MEMBERS of St Mary’s Church Embsay with Eastby are celebrating having achieved the Silver Eco Church Award. The Eco Church Scheme covers five categories: worship and teaching, buildings, land, lifestyle and community and global engagement. A number of new initiatives have helped the church to gain this award. The church now has a monthly environment theme through the year. A series of services, held online during the lockdown had an environmental theme with discussion groups afterwards. Members of the church were encouraged to carry out an audit of their carbon footprint in January. The vicarage has had a complete set of replacement windows and doors, and new damp proofing, making the building much more energy efficient (and warmer).