The Revd Dr Karen Smith

Karen is currently completing her curacy in the Stour Valley Benefice and her vocation combines faith, education, and environmental stewardship. Before entering ordained ministry, Karen enjoyed a successful academic career, primarily at the Universities of Cambridge and University College London.

Karen's passion for caring for the environment has deep roots. As a child, she spent holidays walking in the Scottish Highlands with her parents and brother, experiences that fostered a lifelong connection to the natural world and a strong desire to protect it. Later in life, this appreciation of nature became closely linked to her understanding of faithful stewardship, human flourishing, and caring for God's creation.

To deepen her understanding of environmental ministry, Karen undertook placements with A Rocha at Foxearth Meadows in Essex and Domaine des Courmettes in France.

Locally, Karen has supported environmental initiatives within her benefice and one of her churches, All Saints, Hundon, has achieved a Bronze Eco Church Award and is currently working towards Silver accreditation through the A Rocha Eco Church programme.

Karen is currently part of the Diocesan Creation Care Working Group, representing the Archdeaconry of Sudbury.  Being part of the group helps shape environmental priorities across the diocese and supports churches on their sustainability journeys. Karen says. “Being part of the Creation Care Working Group has enabled me to access and draw on the considerable experience around the table." 

Karen believes that helping young people understand why caring for the planet matters is key to creating lasting environmental change. Her approach combines education, creativity, and practical action. Through storytelling, workshops, and school visits, she helps children explore the environment.

Karen authored a series of children's books featuring the characters Abbey and Eddie. The first book in the series, Abbey and Eddie Visit Bugingham Palace, is an eco-themed picture book for children. The story follows Abbey and her brother Eddie as they explore the gardens near St Edmundsbury Cathedral and discover an eco-garden and a bustling bug hotel.  More than 2,000 children across the Diocese have been reached through the book, which has been n distributed through, churches, schools, libraries and more.  Karen has written two further books Abbey and Eddie save Vinnie the Vole and an eco-prayer book for children. All three books are part of the successful Abbey of St Edmundsbury Heritage Partnership bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.