The Net Zero Team was pleased to welcome the First Minister John Swinney MSP to join the Net Zero Roadshow for the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, which took place on Saturday at St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth. Thanks to Rev Lewis Shand Smith, member of the Provincial Environment Group and the Scottish Energy Advisory Board, for inviting the First Minister to the event.
The Net Zero Team worked in close collaboration with the Diocesan Environment Group and Cathedral Eco Group to plan and deliver the event, ensuring strong local leadership and a coordinated approach.
The event started with welcomes from Dr Bethany Nelson, Net Zero Empowerment Coordinator, framing the day within the context of “sowing seeds of hope” and reflecting on Matthew 13:31-32. The Rt Rev Ian Paton, Bishop of the Diocese and Rev Canon Elaine Garman, convenor of the Diocesan Environment Group added their words of welcome. After this Iain Johnstone from the Net Zero Team introduced our various contributors.
Alongside over 70 representatives from churches across the Diocese, attendees also included Depute Provost Andrew Parrott, Convener of Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee and Councillor Liz Barrett, Vice-Convener of Climate Change & Sustainability Committee and member of St Matthew’s Church, Perth.
The morning workshops were as follows:
- Nathan Jamieson from the HEAT Project Scotland
- Anne-Marie O’Hara ran a National Churches Trust workshop on church building maintenance and grant funding for building projects.
- The Building Solutions workshop benefitted from many experts in the room who discussed the challenges and solutions for energy efficiency and clean heating in heritage buildings.
During the Sharing Stories session, the First Minister spoke about his recent trip to Malawi and Zambia, where he was moved by seeing first-hand the impacts of climate injustice.
Mr Swinney said: “This experience encapsulated for me the importance of our outreach work, our mission as people who live in a very comfortable place compared to people facing real hardship in Malawi and in Zambia … enabling those people to survive in that area into which they had been born.”
He continued: “The rise in temperature on the planet is not because of what Malawian farmers are doing. It’s what we’ve been doing for the last couple of hundred years. They’ve had it inflicted upon them. And I feel it’s part of our moral duty to support that effort to address those issues.”
Mr Swinney commended the Scottish Episcopal Church’s leadership on climate action, welcoming the General Synod’s commitment to net zero by 2030. He emphasised that the Church’s voice is vital in keeping climate action and global responsibility above political division. He spoke about the “mission of the Church to reach out and to make sure that these messages are heard in our society”.
We next heard from Dr Bethany Nelson about the strategic funding partnership with Benefact Trust, enabling pilot and pioneer projects to take place around the Province. These projects aim to act as exemplars for church retrofit building projects, providing case studies from various geographical locations across Scotland.
Bethany gave an update on the pioneer project planned for St Finnian’s, Lochgelly, which is a faithful church congregation situated in an area of high socio-economic deprivation. St Finnian’s plans to install PV panels, battery storage and air-to-air heat pumps to create a warm, welcoming and sustainable space for worship and to serve the local community.
Following this, Prof Alan Werritty talked about the building project happening at Saint Andrew’s, St Andrews. Alongside considerable fabric repair work, Saint Andrew’s has bold ambitions to reach net zero. Initially they will trial Herschel radiant chandeliers, funded as a pilot project thanks to Benefact Trust. The chandeliers are due to be installed within the next month.
Further radiant chandeliers may be installed throughout the nave, if the trial proves successful, whilst heat pumps will serve the heating of the church hall. Saint Andrew’s hopes to receive CARES funding to enable the next phases of their project.
Lastly, Rev Nerys Brown from St Mary’s, Dunblane shared the story of ECO Fest and how this has grown from a small church initiative to a large community-wide festival of climate engagement and action.
Lunchtime provided opportunities to continue sharing stories and engage with the information stands provided by our contributors. The plant-based catering for lunch was thanks to local social enterprise, Giraffe.
After lunch, participants chose to join one of the following workshops:
- A HeatHack workshop, provided by Jean Carletta, which explored ways churches can improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills in their buildings.
- A Faith in Communities workshop, given by Allan Ramsay, looking at the many ways funding can be accessed and used to support energy efficiency and retrofit projects for church buildings.
- Calum Martin ran the Christian Aid workshop, showing how churches can engage with their Restore Campaign.
The event ended with closing worship, led by Bishop Ian, providing a reflective end to an inspiring day.
“Make us faithful stewards of creation, wisely caring for the earth, the air, the seas, and all the life they bear…Awaken us to our responsibility for the care of creation.”
Taken from the Prayers of Intercession.
Reflections from event attendees
“I appreciated the First Minister’s talk, all the workshops and the opportunity for general conversation.”
“I hope to confidently lead my congregation through a building improvement plan.”
“I plan to discuss with my vestry about a strategy and fundraising plan; and feel I could now submit funding applications in a more professional manner.”
Net Zero Roadshow series
This recent event was the final of seven Diocesan Net Zero Roadshows that took place over the past year. Attendees at these events have represented half of all the charges across the Province, showing a high level of engagement in our journey towards net zero.
These events have also been supported by many external organisations and contributors, enabling advice and expertise to be shared within a Scottish Episcopal context. The Net Zero Team would like to thank all who have been involved in enabling this event series to take place.
Bethany Nelson, Empowerment Coordinator
