Holy Trinity Skipton and Christ Church New Mill have recently completed works on their churches to become greener and more efficient, and are looking to share what they’ve learned as part of a national Demonstrator Church project.
These churches have completed their works as part of the national Demonstrator Churches project run by the Church of England.
This project provides funding and technical support to churches across the country to help create a network of churches which demonstrate good net zero carbon practice for churches of different types.
More on this can be found here.
Holy Trinity Skipton have installed a state-of-the-art heating system and enhanced accessibility features, benefiting the congregation and visitors.
The heating system will ensure a comfortable environment for worship, visitors, local groups, concerts and other events throughout the year, using energy-efficient technology to reduce the environmental impact.
Alongside this, upgraded accessibility features will make the church welcoming to all, regardless of mobility needs.
As a Demonstrator Church, they will be actively supporting churches from across the Diocese of Leeds and north of England by sharing best practices, hosting workshops, and providing guidance on implementing similar improvements.
The Revd Doug Rice-Bowen, Rector at Holy Trinity, said: “We believe every church should be a place where everyone feels comfortable and included.
“By leading the way, we hope to make a positive contribution to the life of Skipton and across the region.
“Holy Trinity has been a living presence of Christian mission for 800 years.
“As custodians we want to make sure it is a living presence for the next 800 years.
“Jesus told us to love our neighbour, so we want to be a place where everyone in Skipton and beyond feels welcome.”
The upgrades have been met with enthusiasm from both the congregation and the wider Skipton community.
Plans are underway to continue sharing resources and expertise, ensuring that churches throughout the area can benefit from Holy Trinity’s experience and dedication.
Christ Church New Mill has had solar panels installed on its grade II listed roof and had its 45-year-old gas boiler replaced with electric infrared heaters, as part of the church’s work to make their building fit for the future.
Between October 2025 and March 2026, the solar panels have generated some £900 for the church, producing more electricity than the building uses.
The new heaters, including overhead infrared heaters and under-pew heaters in the choir stalls, have made heating the church more effective, more efficient and cheaper to do, with the church able to be warmer than before at a much-reduced cost thanks to the more controllable heating options.
Thanks to this work the church have effectively reduced their carbon footprint from over 16 tonnes CO2 per annum to around zero.
The church has produced a comprehensive booklet detailing the journey of their work, including the choices they made and why, the trials and triumphs, and what they have learned.
This booklet may be read here.
The church will also be holding open days in June and September to share more about their work and its impact, which people from across the diocese and beyond are more than welcome to attend.
More details on these days will be shared in due course.