Ely Cathedral recognised for green credentials with gold Eco Church Award

Ely Cathedral has been awarded the gold Eco Church Award in recognition of its commitment to nature and its action on climate change.

Ely is only the third cathedral in the UK to achieve this award, which was given by the Christian conservation charity A Rocha UK.

The cathedral’s recent annual report illustrates 2023 as the lowest year so far in carbon emissions, being a reduction of 42 per cent from the peak in 2019.

Its initiatives include cutting paper use by adopting downloadable service sheets, regular litter picks, an innovative approach to food waste and engagement with Fareshare (fareshare.org.uk) – a national charity that turns food surplus into meals.

Helen Stephens, church relations manager, said: “Our huge congratulations to Ely Cathedral on their well-deserved gold Eco Church Award.

“Everything about their approach sets them out as an exemplar of what it means to be a gold-awarded church, and their strong engagement in local networks provides opportunities to share their learning and experience as well as explain what drives their care for the environment.”

For more on the work of Ely Cathedral’s environment group and how you can get involved, visit shorturl.at/Vke2P.