Church of England to match funding for carbon-cutting measures at Suffolk church

Churches in Suffolk can now take part in a national scheme to double any funding raised on projects to make them greener.

The Give to Go Green campaign was initially launched in Leeds and Exeter but was recently introduced to five other dioceses, including the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.

As part of the scheme, every £1 raised by a church during a select window will be matched by the national Church of England.

James Rolls, net zero carbon officer for the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, said funding would go towards anything to make church buildings greener, including roof repairs, the installation of insulation, fixing broken rainwater goods or repairing windows.

Smaller projects, such as fitting doors curtains to conserve heat or replacing bulbs with energy efficient LEDs, may also be considered.

Mr Rolls said: “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.

“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 campaign is entirely digital, Mr Rolls said, run through fundraising website Give A Little.

For the campaign, churches can choose a six-week window to fund-raise.

Money raised in this time period will be matched to a maximum of £10,000 or 50 per cent of the project’s cost.

Mr Rolls said he was looking forward to seeing innovative carbon-cutting schemes.

“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.”

Churches who wish to apply for the campaign can do so here.

Applications close on July 28.