Environment Policy

BISHOP’S COUNCIL

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Approved by:                 Bishop’s Council

Policy originator:        Diocesan Synod

Accessible at:               Diocesan Website

Date approved:            02 March 2026

Review period:             Three years

Review Date:                 02 March 2029

Summary

As the Diocese of St Albans, we affirm that:

• caring for God’s creation is a Biblical requirement, a gospel imperative, and central to the Missio Dei.

• the Fifth Mark of Mission commits us: “to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the Earth”.
• our Diocesan Living God’s Love vision commits us to loving care and service to the world which we share with countless other species.
• we recognise that we are living in a time of climate and environmental crisis which affects the whole of God’s creation.
• we acknowledge and seek forgiveness for our part in causing the degradation and destruction of our common home.
• as a commitment to action, the Diocese of St Albans has registered with A Rocha and achieved the Bronze Eco Diocese award and will continue to progress to Silver and Gold award levels. As part of this commitment, we will work to achieve the Church of England target of Net Zero carbon emissions across all Diocesan operations by 2030.
• we will embed principles of sustainability across all our operations, seeking to protect and restore the Earth for the benefit of future generations.

• we will listen to and work with young people, acknowledging that the environmental crisis will directly affect health, well-being and quality of life in the future.
• we will set at the heart of our commitment those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, supporting climate mitigation and working for climate justice.

Theological foundations

Fundamental to our faith is the principle of God as Creator of everything, and that this creation is essentially good. Among God’s creatures, humankind has a vocation to care for this world, sharing in God’s creativity. The book of Genesis also shows how humanity, in its fallenness, has a negative effect on the natural world, as expressed, for instance, in the ancient story of the Flood (Genesis Ch.6). The wellbeing of our world depends therefore on a loving relationship between God, humanity, and our environment.

In the New Testament, God enters creation in the person of Jesus, fully God and fully human. As stated at beginning of John’s Gospel, echoing the beginning of Genesis, the Word became flesh and lived among us. This affirms the goodness of creation as the vehicle for God’s self-revelation, in which God does not just appear to be a human creature, but actually is so. By extension, the same is true of the Eucharist: by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ gives himself to us in bread and wine, ‘which earth has given and human hands have made’ (Common Worship), celebrating earth’s fertility and human creativity.

As Christians, we also live in hope, praying and working for God’s kingdom to come ‘on earth as in heaven’, God’s new creation, rooted in Christ’s death and resurrection. This means that this world contains the very seeds of our hope. However, the Gospel also calls us to a life of repentance, turning away from deep habits of exploitation and, in the power of God’s Spirit, restoring that harmony between God, humanity, and the environment. The target of net zero carbon is a clear expression of such repentance, as we seek to live more simply and justly, treading more lightly on this fragile planet.

In the Diocese of St Albans we are called to live God’s love, going deeper into God, making new disciples, and transforming communities. This includes a deeper knowledge of God as Creator, who made us and blesses us, who in Christ has entered into creation, and in the Spirit made us part of God’s new creation, nurtured in the Eucharist. In response, we invite all to share in this relationship, pointing from the wonder of creation to its Creator. In this way, we become communities of transformation, sharing in God’s creation and re-creation, within ourselves and in the world. We also acknowledge that we are connected with sisters and brothers across the world, including our link dioceses in the Caribbean. This brings with it the urgency to respond to the climate crisis as it threatens and harms especially the most vulnerable in our world.

Finally, Christians are called not to fear or despair, but to be a people of hope. We are in an ecological crisis, but in biblical terms, ‘crisis’ (coming from the Greek word for ‘judgement’) is an opportunity for decision and change. For this we need generosity in looking outwards, joy in celebrating the world’s goodness, imagination to rethink how things could be, and courage to act now.

Response

Our response to the Biblical imperative to care for creation is fundamental to our Diocesan vision, Living God’s Love.

We will seek to live in the spirit of Christian joy and fullness of life, celebrating the infinitely complex and beautiful world which we share with countless other species.

