With the Church of England setting the ambitious target to be net zero carbon by 2030, the Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester are delighted to welcome three new colleagues who will work in partnership to support parishes and other organisations within the dioceses, to plan and implement measures to reduce their carbon emissions.
The nationally funded roles provide for a Net Zero Adviser in each diocese who will focus primarily on supporting parishes, and one Net Zero Project Manager to coordinate the work across the whole of Kent, Medway, and the London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley.
The new team, Catriona, Kayleigh and Alyne
Funded for an initial period of two years, the advisers are available to offer advice, information and sign posting to resources that will support environmental work, as well as guidance on fundraising and grant opportunities for energy reduction and eco initiatives, such as boiler replacements.
Each member of the new team brings with them a wide range of experience, knowledge, and passion for environmental issues.
Catriona Jamieson, Net Zero Programme Manager, says she is very excited to be starting her role:
“My background is in the youth charity sector, developing and managing programmes for young people but I became increasingly concerned about the climate and biodiversity crises and how these urgently need to be addressed to ensure the best future possible for our young people.“
She adds: “As a result, I undertook studies in Environment and Sustainability and have been volunteering in this area over the last few years. I am very much looking forward to meeting people across the dioceses and working together to reduce our collective carbon emissions to work towards net zero.“
Net Zero Adviser for Canterbury Diocese, Alyne Godfrey, comes with a BSc in Environmental Sciences and Environmental Management:
“This role perfectly aligns with my passion for the environment and my Christian faith in action, allowing me to contribute to a cause that is both environmentally urgent and spiritually meaningful. I look forward to supporting our churches and diocese in reaching net zero!”
Kayleigh Ward, Net Zero Adviser for Rochester Diocese, says that her concern for the environment has grown since becoming a parent 16 years ago:
“I have become increasingly worried about God’s creation and our negative impact upon it.
“For the last 5 years I have played a lead role in organising and enabling the community in which I live to become more sustainable. I am excited to start meeting people in our churches and to begin this journey to net zero together.”
The team is hitting the ground running with a series of drop-in sessions for churches who would welcome some additional help engaging with the national church’s Energy Footprint Tool.
Information gathered through the Tool will allow the team to understand the carbon footprint of individual churches and the wider dioceses.
This will help them tailor support to where it will be most impactful, and completion of the Tool is often an essential criteria for access to grants.
Dates available are:
• Rochester Diocesan Office - 1 April and 6 May, 11am - 3pm
• Canterbury Diocesan House - 2 April and 7 May, 11am - 3pm
• Online - 12 May, 7pm - 8pm
Churches are welcome to go to whichever location and date is most convenient for them. Sessions can be booked via the Rochester DIocese website.
With the team now fully on board, Catriona says:
“We would love for people to contact us to book a space at a drop-in, and we would also love to hear any ideas about how we can best work together to work towards reducing our carbon emissions.”
The team can be contacted in the following ways:
Net Zero Programme Manager:
catriona.jamieson@rochester.anglican.org
Canterbury:
AGodfrey@diocant.org
netzero@diocant.org
Rochester:
kayleigh.ward@rochester.anglican.org
netzero@rochester.anglican.org