Six cathedrals in the east of England are joining forces to host an online conference on Saturday 18th June, to help churches to play their part in achieving the Church of England’s goal of ‘net carbon zero by 2030’.

The conference will take place via Zoom, from 10.00am until 1.00pm. Anyone is welcome to attend but clergy, churchwardens, parochial church council members and churchgoers are particularly welcome.

This is the second annual conference as part of the Sustaining God’s Creation initiative, which aims to support individuals and churches in finding ways to live more sustainably. The first conference was held in 2021 and had a focus on food and farming.

Amongst the keynote speakers and workshop leaders in 2022 will be Andy Atkins, CEO of A Rocha UK; Caroline Pomeroy, Director of Climate Stewards; Nigel Walter, a Specialist Conservation Architect; as well as representatives of Caring for God’s Acre, Christian Aid and others involved in aspects of the church’s environmental engagement.

The Rt Revd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich and the Church of England’s lead on environmental issues, said:

“I am delighted that the cathedral communities of Chelmsford, Ely, Norwich, Peterborough, St Albans and St Edmundsbury are actively engaged with sustaining God’s creation and are so willing to share their knowledge and passion more widely. I hope that the conference encourages the environmental journey of our parish churches as we seek to be carbon neutral by 2030 and enhance the biodiversity around us.”

The programme has been put together by a steering group from the eastern cathedrals - Chelmsford, Ely, Norwich, Peterborough, St Albans and St Edmundsbury. Information and resources emerging from the conference will be remain online afterwards as a reference point.

Attendance at the conference is free of charge but registration in advance is essential. Full details and registration links are available on the Sustainable Living Conference website here: www.sustaininggodscreation.org.