Case study
St Marys Wythall eases the burden
A church near Birmingham has responded to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis by setting up ‘SCOFF’ – St Mary’s Church Offers Food and Fun’ – for struggling local families.
Going green in Yorkshire
08 June 2023
A beautiful rural church is going greener by the day – and marking it with the help of a Trust130 donation.
St Mary’s Church nestles in the stunning countryside at Marton-in-the-Forest, near York, and incorporates various structural features recycled from Marton Abbey and Priory.
That’s particularly apt, as St Mary’s is championing recycling and other sustainable approaches to the environment.
Joint Churchwarden Caroline Hunt said, ‘We’ve been trying to go greener for some time now – we’ve done everything from introducing a compostable loo to restoring the churchyard as a wildflower meadow and a haven for insects and other wildlife. Wherever possible, everything we use in the church will either be of natural origin or is recyclable.
‘It’s a peaceful, tiny, and much-loved little church in a rural setting – just getting here can feel like something of a pilgrimage. We have people who travel from all over to visit and attend our services because of the special quality of the place.’
All of this and more has led to the church successfully achieving a Bronze level Eco-Church award from A Rocha UK, the Christian charity which works to protect and restore the natural world.
‘Ecclesiastical’s very kind donation will go towards a recycled and hand-made wooden plaque for the church and a small donation to A Rocha to help them promote their eco-church program more widely.’
Our Trust130 home insurance offer donates £130 to a church or cathedral of a customer’s choice for every new home insurance policy taken out with us.
Since 2017, when we celebrated our 130th year, we have donated over £500,000 to churches and cathedrals chosen by our customers.
If your home insurance is due for renewal and you’re interested in how Trust130 can benefit your church, please contact Ecclesiastical Insurance on 0800 7830 130.