We acknowledge and repent of our part in causing the climate and biodiversity crises faced by our world. We seek forgiveness and ask for guidance that we become wise stewards of the Earth. In humility may we learn from and be inspired by the natural world, seeking courage and strength to act with urgency on the causes of climate change and demonstrating that caring for the Earth is integral to showing love for our neighbour and living faithfully in the light of the Gospel.

We also recognise that the work being undertaken now will have to be continued by our successors, and we must be courageous in seeking the generational change necessary to protect and restore the Earth for the benefit of future generations.

As a sign of commitment, this Diocese has registered with A Rocha UK to work towards Eco Diocese status. As part of this work the environmental impact of our activities and use of resources will be fully considered in all our operations, including worship and teaching, study and education, outreach and pastoral care, use of our buildings, management of resources, travel, administration, planning and programmes.

As part of this commitment, we will work to achieve the Church of England target of Net Zero carbon emissions across all Diocesan operations by 2030, in line with the strategy set out in the Church of England Routemap to Net Zero Carbon.

We will strive to adapt to become fully sustainable in all we do, living in harmony with the natural world which God created and accepting our responsibilities to care for other living creatures.

We will respond in loving service to protect our neighbours from the injustice of climate change and to endeavour to take all necessary steps to limit our carbon footprint and actions which threaten biodiversity and pollute and destroy our common home. We will set at the heart of all our actions the needs of those who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and strive to turn this vision into reality for the benefit of future generations, all parts of society and those at most risk of harm.

We acknowledge the impact of the environmental crisis on the health, well-being and quality of life of the young, and will listen and act to address their concerns.

Informed by the experience of Christians in the Anglican communion, we will encourage and support climate mitigation projects to support these communities, to help them recover from disasters and build resilience for the future.

Environmental Policy Aims and Objectives

The Environmental Policy aims to express the theological basis for our Diocese to protect and safeguard the Earth and God’s creation through a series of objectives and practical actions (referenced below) in accordance with our shared values and the Diocesan vision of ‘Living God’s Love’.  It presents the response of our Diocese to the environmental crisis in one over-arching document, supported by the policy documents and action plans of each constituent part of the Diocese, and following the policies and action plans of the Church of England.

Eco Diocese

A key policy objective is for our Diocese to provide a practical and affordable means by which all its constituent bodies can respond to the climate and biodiversity crises and work towards a more sustainable future.  The framework for this response is the Eco Diocese scheme, devised to underpin good work being done at grass-roots level and to provide support, guidance and a structure within which good practice can be communicated, resources shared and by which encouragement can be given to others.

As part of this commitment, we have demonstrated achievement of the standards set for the Bronze level Eco Diocese award and will continue working towards Silver and Gold level awards in the following required areas:

• Ownership: Establish a Diocesan Environmental Group to oversee progress and to coordinate delivery of the Church of England’s net zero carbon agenda within the Diocese.
• Relevant Diocesan Office Award: Achieve silver and gold awards for the Diocesan Office and promote an understanding amongst all staff of Eco Diocese goals.
• Eco Church Awards: Achieve 40%of churches registered as Eco Churches; 30%of churches with an award; 10%of churches with silver awards or higher.
• Land: Develop an environmental policy and a land management plan, with an explicit reference to promoting biodiversity and managing the land for carbon reduction across the diocese.
• Training and Development: Include environmental training in standard diocesan training for both lay and ordained ministry, supported by the Board of Mission and Ministry, and opportunities for training and development for other regional staff and volunteers.
• Schools and education: Diocesan Board of Education to establish and maintain an appropriate environmental policy.
• Carbon Reduction Plan: Agree carbon reduction targets and develop an action plan in line with the Church of England Routemap to Net Zero Carbon.
• Finance and Investments: Write an ethical banking and investments policy in line with the ethical investment policies of the Church of England and following good environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria.
• Collaboration: Work with partner church groups both locally and internationally to raise mutual awareness in regard to climate change and species loss mitigation and resilience measures.
• Celebrating creation: Regular and substantial presence of environmental issues on the diocesan website and through wider communication channels.

