St Andrew's church Sedgley invests in solar panels

St Andrew’s URC and Methodist Church in Sedgley, located on Bilston Street, has fitted solar PV panels and a battery storage system to reduce its carbon footprint and reliance on fossil fuels.

Funding came partially from from a 20,000 grant from Enovert Community Trust (Image: Supplied)

The new system allows the church to generate its own renewable electricity, powering not only the worship space but also its community café and multiple meeting rooms used throughout the year.

Funding for the project came from several sources, including a £20,000 grant from Enovert Community Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund.

The church’s elders said: "St Andrew’s Church is grateful to Enovert Community Trust for funding the installation of solar panels at its premises.

"The project was initiated by a longstanding church member who sadly died shortly before it came to fruition, but the solar panels are now a visible and practical testament to our church’s commitment to caring for God’s Creation, using the earth’s resources wisely, and integrating our concern for environmental issues into the whole of our church life."

The church is located on Bilston Street in Sedgley (Image: Supplied)

St Andrew’s is deeply involved in the community, running a pre-loved shop and a volunteer-staffed café open four days a week.

It also offers a fortnightly cooked lunch for people who are lonely, isolated or elderly.

The church’s facilities are regularly used by groups including Scouts, baby and toddler sessions, and fitness classes.

Angela Haymonds, trust manager at Enovert Community Trust, said: "St Andrew’s is a shining example of a real community church and the Trustees were very pleased to support the solar project, to enable members of the church to continue providing the vital services that they do."