As the Season of Creation begins, Eco Congregation Ireland (ECI) are very pleased to announce that they have awarded grants to 27 different churches across the island of Ireland. From Ballymena to Killarney, from Westport to Dublin, churches will benefit with funding towards biodiversity projects and energy use reduction schemes.
Grant winners include 1st Presbyterian Church, Portadown who will be “adopting a roundabout” and planting it with pollinator friendly shrubs and trees, Carrigaline RC parish in Cork who are providing information material and support for people to grow their own food, Aughrim C of I parishes in Co. Galway who will be planting native Irish fruit bushes, and Centenary Methodist Church in Dublin who are installing low energy LED lighting. All this has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of Logos Publications and RPD Ltd who have worked closely with ECI on this exciting new scheme.
Andrew Orr, Chair of ECI said, “ we have been amazed by the number of applications for grants. It has been a huge success, far beyond what we expected. It is so wonderful to see the churches across the island taking the lead in caring for God’s creation in so many diverse ways.”
Tom Clements, CEO of RPD Ltd and Logos Publications said: “I am delighted at the number and variety of projects which have been submitted. It is really heartening to see so many faith communities working together to try to address the twin challenges of climate change and loss of biodiversity. Along with my colleagues I am really looking forward to hearing about how these projects progress and hope that these twenty seven congregations will inspire other eco-congregations next year. While it is easy to get overwhelmed by the challenges we face, I believe in the power of using many small changes to create great change, to quote Dom Helder Câmara:
“When we dream alone, it is only a dream, but when we dream together it is the beginning of reality”.
The full list of grant recipients is as follows:
- 1 Kilternan Cof I (Dublin): keep cups with ECI logo
- 2 Kilcronaghan Cof I (Derry): Pollinator beds
- 3 Newcastle (Down) RC: extend Pollinator garden
- 4 1st Portadown (Presbyterian): adopt a roundabout: pollinators
- 5 Steelstown RC (Derry): Crocuses and Pollinators
- 6 Killarney RC planning new wildlife area
- 7 Carrigaline RC (Cork) : booklets with advice on growing your own food
- 8 Westport RC and C of I: Bird and Bat boxes
- 9 St. John’s Tralee RC: pollinators
- 10 Lisburn Cathedral C of I: Pollinators and keep cups
- 11 Dunshauglin C of I: Bird and bat boxes
- 12 Cloyne Cof I (Cork): Pocket Forest
- 13 Rathkeale C of I (Limerick): Insulation in community house
- 14 St. Brendan’s Tralee RC: Fencing for wildlife area which is being damaged
- 15 Balally RC (Dublin): Tree planting
- 16 Swords RC: rainwater harvesting and signage
- 17 Donagheady Cof I (Derry) : pollinator plants for the parish
- 18 Sandford C of I: Pollinator shrubs
- 19 Centenary Methodist (Dublin) LED lighting
- 20 Ballymena RC: Pollinator perennials
- 21 Killiney C of I (Dublin): Removal of invasive species, new shrubs
- 22 Aughrim C of I (Galway): Fruit Bushes
- 23 Cratloe RC (Limerick/Clare): LED lighting
- 24 Bonnybrook RC (Dublin): Pocket Forest
- 25 Ards Friary RC (Donegal): Renewable heating
- 26 Augustinians friary RC Drogheda: Bird boxes and new seating in pollinator gardens
- 27 Fethard on sea C of I (Wexford): Solar panels on church
More information: Andrew Orr 0874196051 [email protected]
