A group of volunteers in Bungay have become the 100th recipient of the livesimply award for their commitment to living sustainably to protect the planet.
The parishioners from St Edmunds parish proudly received their livesimply award on August 19, at the local parish hall in Bungay.
They set up several projects including installing 20 photo-voltaic panels on the roof of the local parish and school hall, reducing paper by switching to online newsletters, using biodegradable plastic bags at fairs, sharing surplus food produce at Mass, swapping lightbulbs for LED lightbulbs, and serving Fair Trade teas after church services and at parish events.
The community effort made by parishioners to get their livesimply journey up and running took around four years to achieve.
The livesimply award is an opportunity for Catholic communities - parishes, schools, religious orders and chaplaincies - to respond to Pope Francis’ invitation in Laudato Si' to 'work with generosity and tenderness in protecting this world which God has entrusted to us.'
80-year-old local parish priest at St Edmunds, Father Charles Fitzgerald-Lombard, has been one of the driving forces to get the community on board with livesimply. Newly retired, he’s proud of what the parish has been able to achieve.
He said: “As the parish priest I have tried to encourage these ideas on living more simply in some of my homilies and also introducing others to the idea of sustainable living.”
Mary Kirk, a St Edmunds parishioner and CAFOD volunteer, who got involved in the livesimply initiative said: “As a parish it’s important that we play our part in protecting the planet, and we will all be looking to the UK government to do their part at the COP26 climate conference at the end of this year, to ensure that issues such as policies to cut carbon emissions become a reality.
“If we as a parish can create lasting change, so our leadership must change priorities and put money into reducing carbon output, and not into armaments, road building, and increased air traffic potential.”
Father Charles added: “I hope that the parish will continue to embrace this concept and the practice of living more simply and treading more lightly on the earth."
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