A rare Eco Church Gold Award has been won by St Margaret’s Church, Aislaby (near Whitby) in recognition of the parish’s efforts to care for God’s earth.
Eco Church is a learning community of churches, run by A Rocha UK, a Christian charity working to protect and restore the natural world and committed to equipping Christians and churches in the UK to care for the environment.
St Margaret’s is at the edge of the North York Moors National Park and the churchyard is a haven for wildlife and a place where people can find peace and quiet.
Churches working towards the three levels of Eco Church award – bronze, silver and gold, complete an online survey to see which award level they can achieve. The idea is to complete actions in order to achieve the points necessary for an initial award, followed by further actions to achieve the next one.
In June last year A Rocha announced the fiftieth Eco Church Gold Award in England and Wales, so St Margaret’s award remains a rare and coveted prize.
Jane Macfarlane of St Margaret’s Eco-church Team explains, “We believe we are the first church in the Diocese of York to achieve the Gold Eco Church Award and are very excited about it.
“As well as looking after the land, the church cares for the other aspects of the award criteria: Worship, Management of Buildings, Community and Global Engagement and Lifestyle.
“We are Carbon Neutral by offsetting our carbon footprint in donations to Climate Stewards, but we aim to make this a reality in the future.”
Bishop of Whitby Barry Hill has congratulated St Margaret’s on their achievement: “I know from experience how much hard work and vision it takes to reach such a milestone.
“I appreciate you haven’t worked towards a Gold Award in order to achieve a plaque as the ultimate goal, but rather it comes in recognition of your Christian commitment to know and show how God’s wonder and awe is writ large through all God has made and nurtured. ‘…and it was good!'”
Visit the A Rocha UK website (ecochurch.arocha.org.uk) to find out how you can become involved.