Net Zero Carbon

Following the resolution of General Synod in February 2020, the Diocese of St Albans developed a Net Zero Carbon Action Plan, approved at the October Synod in 2022, to coordinate efforts across all Diocesan operations to work towards achieving Net Zero Carbon status by 2030. It incorporates Net Zero targets in line with the Church of England Routemap to Net Zero Carbon strategy document and will be reviewed and updated regularly. Once guidance from the national church has been made available, a plan for the appropriate offsetting of residual emissions will be developed, taking into account local conditions, requirements and opportunities, with the expectation that as emissions reductions grow and are sustained the amount of offsetting will decrease.

The individual policies and action plans of all Diocesan operations will contribute to the Diocesan Net Zero Carbon Action Plan, to be reviewed and updated in line with Church of England Routemap to Net Zero Carbon.

Biodiversity

Mindful of the Fifth Mark of Mission, and in response to the environmental emergency, our Diocese will take action to safeguard, sustain and renew the precious eco systems on which all life depends. We recognise that the land and buildings held by our Diocesan bodies including parishes represent a resource which can offer opportunities for management for the benefit of wild species. We acknowledge our responsibilities as custodians of a biodiversity heritage to be found in our churchyards, which may provide a refuge for a wide variety of species at risk in the wider countryside.  We will seek to preserve and enhance this heritage, and to inspire wider interest and action by engaging with our local communities through educational activities and events.  We will work with others to protect the natural habitats within our Diocesan boundary which contribute to its unique character, including grassland, woodland, heathland, wetlands and globally rare chalk stream habitats. We will work with wildlife trusts, local authorities and others so that individual churchyards, church school grounds and other land holdings can contribute strategically to the wider ecology of the landscape, forming wildlife corridors, and acting as green oases in the urban environment.  Through the Living Churchyards scheme, Eco church and Eco schools’ programmes we will promote environmental education and sustainable management of all our buildings and green spaces, reducing our consumption of natural resources and taking urgent action to reduce pollution and degradation of the atmosphere, water sources, and soils.  In gratitude for the beauty of the earth which sustains us, we will explore ways to offer our churchyards and gardens as a resource for our communities and a source of well-being and good mental health for all.

Implementation

These aims and objectives will be incorporated into our working practices at all levels across the diocese and all boards and committees to embed sustainable principles and a coordinated delivery of our agreed targets.

In support of our Diocesan mission statement ‘Living God’s Love’ we will encourage the principles and priorities of the Eco Church programme to form part of parish Mission Action Plans.

The Diocesan Environment Officer working closely with the Net Zero Carbon Officer and other Diocesan staff and clergy will ensure that Diocesan employees and office holders are familiar with and support the implementation of these objectives and ensure compliance with relevant environmental regulations.

The Diocesan Environment Officer will be supported in the co-ordination and delivery of the Environment Policy by the Diocesan Environment Group, and by liaising with the National Church and other appropriate agencies, provide information and advice needed inform all actions in pursuit of the aims of this policy.

The Diocesan Environment Officer will seek to support the work of church members in our deaneries and parishes, promoting sharing of good practice and resources between churches.

Working within the Church Buildings (DAC) and Estates Departments, and with the Diocesan Environment Officer, the Diocesan Net Zero Carbon officer will be responsible for the development of the Diocesan Net Zero Carbon policy, strategy and Action Plan, and the monitoring and reporting of progress towards the implementation of the Diocesan Net Zero Carbon Action Plan.

The Net Zero Carbon Officer will provide practical support and resources for the sustainable management of Church-owned land and buildings, including collaborative working with parishes in all parts of the Diocese, with the Diocesan Environment Officer and Diocesan support staff across departments, and with adjacent Dioceses, the wider Church and other relevant organisations.

We will continue to promote funding opportunities for environmental projects as opportunities arise, to provide both financial support and as an incentive towards imaginative and creative initiatives within the Diocese.

We will encourage wider collaboration on environmental issues, both looking beyond our Diocese with a national and international perspective to linked Dioceses in the Anglican communion and within our Diocese to collaborate with representatives of other Christian denominations, as well as other faiths and secular bodies that actively share our concern for the environment.

