Eco-Group Report for the Annual Church Meeting 2023
During the year ending 31st March 2023, the Eco Group continued to meet to discuss how we can be better stewards of the earth that God created.
Members of the Eco Group took part in a number of activities supporting environmental action throughout the year. Several members of the Group are also on the Energy Crisis Group which is working to reduce the church’s spend on energy, as well as our carbon footprint; we have already succeeded in saving over £1000 by changing the way that the heating system in church is managed and have been offered a substantial donation towards solar panels on the roof of Shirley House.
We held an Eco Church Open Morning on 14th May for Sheffield Environment.
We held a special Climate Sunday Harvest Festival service on Sunday 2nd October. The ‘How Green Are You?’ questionnaire was handed out at the service and about 26 replies had been received; it was good to see that most people reported making small changes such as only boiling the amount of water needed.
As part of Sheffield Environment Weeks 2023, we plan to hold an evening event for people who are wanting to become 'greener', for example by getting solar panels or heat pumps installed, and want to know what their first steps should be.
The event will be held in church on Tuesday 16th May, starting at 7.00 pm; the first part of the evening will be a presentation by members of the Eco Group about what we have done, for example Bill's heat pump and the Cripps' solar panels. Refreshments will be served at about 7.45 followed by a time for people to browse stalls and talk to us.
We continue to keep the Eco Church Questionnaire updated and constantly try to improve our score, with the aim of gaining a Gold Award and becoming Net Zero by 2030.
We continue to grow fruit and vegetables in the garden and in the compound behind church and to publish an ‘Eco Tip’ in the Weekly Newsletter to encourage all members of the congregation to live a greener lifestyle.
The Eco Group is always happy to welcome new members.
Clare Loughridge, 6th April 2023