A primary school in Chorley, Lancashire has become the focal point for debate about cutting emissions in our churches and schools.The effort comes as all parts of the Church are working to reach net-zero carbon by 2030.To fit the ground source heat pump, The Parish of St Laurence C of E Primary School in Chorley, Lancashire, had to install 4,500 metres of piping under its playing field, and drill seven bore holes to a depth of 150m. A ground source heat pump works by drawing on heat below the ground with water heated as it is pumped through underground pipes. The water is then pressurised and used to heat a building.The school’s efforts have received national acclaim, including at the Green Church Showcase – an event hosted in Glasgow during the COP26 summit. Chorley is the constituency of the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle and our photo shows him on a visit to see the pipes that are delivering the hot water.Alongside the heating improvements, all lighting throughout the building has also been converted to more efficient LED bulbs, and solar panels have been added to the roof. Steps have also been taken to make the building more airtight, reducing draughts and heat loss.Headteacher, Emma Marquis, said that although digging up the field had been a little disruptive, the project had presented a learning opportunity."Our children have all been really keen to know what’s going on and how it helps the environment,” she said. "To feel the heat in our school and know that it comes from under our field is amazing!“We love showcasing what we’ve done here as part of our decarbonisation project and are really keen to get the word out there about how pivotal this is in us moving forward to become carbon neutral.It's really important to share that message and for the children to talk about their hopes and dreams for the future and the support they need in taking action to make smaller differences for a bigger change.”Dr. Sam Johnson, Deputy Director of Education for Blackburn Diocese said: “This has been a fantastic project from concept through to design and it is a real example of what is possible. “Although not without its challenges, the project did go smoothly. The school has been fantastic in embracing the shift to net zero carbon, making bold and brave decisions along the way, and using it as a learning opportunity for children, staff, parents and the wider community.”Schools are included in the Church of England’s target of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030. The General Synod motion was passed last year. Consultation responses are currently being sought on a draft routemap to achieving net zero carbon by 2030. The consultation will close in February 2022. The scheme has received financial support of £550k as part of a multi-million pound Government grant helping projects across The Diocese of Blackburn as part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
The North Shields Baby Bank, based at St John’s Church Percy Main, in North Tyneside, has helped more than 60 families since its launch in the summer with items including nappies, wipes, clothing and baby formula.Revd Lee Cleminson (see photo) Vicar of St John’s, said: “We’ve all heard of food banks and know what a valuable lifeline they are for people struggling."However, as a result of parents discreetly contacting the vicarage, asking for help, there was a clear need for a similar scheme which supplied basic baby items.“One mother who came to the church for help explained that she was having to choose between charging her electric meter and buying nappies for her beautiful newborn baby boy."She was desperate and said she never, ever thought she’d see herself in this position.”He added that the service was supported by ‘really generous’ donations from the local community. “It is going to be a long hard winter for a lot of people with the rising costs of energy, and new parents are going to be struggling,” he said.One Baby Bank user said: “I was caught out when my baby girl arrived early and as I was discharged from hospital, a local community worker contacted the Baby Bank at St John’s on my behalf as I had nothing. “The volunteers provided me with the most beautiful baby bundle. I was so overwhelmed with what had been done, not only for me but for my innocent baby girl. If it wasn’t for the help of the Baby Bank, I don’t know what I would have done or where I would have turned.” The project secured £4,935 towards the cost of setting up and the initial running costs from a local housing association, Karbon Homes.
The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell and his wife Rebecca have invited children from the Archbishop of York Junior School, team members from Brunswick Organic Nursery, Jo Ropner, HM Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire and Carole Green, a community champion, to plant trees in the grounds of Bishopthorpe Palace. The tree planting is part of the Queen’s Green Canopy, a UK-wide tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee. A digital record of Jubilee planting projects is available online The 12 trees planted in the grounds of Bishopthorpe are ‘Sorbus Sargentiana’. This is a medium sized tree providing year-round interest. Starting with white flowers in late spring and early summer, these are followed by clusters of red fruit, enjoyed by birds, and it finishes with a spectacular show of orange and red foliage in the autumn. Garry O Reagan, Head gardener at Bishopthorpe Palace said: “As custodians of the gardens at Bishopthorpe Palace, we take great pride in their development. Managing the trees in the grounds plays a major part of what we do, not only visually for future generations to enjoy, but also on the enormous impact that this can have on the environment. To celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, we have today planted together an avenue of twelve trees, which have been sourced from a local nursery, keeping our carbon footprint down”.Lauren Webb, Director at Brunswick Organic Nursery, Bishopthorpe, a registered charity working with people with learning difficulties, said: “We are thrilled to join in with the Archbishop and others in planting trees to mark the Queen’s Jubilee at Bishopthorpe Palace. Lee has attended Brunswick for many years and he is also employed at the palace and works in the gardens. Whether you’re an individual planting a sapling in your garden, a scout or guiding group planting in the community, or planting an avenue of trees like we have done here today, this initiative is a great way in which to learn more about planting and protecting trees in your local setting.”This Autumn term, Archbishop of York CE Junior School held a poetry competition based on the theme of trees in response to the Archbishop's visit to school where he shared one of his own poems. Acting Headteacher, Sally Sutton said; “There was such a high standard of writing for the poetry submissions which we sent to the Archbishop and he reported that it was really difficult to select winning entries. However, three winners were chosen: Elsa, Oscar and Kamso and they are delighted to be representing our school and planting a tree for future generations to enjoy.”