Standards and accountability

We will comply with all applicable statutory requirements, seeking to match our performance to the highest relevant standards of good practice.

A report on progress towards the objectives of this policy will be prepared annually for Diocesan Synod, with interim reports to Bishop’s Council, and in addition necessary data to enable Diocesan Synod to complete the biannual report for General Synod on emission reductions will be provided on an annual basis.

This policy will be reviewed as a minimum every three years, according to national and international information and standards, based on the best available scientific evidence, and national policy of the Church of England, and report to the next available Diocesan Synod meeting in accordance with the above.

Strategy

The practical outworking of the aims and objectives above form a strategy for environmental actions which will align with the A Rocha Eco Diocese programme and the strategy set out in the Church of England Routemap to Net Zero Carbon.

Each operational area of the Diocese is expected to produce its own strategic plan to meet the relevant aims and objectives outlined above, which are appropriate across their areas of operation. This will include, but not be limited to

• Parishes
• Deaneries
• The Cathedral
• Board of Mission and Ministry
• Diocesan Board of Education
• Diocesan Advisory Committee
• Diocesan Board of Finance
• Property Team (to include both Property Committee and Glebe Committee
• Verulam House Fund Trust

These plans will inform and interpret the Diocesan strategy, providing a means to deliver positive change through objectives which are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART).

We will seek to work collaboratively across our Diocese and with others in our communities, incorporating environmental principles into all our actions.  In this we will demonstrate our commitment to urgent action, making opportunities to influence, to be credible and missional through caring for creation, working for climate justice and the end of poverty, and a just and equitable future for all.

Examples of strategic actions at Diocesan level include:

• Switching to Green Energy

Switching to Green Energy as soon as reasonably practical across the whole diocesan portfolio to reduce our environmental impact, as a demonstration of our faith in action and our commitment to a more sustainable and just future.

• Eco Church Registration and Eco Diocese award

Churches are encouraged to register for the Eco Church award scheme under the umbrella of the Eco Diocese scheme (with progression to Silver and Gold awards). Develop resources and support through the Mentor scheme, ecumenical ‘Clusters’ within geographical locations, Deanery Eco Champions, and ‘Beacon churches’ to share good practice and inspire action.

• Contribution to, and use of the Energy Footprint Tool

Encourage all parishes to input data to the Energy Footprint Tool to improve their management of energy through better understanding of their energy performance as part of the national as well as diocesan picture, and to provide guidance on practical steps towards achieving greater energy efficiency and lowering carbon footprints.

• Biodiversity – Parish and Community engagement

Encourage the appropriate management of churchyards and gardens to enhance biodiversity and collaborate with local communities to support biodiversity conservation as part of outreach activities.

• Sharing resources and experience across the Diocese

Sharing of experience and resources across the activities of the diocese which encourage one another in exploring and expanding the ways in which we enjoy and take care of the God-given natural environment. This includes use of social media, mentoring and proclaiming experience.

• Training and skills development

Incorporate environmental training and creation care theology into the training of ordained and lay ministers, Diocesan staff and Eco champions. Provide advice and support for parishes including carbon literacy and identify further training needs.

• Application of engineering technology

Pursue opportunities to achieve greater sustainability across the diocesan estate, where feasible, appropriate, and cost effective, applying knowledge gained from Demonstrator projects, practical experience from the Estates team, and following best practice as advised by the DAC. Encourage the adoption of renewable and reduced carbon energy and include solutions such as insulation, energy saving lighting, generation of green energy, including in parishes.

• Sequestration (capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide)

The identification of options for carbon sequestration which offer practical, reliable, and auditable opportunities for carbon offsetting, both among our diocesan assets (renewable energy generation, management of churchyards, glebe land, etc.) and elsewhere.

 2026

We are updating the guidance on the Buildings and Churchyards pages of the Diocesan website about church heating. The following documents are already available and will form part of the overall guidance.

Heating Flowchart 

If you are considering making changes to your church heating, have a look at this flowchart first to see what the most appropriate approach might be to heating your church.

