Llandaff is first cathedral in Wales to win Silver Eco Church award
Llandaff Cathedral has been named as the first Cathedral in Wales to be awarded the A Rocha Silver Eco Church Award. This award is a testament to the dedication and commitment of the Cathedral community to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
The A Rocha Eco Church Award recognises churches that demonstrate exceptional care for God’s creation across areas such as worship, teaching, management of church buildings, engagement with the local community, and individual lifestyles. Achieving Silver status reflects significant progress in these areas and highlights Llandaff Cathedral’s leadership in the movement toward a more sustainable future.
The Cathedral has undertaken numerous initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, including improving energy efficiency, enhancing biodiversity within its grounds, and embedding sustainability into its worship and educational programs. These efforts have been underpinned by the support and participation of the Cathedral’s congregation, staff, and wider community.
The Reverend Canon Dr Jan van der Lely, Chancellor Canon of Llandaff Cathedral, said, "The Dean and Chapter are delighted to have achieved a Silver Eco Church Award for Llandaff Cathedral and want to thank everyone who has supported this project, from the Friends of the Cathedral providing funds to help us reduce our carbon footprint, through installing new gas boilers (and preparing for air source heat pumps at the next stage of our Eco journey), to all the community volunteers helping to plant our native species hedge and the children who raised over £360 to twin all our toilets (promoting safe sanitation in developing countries).
"We are indebted also to the Woodland Trust who gave our hedging trees, and Keep Wales Tidy who have given us plants and materials for the 'butterfly garden' area.
"We are thrilled to be the first Cathedral in Wales to achieve this award and we are looking forward to the next stage of our Eco journey towards Gold!"