One of the UK’s largest grant-making charities has pledged £1.5 million to Church of England to help support 60 churches achieve net zero by the end of 2025.

The selected will be known as 'demonstrator churches', with the hope they will set helpful examples for others across the country.  

The church describes an "ambition that by 2030, churches across the country will be bright and welcoming, consuming much less energy and emitting significantly less carbon."

Under the project, churches nominated by their Diocesan Advisory Committees (DACs) can apply for two grants from the Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon Programme:

• A Stage 1 Preparatory Grant to help develop a net zero project, plus hands-on fundraising support from expert charity consultants.

Or

• A Stage 2 Capital Grant for up to 25% of the cost of a well-developed project, where necessary permissions are secured, and the church has raised 50% of the funding. Eligible churches will also receive co-funding from Benefact Trust.

Helen Gray, from the Trust, told Premier it will be important that the churches selected will be located across the country so as man churches as possible can draw inspiration from their eco-blueprint.

"Our aspirations [are] that it could go beyond the Church of England, because actually, there are 60 churches across the country who are leading and best practice, the idea is that wherever you're located, you can quite easily get to a demonstrated church, either because it's geographically nearby, or because it's similar to the edge of your building or is facing similar challenges."

"It's really an opportunity to share best practice and learning and there's gonna be, you know, Bank of great case studies in a few years time to learn from."