Heating Checklist 

Please complete this checklist (adapted for the Diocese of St Albans from the Church of England checklist) as a starting point for any proposal for church heating. It will provide the information the PCC, its Professional Advisers and the DAC will need to understand your context and requirements.

Template for heating applications

Under the Faculty Rules changes in July 2022, parishes must now show that they have considered the relevant advice from the Church Buildings Council. You can do this in whatever way you feel is best, but we have provided a template document you can use which asks you questions about the guidance and how you have used it to help inform your decision-making.

Pew heater location and effectiveness

The Net Zero Carbon Officer has recently undertaken some research to understand the impact that the location of convective pew heaters has on their effectiveness. It turns out that where they are located will have a big impact on their performance.  If your pew heaters aren’t located directly underneath the pew seat then the report is worth a quick look (it’s mostly pictures) to see if there may be an opportunity to improve the effectiveness of your heating system and reduce your running costs and carbon emissions.

The DAC strategy on biodiversity recognises the contribution that the 400 parish churches and other places of worship, their curtilage land and churchyards make to the provision of varied habitat in both urban and rural settings in all parts of the Diocese.

It is a strategy for informing, advising and supporting parishes in the management, care and development of their church buildings and churchyards to support and enhance biodiversity, alongside the functions of care of the church building as a local centre of mission and worship as well as heritage, and care of the churchyard as a place for burial, commemoration and reflection.

The DAC strategy is:

1. To ensure that the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity are taken into account in DAC advice, generally and in casework.
2. To inform and encourage parishes to understand and appreciate the value of the churchyard, curtilage land and church building for nature, and the existing habitats and species the churchyard, land and church building support.
3. To provide information and advice to help parishes to map and assess the relative value of habitats and species for biodiversity.
4. To ensure that parishes have regard to the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity alongside other factors such as the care of historic fabric, needs for mission and outreach, and Net Zero Carbon, in developing schemes of repair and in making changes.

DAC Strategy on Biodiversity

Here you will find a directory of environment resources on a wide range of topics from Land and Nature to Net Zero Carbon.

Environment Resources February 2023-3

Environment Resources June 2023

Environment Resources July 2024

Environment Resources October 2025

The DAC’s advice for the installation on churches.

Historic England have produced some advice on installing solar panels and Tom Abraham, the Net Zero Carbon Officer, has written a blog post on solar panels.

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1. Information and updates

• Energy Footprint Tool
• Welcome: Sally Ackroyd
• DAC annual report
• VAT and Climate Change Levy overpayments
• A new home sought for Crucifix and Stations of the Cross
• Candle sticks available
• The Church of England: now on WhatsApp
• Hertfordshire Fire Service set up a Christian network

2. Training and Resources

• Top Tips for a successful application to the National Heritage Lottery Fund
• Faculties, List B and how to apply for them
• Clergy training in person – Caring for your church and churchyard, or church garden
• Accessibility – supporting those in ministry and leadership in our churches
• Save The Date – webinar “Decarbonising Churches – Voices of Experience”

3. Environment

• Community Payback – help with maintaining your churchyard
• Living Churchyards
• NEWS: Clifton Churchyard is a County Wildlife Site and is listed as a Flowery Burial Ground
• News from the Diocesan Environment Officer
• External Oil Tanks

4. Maintaining your building

• Recommended monthly tasks

5. Grants and Funding

• National Church Net Zero Carbon Grants

6. Upcoming Events

• Year of the Birds events at Clothall

1. Information and updates

• URGENT UPDATE: Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and future government funding
• New Additional Matters Orders
• Making applications for DAC advice – Faculties and Minor Matters
• Defibrillators
• Hertfordshire Archive and Local Studies (HALS) – new opening times
• Martyn’s Law Briefing Note
• Telecom infrastructure on church buildings
• Churches looking for servers’ albs

2. Training resources

• Accessibility Icons for websites
• Be Prepared & Stay Calm!
• Applying for a National Heritage Lottery Fund grant

3. Environment

• Please act now! Energy Footprint Tool – Footprints for Creation
• Carbon Literacy for Congregations
• Church heating – Your questions answered
• Swift boxes in churches

