St Davids - Eco Diocese

St Davids has become the latest diocese in the Church in Wales to be awarded the Eco Diocese Bronze Award.

The award is given by A Rocha UK to encourage and help equip churches to express care for God’s world in worship and teaching and how they look after buildings and land; engage with local communities and global campaigns, and in the personal lifestyles of the congregation.

Helen Stephens, A Rocha's Church Relations Manager summed up the judges' thinking: "There are solid foundations for creation care in the diocese underpinned by commitments from the Church In Wales, which I know Bishop Joanna has championed herself. It's encouraging that as a diocese you're aspiring to go further than carbon neutral and encouraging churches to become climate positive as voted on at your diocesan conference last year. 

"It's good to see in the Environment Policy undertakings such as including progress on Eco Church and carbon cutting as part of Archdeacons' reports and visitations as well as a commitment to an annual report to diocesan conference. I think you are probably doing a lot on land from your partnership with Caring for God's Acre, the Dewi's Acre project and involvement in initiatives such as Churches Count on Nature."

Welcoming the award, the diocesan Care of Creation Officer, Revd Marcus Zipperlen, said : ”I’m really pleased we have made this important first step towards fully embracing care for creation into our discipleship and church life, and very grateful for the hard work undertaken by so many church communities this last year.  It is notable how most people have found engaging with the Eco-church scheme encouraging and affirming rather than in any way onerous.  Next stop Silver’.