EcoChurch

Bronze Award

We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the A Rocha UK Bronze EcoChurch Award (December 2023) in recognition of the work we have made in reducing our environmental impact.

A dedicated team of staff and volunteers is working hard towards the Silver EcoChurch Award. On this page you can keep up-to-date with what we are up to at the Cathedral.

Rewilding

In 2023, we teamed up with a local primary school to create an 80-metre hedge within the precinct. With thanks to funding from the Tree Council, we now have a mixed British native hedgerow growing which supports a variety of wildlife, enhances the biodiversity of the city centre and contributes to improving the city’s air quality.

Bug Hotel

In Spring 2024, our Property & Estates Manager created a bug hotel for our smaller visitors, situated on Dean’s Walk! We have also introduced bird boxes within the precinct to support and encourage the wildlife we have on site.

Our Grounds

The Dean’s Walk looks spectacular thanks to our volunteer grounds team. Plants are grown that are favoured by birds, bees and butterflies. To join in, visit our volunteering page above, by clicking “Support Us” on the menu tabs.

Wildflowers

Wildflowers are encouraged in the old churchyard.

Community Litter Pick

This year’s litter pick was held during the Great Big Green Week, cleaning up West Walls and Dean Tait’s Lane. A big thank you to everyone who got involved.

Supporting Wildlife

We have recently undertaken a bird survey and a moth survey in the Cathedral grounds. These initial surveys give us a baseline to judge the biodiversity of the site and can then be used in future years to compare – with the hopes that, in time, we can see a positive impact on the biodiversity of the precinct. Also, the more we know about the plants and animals living on site, the more we can do to protect and support them. A big thank you to Stephen Mott for spotting all the wildlife.

Give a Day to the City

On Thursday 4 July, staff from Carlisle Cathedral supported the Give a Day Carlisle initiative by helping out in the Tullie Secret Garden. Through rain and shine, the team from the Cathedral cleared weeds, renovated a vegetable patch, cleared paths and generally tidied the gardens. Thank you to Tullie for the very warm welcome.

Cycling to Carlisle Cathedral

We love welcoming cyclists to Carlisle Cathedral. We have bike racks in the precinct and an e-bike charger in the Café. In July, we welcomed a group of cyclists (pictured here) who were following the Cathedrals Cycle Route. For more information please visit www.englishcathedrals.co.uk/resources/cathedrals-cycle-route/

Silver Award

We are thrilled to have been awarded the A Rocha UK Silver EcoChurch Award (July 2024). Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this achievement.

"For The Beauty of the Earth"

Please join us on Saturday 5 October, for our EcoChurch Celebration day. There will be talks by A Rocha UK and The Revd Canon Grace Thomas from Manchester Cathedral, followed by lunch. Tickets are available from the “What’s On” menu above. An EcoChurch Marketplace, the Carlisle Farmers’ Market and a special Choral Evensong service will also take place on the same day, with free entry for these parts of the day. Please join us.

Christmas Tree Decorations

Excitement is building for the very first Carlisle Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival! The Festival opens on Saturday, 30 November, and will feature 30 trees decorated by local charities, groups and organisations.

Cathedral staff and volunteers will be decorating their very own tree inspired by their #EcoChurch journey, and handmade decorations – many made using recycled materials – have been appearing in the office all week, all inspired by our blue and gold starry ceiling. Here is a small sample!

Carlisle Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival

Here is the Cathedral Team’s tree! We are delighted to celebrate our EcoChurch Silver Award by decorating our tree with handmade stars using environmentally-friendly and recycled materials.

Please come and see our tree, and 29 others decorated by local charities, organisations, groups and schools, in the Cathedral and Undercroft until 31 December.

Top Tips for a Greener Christmas

There are many ways in which you can incorporate environmentally friendly ideas into your Christmas plans this year. Here are just a few suggestions.

Christmas Trees chipped

The trees from the Festival have been chipped and re-used in the Cathedral grounds for weed control. Thank you to Jordan, Taffa and our grounds volunteers for their continued work to keep the grounds looking so beautiful.

New Sensory Trail

Our new Sensory Trail, funded by the God For All Digital Innovation Fund encourages visitors to explore the Cathedral and let their senses guide them as they learn about different highlights of the building.

One of the trail points is outside, set within a flower bed, and encourages visitors to rest in our green spaces, as well as listening and looking at our environment. Please have a go at the trail on your next visit.

Lighting up Carlisle Cathedral

A new floodlighting scheme has been installed at Carlisle Cathedral to highlight the magnificent historic asset in the heart of the city.

Funded by UK Government, this is the first of the Carlisle Town Deal schemes to be completed and features the latest in energy efficient LED technology. It will highlight the Cathedral and Fratry as prominent landmarks. Read more in “Latest News”.

New Seeded Cards

New in the Cathedral Gift Shop: beautiful 100% recycled plantable and biodegradable seeded cards – just pop the card in shallow moist soil in a pot indoors, and watch your card transform into beautiful flowers.

The cards are handmade from recycled waste paper by a small business in South Africa, which provides employment for more than 30 local families.

The envelope, label and bio-based film sleeve are all environmentally friendly, and are not only made from recycled materials but also recyclable for a new life after use.

Please call in to the Gift Shop today to take a closer look at the available designs.

Litter Pick 2025

Thank you to everyone who took part in our Litter Pick on 24 November. The team tidied up the Cathedral Precinct and surrounding streets.

David O’Neil, Visitor Experience Manager, said “A litter pick is a simple way for us to care for our shared space, support our Eco Church commitments, and spend an hour together doing something positive for the Cathedral and the city.”

Reusable Order of Services

From Advent Sunday, 30 November 2025, we will be providing reusable Order of Services for our Sunday morning Eucharists. This change will result in less paper waste and will be a more environmentally friendly way to produce the information required for our services. Please remember to hand these back in at the end of each service. When required, additional papers will be provided for hymns and readings.