The 2024 Green Church Awards, launched by The Church Times, will recognise the urgent environmental crisis and the efforts being made by Christian organisations and communities, churches and church schools to care for creation.
Cate Williams, Environmental Engagement Officer for the Diocese of Gloucester, says, “We are doing some fabulous things in our churches locally, it would be great to see recognition for some of them in the form that comes through participation in the Green Church Awards. The potential for prizes to fund the next phase of the work is a great bonus! The intention of the awards is both to offer additional funding to projects that are already doing significant work, as well as to share stories and inspiration from what is happening in churches, up and down the country. It would be lovely to see names of some of our local churches, in the mix.
“It is good to see that one of the sponsors of the awards is Inspired Efficiency, well known to us locally. We are very fortunate to receive significant support from Matt Fulford, of Inspired Efficiency, in his work as our DAC sustainability advisor.”
These awards are a means of gathering together the best of these efforts and celebrating them, acknowledging the creativity and hard work involved to get projects off the ground, and the determination needed to sustain them. Highlighting some of the best projects, it is hoped, will inspire more people than ever to a greater and more urgent response to caring for creation.
There are seven award categories, each has a prize available of £1,000:
- Green building award: projects that have significantly reduced the carbon footprint of an existing building or strengthened its climate resilience, or a new building built to high environmental standards which can be shown to have been the better option than refurbishment.
- Land and nature award: projects creating space for wildlife and encourage biodiversity.
- Congregation and community action: projects where a church, school, or other group has taken a leading part in environmental action, benefiting the wider community as well as its own.
- Green champion award: nominations are invited for an individual who has made a significant difference through their environmental efforts.
- Training and education award: projects promoting understanding about some aspect of environmental action, or destruction, and its impact, either at home or on the international community.
- Green health award: Projects making an active connection between faith, nature and health. Projects may be run by a faith organisation in association with a local health practice or charity.
- Action on a shoestring award: projects where a church, school, or other group has achieved a great deal with a little.
The panel of judges will be looking for projects that have made a positive change in the past two years in buildings, outdoors, and in the community. A building project can be nominated even if it hasn’t been completed, with as much information as possible about known and projected environmental impacts.
The 2024 Church Times Green Church Awards are organised jointly with the Church of England’s environment programme, the Methodist Church, the Salvation Army, and Eco Congregation Scotland. They are open to church groups and church schools of any denomination. The deadline for entries is 30 June 2024. The awards ceremony will take place during Creationtide next autumn.
For more details, visit: churchtimes.co.uk/green-church
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