- Ahead of World Wildlife Day, 200 members of the Climate Choir Movement use their voices to call on the Church of England, one of the country’s largest landowners, to urgently address the dire state of their land
On Saturday, the Climate Choir Movement, including singers from Sheffield Climate Choir, joined forces with grassroots campaign group Wild Card to call on the Church Commissioners, the investment body of the Church of England, to commit to rewilding 30% of their 105,000 acre estate by 2030.
The UK is in the bottom 10% of nations globally for biodiversity1 and the Church Commissioners’ land is in a dire ecological state. Largely used for intensive farming, only 3% of the land is wooded, compared with the average of 10%2, making it the lowest tree coverage of England’s top ten institutional landowners.
Holding aloft images of native British species, Climate Choir members from across the UK gathered inside the Cathedral to sing a rousing reworked version of All Things Bright and Beautiful. The new lyrics challenge the Church to demonstrate greater consideration for wildlife.
Taking place ahead of the United Nations World Wildlife Day (March 3rd), the Climate Choir shone a spotlight on the poor state of nature in Britain and the role its biggest landowners need to play in turning this around.
Wild Card’s campaign calling on the Church Commissioners to rewild their land has generated significant support in the last few months, with over 100,000 members of the public backing the call so far, and many senior church members and church groups calling for change.
Steph Howlett, who leads the Sheffield Climate Choir, said:
“As one of the top five landowners in England, the Church of England can play a major role in restoring biodiversity on its land. It’s shocking to know that we are one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and I am singing today to raise awareness of this. I hope that through the power and beauty of song, we can encourage the church to give nature a chance. It was an amazing experience hearing our voices soaring in the resonant acoustics of this magnificent cathedral. Tourists applauded us as we emerged from the cathedral still singing”
2 https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/englands-10-biggest-landowners-must-grow-more-trees
If you would like to join the Sheffield Climate Choir contact Steph at stephjhowlett@gmail.com
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The fact that Mr Wroe and the same old faces dont actually live the life that they protest that everyone else should live, really shows how poorly educated he is on the real world, why do the yes men and woman you surround yourself with still go on holidays by flying, drive petrol cars, heat and light their houses with fossil fuels and still accept pensions from oil investments that you protest that others should not do ?
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Dear Rose
It is true that no one lives a perfectly green lifestyle. That is impossible in our society. I and my friends try hard to do as best we can, but I accept there will always be things we could do better. But what is needed is change in society, led by politicians and companies, to help us all live a much greener lifestyle. Of course people aren’t going to reject their pensions. But pension companies should not be investing in fossil fuel companies which are threatening the survival of our species. I haven’t flown since returning from working in Uganda in 1990, but what difference has this made, when some people think nothing of taking 3 flights in their private jet in one day?
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