4. Maintaining your building

• Recommended monthly tasks

5. Grants and Funding

• Receive funding – for free!
• Small Grants for Village Halls – apply now if you fit the criteria!
• Potential Grants for NZC, Biodiversity and Community Projects

6. Good news stories

• St Mary’s Watford switches to green gas – The Diocese of St Albans

7. Upcoming Events

• Beds & Herts Historic Churches Trust – A Life in Ruins

1. Information

• New Additional Matters Orders

1. Electric Heating Systems AMO
2. Third-party hiring of churches and halls within faculty jurisdiction AMO and Guidance on Hiring
3. Scaffolding in churchyards AMO
4. St Albans Churchyard Regulations

• Volunteers – stories/photos wanted
• Survey: internet connectivity in churches
• New Faculty Application Fee

2. Training resources

• Carbon Literacy Training – One Day Workshop
• Be Prepared!
• Churchwardens training – Church Buildings and Churchyards

3. Environment

• Broken Heating?
• New Historic England advice on flooding and historic buildings

4. Maintaining your building

• Recommended monthly tasks
• Damp in churches
• Ecclesiastical Insurance Forensic Marking

5. Grants and Funding

• Quick Wins
• Accessibility Grants
• House of good – local

6. Good news stories

• Meppershall celebrates
• Congratulations to St John, Royston

7. Upcoming Events

• • Christmas Tree Festivals

• In this Issue: The theme of this Bulletin is Maintenance and Training.1. Information
  • Richard’s Income Generation Tip of the Month
  • Volunteer Opportunities with BHHCT
  • Explore churches using an App
  • Disability Awareness Sunday
  • Timing of faculty applications
  2. Training and Resources
  • Churchyard Management Training – 23rd October
  • Churchwardens Training – Church Buildings and Churchyards Management (online)
  • National Maintenance Week – November 2025
  • Carbon Literacy Course – 15th December
  • Learning Lunchtimes from the Flourishing Churches Team
  • Choosing a new heating system
  3. Environment
  • Deanery Eco Champions – more still needed!
  • The Living Churchyards Project – can you help?
  • Eco Church Events
  • The GREAT SWITCH for creation
  • Parish Buying Energy Basket
  4. Maintaining your building
  • Recommended monthly tasks
  5. Grants and Funding
  • Minor Repairs & Improvements Grant to re-open for new applications
  • Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins Grants
  6. Good news stories
  • All Saints, Willian
  • The Scaffolding Is Finally Down
  • Ready, steady, go! Thundridge Old Church Tower
  • Cycling for access at Woburn Church
  7. Upcoming Events
  • Fundraising concert – Beds & Herts Historic Churches Trust
  • Churches Visitor and Tourism Association

• Visitation services
• Filming in Churches and Churchyards
• Heritage skills for the future
• For sale

• Training: Churchyard Management

• Season of Creation
• Can you help?
• Energy Footprint Tool
• Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins Grants
• Heating Systems Guidance

• Recommended monthly tasks

• Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme – Update
• Minor Repairs & Improvements Grant – Update
• The Benefact Trust – Important Update
• National Heritage Lottery Fund
• Fundraising idea for your pets?

• Keysoe – flower festival
• Newnham’s annual garden party fundraiser

• Bike and Hike
• Heritage Open Days

• • Volunteer Week

• • DAC Chair

• • Introduction of Seamus McGibbon, Pastoral and Closed Churches Officer

• • Churchyard Regulations

• • The National Churches Survey

• • Martyn’s Law

• • Beware of scammers

• • Free training from the DAC Team: Opening and Using Your Church

• • Churchyard Management workshop – Save the Date

• • Hearing Disability – New DAC Advisory Leaflet 9a

• • Please act now! Upload Energy Footprint Tool data for 2024

• • Eco Champions wanted!

