Whitechurch Parish in Dublin has become one of just a handful of parishes in Ireland to be presented with an Eco–Congregation Ireland Gold Award. The award, which recognises the parish’s great efforts to improve biodiversity as well as mentoring another parish, was presented by Eco–Congregation Ireland chairperson, Canon Andrew Orr, yesterday evening (Monday September 13).

Whitechurch was the first Church of Ireland parish in the Republic to win an Eco–Congregation award in 2010. Since then the church grounds have been transformed into a pollinator friendly area for bees and butterflies and bat boxes have been installed in some trees. They have been following the recommendations contained in the All–Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015–2020 and 75% of their planting is pollinator friendly.

To obtain an Eco–Congregation award a parish must focus on four areas: parochial, liturgical, working with the local community and linking with the global community. The Gold Award can be obtained when a parish continues and diversifies their efforts but also mentors another parish. Whitechurch is the fourth parish to be presented with the Eco–Congregation Ireland gold award and the first to be presented in person as the others were made virtually.