the landscape it depicts is quite obviously Langdale with its fells, house martens, rabbits and squirrels; along with the Millennium tapestry it’s our greatest visitor attraction.

“God loves red squirrels,” I said, “Heaven will probably be full of them - certainly if St Francis has anything to do with it. God the Father cared even about sparrows."

Yes, He loves red squirrels - He has a particular fondness for the weak and vulnerable…and the best of it is he also cares about you and me.

The Rev George Wrigley, Holy Trinity Church, Langdale