group photo

Award to English Martyrs Reading

Award to English Martyrs Reading
Editions: . ENews Sections: .

Jo Lewry offers congratulations to English Martyrs Parish in Reading for achieving the Livesimply award!

Well done to the Caring for Creation Group at English Martyrs who have been working on the livesimply award since Autumn 2021 and had their assessment on 15th January 2023.

Here is a summary of their activities over the past year in the 3 assessed areas for the award.
Ways to live simply.

  • Promoted waste reduction, encouraging people to recycle.
  • Installed recycling bins in the church colonnade.
  • Included tips and advice in the parish newsletter and weekly email, referring to Laudato Si wherever possible.
  • Encouraged everyone to make a Live Simply pledge at Lent and Christmas, eg:
  • Buying presents from CAFOD
  • Using recycled wrapping paper
  • Shopping locally for Christmas food
  • Encouraged people to make Sunday carless and walk to church if possible.
  • Showed the Global Healing video to the parish community, giving everyone the chance to see it, and the Novena videos.
  • Gave out Caring for Creation advent calendars to parishioners.

Ways to live sustainably with creation.

  • Organised a creation prayer walk followed by refreshments in the church hall, raising £200 for CAFOD.
  • Planted bulbs in the church grounds, involving the children and generating a sense of awe and wonder.
  • Held a plant exchange in spring, exchanging and giving plants and offering advice on growing them; over £200 received in donations for Ukrainian refugees.
  • Took part in Day of Action march on Climate Change
  • Breathed new life into English Martyrs’ Bethlehem Garden, planting yellow and blue flowers in support of Ukraine; planted bulbs for the Spring.
  • Organised a free harvest lunch during the Season of Creation, using produce parishioners grew; over £330 given in donations to CAFOD Pakistan Flood Appeal.
  • Caring for Creation advent wreath making.

Ways to live in solidarity with the poor.

  • Held a Taize Prayer evening, followed by refreshments, raising £42.00 for The Pakistan Flood Appeal
  • Held a Christmas Craft Stall which raised £750.00 for CAFOD for a village water supply.
  • Held a plant sale and harvest table, raising £400 for Reading refugee support group.
  • Weekly collection and deliveries of food and other supplies to local Dee Caf foodbank and ‘New Beginnings’ homelessness charity.
  • Craft materials regularly collected and delivered for Afghan refugee women.

Amazing! Such fantastic activities – thank you so much!

Could your parish become a livesimply parish please do get in touch for more information jlewry@cafod.org.uk   Do look at their YouTube channel to view the videos of all they have achieved.

Donate