RENEW Environment Group

RENEW, Ely Cathedral Environment Group, is comprised of concerned members of the congregation, clergy, staff and the wider community.

Our initial purpose was to collect information and to initiate changes which would enable us to apply for an A Rocha Eco Church Award. In February 2020, we achieved the A Rocha Silver Eco Church award in recognition of the progress we had made in reducing our environmental impact and now we’re ‘Going for Gold’!

Greener Together, Connecting our Communities to Grow our Action Together

Representatives from Ely Cathedral joined over 50 individuals from voluntary groups, parish councils and the wider community at the Greener Together event at Gardiner Hall in Burwell on 15 May. It was co-hosted by Cambridgeshire County Council, Burwell Parish Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, East Cambs Climate Action Network and Cambridge Carbon Footprint. It was a lively afternoon with stalls, presentations, discussions and tours of the recently retro-fitted Gardiner Memorial Hall.

The aim of the event was to connect people who care about the environment and our changing climate and for them to inspire and encourage each other to grow action together. The feedback was incredibly positive, with people saying they felt much better equipped to set up their own green initiatives after the event. You can watch a short video via the East Cambridgeshire Climate Action Network's Facebook page

We’re always pleased to hear from anyone who has any questions, comments, or suggestions. We’d also love to hear from you if you would like to get involved. Email us at: environment@elycathedral.org

Worship & Teaching
Ely Cathedral continues to ensure that care for the environment and sustainable living are at the heart of all our worship and teaching.

Buildings
Ely Cathedral has commissioned a survey on the carbon footprint of the cathedral estate, excluding private and commercial rented properties. It is obtaining costs for the complete replacement of all gas-fired heating appliances by air source heat pumps and installing underfloor heating in the main body of the Cathedral to heat the people rather than the air. The project to replace the existing lighting system with a more efficient LED-based system is due for completion over the next few months.

Land
Ely Cathedral continues to work to improve biodiversity, creating new habitats and maximising carbon capture/storage on Cathedral land.

Community & Global Engagement
Ely Cathedral organises environmental awareness-raising events, such as the Environmental Memorial Lecture by Baroness Brown (pictured), and members of the Cathedral congregation run a monthly litter-pick which recently celebrated its 5th birthday.

Lifestyle
Ely Cathedral provides information on how to live more sustainably. Practical lifestyle tips and advice on caring for God’s earth are included in our congregation and staff newsletters and on our website.

RENEW Updates

View the RENEW Archive