• • Love your Burial Ground Week / Churches Count on Nature

• • Recommended monthly tasks

• • Money Matters Spring 2025

• • Minor Repairs and Improvements Fund

• • Christ Church, Radlett installs solar panels at Vision Hall

• • Carbon Literacy Project at Royston

• • Thanks from Waterford

• • More good news from Waterford: Restoration of the reredos

• BHHCT – Bike & Hike

• Free training from the National Churches Trust
• Spring clean your website!
• Are you open to visitors?
• Emergency Planning
• Workshops with St Albans DAC

• Deanery Eco Champions
• Net Zero Carbon

• Churchyard Regulation survey responses
• Items Available

• Recommended monthly tasks

• Apply for a Conservation Grant
• Living alongside bats in churches grant

• Stevenage, St Andrew and St George: Meeting needs with tea and toast
• Great St Mary’s in Sawbridgeworth: Conservation of monument to Viscount George Hewyt d.1689,

• Flamstead hawk!

• Volunteer Week
• Heritage open days

• Churchwardens’ Training – The Diocesan Website
• Developing a fundraising strategy for your project
• Opening your church to visitors

• Energy Audits
• Broken Heating?
• Churchyard management poster
• Repair it, don’t throw it

• Protecting Built Heritage
• Sale of treasures
• Site visits
• Parish Returns – just for information

• Recommended monthly tasks
• Ecclesiastical Insurance’s monthly risk calendar

• Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (VAT)
• Net Zero Carbon Quick Wins Grant
• Minor Repairs & Improvements Grant

• North Mymms double news
• Great news from St Paul’s Bedford

• • AccessAble – Letting disabled visitors know about access in and around your church building

• • Churchwarden training resource page: Taking care of your building contents

• • Supporting hedgehogs and other small animals

• • Heating your church this winter

• • Emergency works – process we follow

• • Applying for List B permission (Archdeacon’s Letter)

• • UK Digital upgrade

• • Church War Memorials

• • Maintenance week

• • Recommended monthly tasks

• • Funding newsletter – is this a link to the last newsletter?

• • Living Alongside Bats in Churches

• • Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

• • National Lottery Awards For All England

• • Benefact Trust – Movement For Good

• Planning for an emergency
• Events and Resources 
• Information
  • How to make your church inclusive
  • What’s special about your church building – Statements of Significance
•  Environment 
  • Do you have pew heaters that aren’t as effective as you think they should be?
  • Churches Eligible for Reduced VAT on Energy
• Maintaining your building
• Grants and Funding 
  • Minor Repairs & improvements Grants and Net Zero Quick Wins
  • Listed Places of Worship (LPW) Scheme

• Events and Resources
• Environment
  • Energy Footprint tool
  • Managing your Churchyard for Wildlife
• Information
  • Quinquennial Inspection Reminder: Why is it so important to my church?
  • New list of free resources
  • External paints on timber, plaster and metal
• Maintaining your building
• Grants and Funding
• Good news stories

• Events and Resources
  • Teatime Tuesdays (5-6pm)
  • Church Maintenance workshop
  • Fundraising training
• Featured DAC advice leaflet
• Free Canva Pro Account
• Environment
  • Energy Footprint tool
• Churchyards
• Maintaining your building
• Grants and Funding

• Events
  • Teatime Tuesdays (5-6pm)
  • Church Maintenance workshop
  • Fundraising training
• Environment
  • Energy Footprint tool
• Grants and Funding
  • Update – National Lottery Heritage Grants
  • ChurchCare Conservation Grants
  • Village Halls Small Grants Fund
  • Minor Repairs & Improvements (MR&I) Grants
• Blog post – Opening your church
• Baroness Brinton on disability and inclusion in the Church and Society
• DAC advice leaflets
• Volunteers week

• Environment
  • Church of England position on Hydrogen
  • Energy Footprint tool
  • Carbon Literacy training
• Church maintenance
  • Quinquennial Inspections
  • Ecclesiastical monthly risk calendar
  • Tasks for winter and early spring
  • VAT repairs – a success story
• Hearing Loops
• Grants and funding

• Heating
• The National Lottery Community Fund

• Caring for your church building
  • Church Maintenance – Winter tasks
  • Grants for heating projects
  • Volunteers doing building work
• Environmental matters – Eco Diocese
• Information
  • How the DAC can help with large scale projects
  • Sharing church buildings

