The Diocese of Chester has been awarded a bronze Eco Diocese award in recognition of our care for creation. The award was given by the Christian conservation charity A Rocha UK, and reflects Chester Diocese’s commitment to walk in step with nature and put creation care at the heart of what we do. Chester Diocese’s achievement of this prestigious award demonstrates our work toward the goals as detailed in the Church of England’s Routemap to Net Zero Carbon by 2030. Chester is the thirtieth diocese in England to have achieved a bronze Eco Diocese award.
So far, 54 churches in the Diocese of Chester have been awarded an Eco Church Bronze, Silver or Gold award. In addition, Church House, the diocesan head office has recently achieved an Eco Church Bronze award.
The survey and supporting resources are designed to equip your church to express care for God’s world in your worship and teaching; in how you look after your buildings and land; in how you engage with your community both locally and globally; and in the personal lifestyles of your congregation.
To achieve a bronze Eco Diocese award, there needs to be engagement in environmental issues across the diocese as well as the promotion of local church participation in the Eco Church scheme. In given the award, A Rocha UK said, "There has clearly been great progress with environmental awareness, steps toward net zero carbon and creation care within the diocese."
A Rocha UK’s mission is to mobilize churches and individuals to foster a movement that revitalizes biodiversity at the grassroots level during this pivotal climate decade. The Eco Church initiative unites a nationwide network of churches committed to tackling the environmental crisis through shared resources, collaborative learning, and collective advocacy. With all 42 Church of England dioceses participating in the Eco Diocese program, A Rocha UK is aiding their journey towards the awards, aiming for half to attain silver status by 2025.
Polly Eaton, the Eco Diocese Officer at A Rocha, extended heartfelt congratulations to the Diocese of Chester, “Our huge congratulations to Chester Diocese on their well-deserved bronze Eco Diocese award. This achievement has been brought about by an appreciation that God’s earth is facing a crisis and we need to act. By prioritising care for creation, the Diocese of Chester is demonstrating Christian hope for God’s world. It's so encouraging to hear about their initiatives including progressive training for readers and ordinands, creative collaborations and a dedicated environmental forum progressing their Eco Diocese work. They have a strong engagement with Eco Church by individual churches, and we look forward to seeing it grow even further as they move forward.”
“As stewards of creation, the Bronze Eco Diocese award reflects our unwavering commitment to environmental wellbeing and serves as an encouraging accolade towards a sustainable future. This award is a testament to the collective efforts of our community, who are dedicated to nurturing and protecting God’s creation for generations to come.” Mark Tanner, Bishop of Chester.
Get involved
If you'd like to take the first steps to being an ECO Church, just take a few minutes to fill in the ECO Church survey. Katy Purvis, Net Zero Carbon Project Officer for the Diocese of Chester says, "Gaining a Bronze award is a great way to start your church eco journey. The recent General Synod motion on Biodiversity and management of Church of England land calls on every church to work towards an increasing level of Eco Church, so If your church hasn’t registered yet, please do. You might be surprised to see how much you already do in your parish which contributes to your first award."