Introducing Our Eco Champions
We’re delighted to launch our team of Eco Champions – people championing the environment in their church who are ready to help others do the same. Each Archdeaconry now has at least one champion: someone who knows what it’s like to start out, who’s wrestled with the challenges, and who has seen the difference this work can make.
Whether your church is just beginning to explore Eco Church, or you’re looking for practical advice or encouragement along the way, our champions are here to help. You can reach out to them with questions, have a phone call, or invite them for a coffee and chat.
They’re people who care deeply about God’s creation, and because they’re your local Eco Champions, they understand your context and are eager to support you.
Tackling the climate and nature crisis cannot be done in isolation – let’s be stronger together.
Eco Champions in Each Area
Learn more about your local Eco Champions and find their contact details below:
Croydon Archdeaconry
Jan Turner
Jan Turner leads the Eco Church group at St George’s, Shirley, Croydon, which has a gold award. She is experienced at arranging litter picks in conjunction with the local council. Recycling, eco tips, celebrating Creationtide, and using Fairtrade tea and coffee have all formed part of the eco journey at St George’s.
Reigate Archdeaconry
Rachel Starling
Rachel has led Chaldon Church to achieve Eco Church Silver. She is a Chartered Environmentalist and has worked her career in environmental management. She oversaw delivery of the environmental aspects of the new High Speed 1 railway. She has also worked as an environmental consultant and in central and local government. She enjoys engaging people in environmental issues and encouraging teams to improve their performance – something she has been doing throughout her career.
Revd Helen Burnett
Revd Helen Burnett is Parish Priest (part time) of St Peter and St Paul Chaldon with some responsibilities at St Luke’s Whyteleafe. She is an active member of Christian Climate Action and of her local Extinction Rebellion Group. She is passionate about organising vigils for climate and leads regular pilgrimages. In her parish, she leads services outside twice a month and forest church for children, and loves any opportunity to lead outdoor worship and to create new liturgy focused on our interconnectedness with the natural world.
Catharina Hickson
Catharina Hickson leads the Eco Team at St Mary’s Oxted who have been awarded Eco Church Silver. She is experienced at promoting recycling in church and community, water sampling and testing, and encouraging engagement with nature through junior church flower surveys and arts and crafts based around nature for old and young. At St Mary’s, swift boxes extend their nesting sites, rare sheep support their grass and hedge maintenance, and prayers and music keep them rooted in the love of God and God’s great gift – creation.
Southwark Archdeaconry
Trevor Tayleur
Trevor is a Reader in the parish of Herne Hill and also leads the parish’s Green and Fairtrade group. Both churches in the parish, St Paul’s and St Saviour’s, currently have bronze Eco Church awards. One of the parish’s MAP Goals is ‘caring for God’s people and planet by being a Fairtrade parish and pursuing a positive environmental impact’, so they are actively seeking to achieve silver awards for both churches.
Lewisham & Greenwich Archdeaconry
Revd Juliet Evans
Revd Juliet Evans is the vicar at St Luke’s, Eltham Park, which has a silver Eco Church award. Juliet has a passion for creation centred worship, wildlife conservation and community gardening. She also leads Forest Church, worshipping outside to find God’s imprint on creation. St Luke’s are also working to create a community space for all ages to interact with nature, whilst also improving biodiversity.
Lambeth Archdeaconry
Dr Ian Christie
Ian Christie lives in Raynes Park and worships at Christ Church West Wimbledon, where he sits on the Eco-Church group led by Lucy Christie. Ian is an associate professor at the Centre for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Surrey in Guildford. He’s worked on environmental policy and challenges for over 30 years, not only as an academic social scientist but also as a policymaker and advisor in local and central government, and in think tanks and business. He’s been an eco-advisor in the Church of England since 2009.
Mrs Lucy Christie
Lucy Christie leads the Eco Church group at Christ Church West Wimbledon which has a silver award. She is experienced in using the Church of England Energy Footprint Tool and 360° Carbon. Celebrating Creationtide, displays, services, speaker events, a prayer link, recycling, wildflowers and bird boxes have all been part of the journey at CCWW.
Revd Dr Sharon Moughtin
The Revd Dr Sharon Moughtin is the Vicar of St Mary’s Eco Church, created by Lambeth Palace and the Diocese of Southwark to respond to the challenges of climate change and the biodiversity crisis. Before ordination, she was tutor in Old Testament studies at Ripon College Cuddesdon. She is now Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London. Sharon is also the author of Sowing Seeds (formerly known as Diddy Disciples): innovative Bible storytelling and worship resources for children designed to include the wriggliest among us (SPCK). Sharon is passionate about the Bible, the environment, education, creativity, and learning how to ‘be like a child’ from the youngest of children.
Wandsworth Archdeaconry
Chelsea
Chelsea co-leads the Eco Church committee at St Barnabas Clapham Common, which has a Silver Award. St Barnabas is a Grade II listed building with only a little green space of its own, but the church has made significant progress in making the building and grounds more eco-friendly. They also help look after Clapham Common. St Barnabas’ worship reflects the greatness of God’s creation, and they encourage ecological stewardship and advocacy.
Monica McFarland
Monica McFarland co-leads the Eco Church committee at St Barnabas Clapham Common, which has a Silver Award. St Barnabas is a Grade II listed building with only a little green space of its own, but the church has made significant progress in making the building and grounds more eco-friendly. They also help look after Clapham Common. St Barnabas’ worship reflects the greatness of God’s creation, and they encourage ecological stewardship and advocacy.
As well as our Eco Champions, our Diocesan Environment Officer, Sophie Roberts, is always happy to have a conversation – reach out for a chat or advice here: [email protected].