• Information
  • Managing churchyards
  • RAAC
  • Local Authorities can support parish churches
  • Quinquennial Inspections
  • Scaffolding
  • Health and safety
  • Church maintenance – Autumn tasks
  • DAC meetings

• Heating systems
• Churchyard management resources
• Lightning protection
• Heritage crime

Here you will find examples of Churchyard Management plans to help guide you, as well as Wildlife Trust leaflets for Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

Churchyard of Whipsnade, St Mary Magdalene

Churchyard of Weston, Holy Trinity

Churchyard Plan

Beds Wildlife Trust Churchyards Leaflet

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust Churchyards Leaflet

Have you started to think about how to respond to the Church of England’s call to action to reach Net Zero Carbon by 2030? Do you want to know what you could be doing now? The DAC has put together this advice in light of its strategy so that you can consider how best to respond as a church.

To help you enter your church’s energy usage figures into the Energy Footprint Tool, we have prepared a step-by-step video User Guide which you can pause and go through at your own pace. If you prefer, you can download a pdf version of the instructions.

Please note that some of the questions have changed slightly from 2022, so you no longer need to calculate person hours and you now need to provide details of work-related travel expenses and the number of hours per week the building is open.

General Net Zero Carbon Resources

The resources below will help you look at the bigger picture of your church energy use and what you need to consider when looking to reduce that use.

This is a great introductory resource which includes interactive images which covers the range of changes which could be made to your church building. As it says at the beginning of the page, No one church could, or should, do everything, so take a look and see what could be most appropriate and viable options to research further.

Net Zero Carbon Church – Church of England

The Practical Path is a key resource which helps you to plan your church’s journey to net zero carbon. It includes some initial low cost ‘quick wins’ which will help you improve efficiency before looking at more major changes. We encourage every parish to complete the Practical Path. It also forms a key supporting document in any application for heating/renewables.

The Practical Path to Net Zero Carbon for Churches – Church of England

The Church of England’s Environment Programme’s webinars are excellent resources. They are generally under an hour and cover a wide range of topics, from particular technologies such as heat pumps in churches, solar panels, and electric heating, to wider advice, such as quick wins, permissions and conservation.

Net Zero Carbon Webinars – Church of England

Heating

Heating makes up over 80% of the carbon use of an average church, so it is understandable that you will want to look at what changes you could make to your heating system to reduce energy use. It is important to note that heating most church buildings is complex and we strongly advise you to get professional advice from a heating consultant if at all possible. These resources will help you to be an informed client and should help you to prepare a brief for your professional.

Heating – Church of England

The Church Buildings Council’s advice on heating is excellent. It is helpfully divided into bitesize chunks so you can take it at your own pace. In particular, we advise you to look at the following pieces of guidance:

• Heating Principles – reading this as a first step will help you to frame any proposals and will ensure that you understand the key principles involved in church heating
• Heating Checklist – it is also very helpful for your to complete this at an early stage. It will help you to consider your wants and needs in terms of heating, as well as understanding your current system better. It would be helpful to share this with any professionals working with you
• Heating options appraisals – this sets out how you should be looking at the options available to you, including how to set out what you have considered as an important supporting document to any application.

Template for heating applications

Under the Faculty Rules changes in July 2022, parishes must now show that they have considered the relevant advice from the Church Buildings Council. You can do this in whatever way you feel is best, but we have provided a template document you can use which asks you questions about the guidance and how you have used it to help inform your decision-making.

The Church Building’s Council has updated their guidance to include information on Hydrogen and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils (HVO) as part of future heating systems. The short version is that “hydrogen is not likely to be practically and economically viable for use in the short and medium term for heating churches”, and that they “do not support the adoption of HVO as part of the move to net-zero carbon”.  There are some caveats around the HVO position and it could change in the future if there is resolution of some issues around the whole life carbon emissions including the knock-on effects on global land use change and deforestation, but is unlikely to change in the short/medium term. You can read the full position statement on the national church website.

As outlined above, the Church of England’s webinars are such a helpful tool in exploring how heating options work for church buildings.

Net Zero Carbon Webinars – Church of England