Rodborough Tab URC are celebrating being awarded a Silver Eco Church Award from A Rocha! They registered with Eco Church in May hoping to get Bronze, but once they started completing the survey, they saw with a bit more work they could aim for Silver. Kim Baker started working full-time as the Tab’s Church Development Leader in May 2024 and is very passionate about green issues. Since then, the Tab has held many services with an Eco theme, arranged two nature weekend events involving the local community, a joint pet service with the Parish Church, and seasonal Forest Church outdoor services. The Tab was invited to have a stand at Rodborough Parish Council’s Earth Day event.
There is a partnership with Stroud Landscape Project (part of the National Trust) helping the Graveyard Team to manage the closed graveyard as a nature area. They also liaised with a local history group who are recording the graves, so that people can still visit to pay their respects. Another new initiative is having an account with Stroud Valleys Project for refills, (hand soap, washing-up liquid and cleaning products) which encourages reusing, whilst also supporting a local eco charity at the same time.
Kim is delighted with the result and is very grateful to her Synod for encouraging so many churches to join Eco Church and the Green team at the Tab who have helped her, as well as the Elders and congregation for their support.