Churches in Suffolk are set to take part in a national scheme that will double any money raised for carbon-cutting projects.
The ‘Give to Go Green’ pilot campaign was initially launched in Leeds and Exeter but has now been expanded to five other dioceses across the country, including the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.
James Rolls, the Diocese’s Net Zero Carbon Officer, said: “For every £1 a church raises during the scheme’s window, the national church will match it. It could be repairs to a roof, installing insulation, fixing broken rainwater goods, repairing windows – all the way to smaller projects like fitting door curtains to conserve heat or replacing bulbs with energy efficient LEDs. There may be opportunities to switch from oil or gas heating to electric heating systems, moving away from using fossil fuels which can have a big impact on the environment. The Church of England has pledged to be net zero by 2030, so this scheme is a great way to move forward with those plans.”
The Give to Go Green campaign is completely digital, run through the online contactless giving platform ‘Give a Little’.
Churches select a six-week window for their digital fundraising and any money raised in that time will be matched.
Match funding is available up to £10,000 or 50% of a project’s costs – whichever is lower. Up to 40 churches can take part in the campaign.
James said he was looking forward to seeing some innovative carbon-cutting initiatives.
“The church communities will all have their unique solutions for the challenges they face,” he said. “The scheme will also give churches the opportunity to share their ideas with other churches, businesses and organisations, inspiring others to become more eco-friendly too. Churches are difficult buildings to heat and maintain, so we expect to see some really innovative ideas for energy saving.”
Applications for ‘Give to Go Green’ are now open and will close on Sunday 28 July.
For more information and to apply for the scheme, see www.cofesuffolk.org/for-parishes/your-church-and-the-environment/give-to-go-green