Capel Coelbren celebrates Eco Church bronze award

Capel Coelbren has become the latest church in the diocese to achieve the bronze Eco Church award and is encouraging others to do the same.

Revd Jon Howard, Assistant Curate in the Tawe Uchaf Ministry Area, and a member of the Diocesan Eco Church Working Group, said: “While I am very pleased to have ‘put our first step on the ladder’ I have to admit that it wasn’t that hard and I would urge other churches to join this inspirational initiative. We were already ticking most of the boxes in our ministry of preaching and prayers; and on the practical front we had energy-efficient lighting in church, and composting facilities in the graveyard; we also recycled as much as we could.

“The online survey is easy to complete but what it really does is focus us onto what we should all be doing anyway to care for God’s creation and provides inspiration to do even more. We have several ideas for projects to work towards our silver award.”

Fr Jon was formerly Head Verger at Bradford Cathedral where he was a member of the eco team successful in installing solar PV panels on the cathedral – the first cathedral in the UK to have them - and is happy to talk to other churches interested in the Eco Church award scheme. He can be contacted on 07810 820593 or revjonhoward@gmail.com.