Church holds blessing service for its solar panels

The solar panels are not visible from the ground because of a stone parapet

A special service of blessing for new solar panels is being held at a Grade I-listed church.

Holy Trinity and St Mary, in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, has installed 26 panels on a flat roof on the south side of the building.

It is hoped they will provide 70% of the church's energy requirements.

Susan Phillips, from the church's eco group, said: "We thought it was a lovely idea to have a service to mark their installation, and to invite everyone who has helped make it happen."

It is hoped the solar panels and battery storage will provide 70% of the building's energy needs

The idea to install solar panels was first conceived in 2022, when the-then vicar asked a group of churchgoers to draw up a five-year-plan aimed at making the church carbon-neutral.

One of the key challenges was finding a company willing to erect solar panels on an historic building.

"I must have rung dozens and dozens [of companies], until finally we found the right company - Maden Eco. And as it turns out, they were here in Berwick," Mrs Phillips said.

The company's director, Simon Maden, said: "What made this church particularly suitable is that the low wall round the roof means the panels aren't visible at all from the ground.

"A lot of installers are put off by a listed building, but as long as you can navigate your way through the various permissions you need, it's perfectly possible.

"It was quite fun going up via the spiral staircase, but we did use scaffolding to get it all in place".

The Bishop of Berwick will go onto the roof as part of the Service of Blessing

The suggestion for a special service to bless the panels came from the Bishop of Berwick, the Right Reverend Mark Wroe.

"He is going to go up to the roof, and we've come up with a special order of service and prayer for the occasion," said Mrs Phillips.

"It's quite a milestone in the history of the church - to reduce our emissions like this.

"I'm very proud and delighted we've managed to do this."

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