Our churches are committed to caring for our world and this is an important part of what we do to spread the good news of Jesus Christ as we seek to transform unjust structures of society, strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

Fairtrade Church logo

Fairtrade Churches

Both All Saints and St Barnabas are proud to be Fairtrade Churches. We serve only Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar at Church events, and actively promote the buying of Fairtrade goods throughout the year.

 

“Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.”  For more information go to: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/What-is-Fairtrade


An Eco Church

All Saints is also a member of the A Rocha Eco Church Scheme and in November 2021 we were awarded an Eco Church Silver Award.

Eco Church Silver Award

  • We have been recognised as using many opportunities in our worship and teaching to learn more about our responsibilities in caring for our planet. In September and October we focus on God’s creation and have our very popular animal blessing service.
  • We have improved  how we light, heat and insulate our buildings, what we buy for the Church and Hall (including changing our fuel supplier to a more ‘green’ one, and changing our loo roll and washing up liquid to eco-friendly products), and how we re-use and recycle what we have.  And the small area of land that we have is gradually being changed to one that attracts birds and insects, with added composting facilities and the recent addition of a water butt.
  • We use Fairtrade goods and locally-grown food when we can (including our communion wine!), and dispose of our food waste in an eco-friendly way.  We have also ‘twinned’ all of our loos!Toilet twinning logo
  • We are also financially supporting a local environmental charity: Surrey Wildlife Trust Surrey Wildlife Trustand regularly praying for  Rainforest Alliancethe Rainforest Alliance Indonesian Project - an environmental project to protect endangered species by working with government and farmers to plant trees etc..
  • We are now working towards a Gold Award.

Reducing our carbon footprint

All Saints Church has measured its carbon footprint and has pledged to become a Net Zero Carbon Church by 2030.  An action plan is in place to achieve this.  This will be challenging with a Victorian Church and a 1960’s Church Hall, but we are committed to doing this.

 

For more information go to:

https://ecochurch.arocha.org.uk/

https://www.toilettwinning.org/

https://www.surreywildlifetrust.org/

https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/country/indonesia/

 

October 2023