The Dean and Chapter, Salisbury Cathedral’s governing body, have decided to invest £25K in our share offer, to support the community share raise. The Cathedral Cloisters is one of the sites on which solar PV will be installed, subject to consents and permissions.
Canon Robert Titley, Cathedral’s Treasurer and environmental lead, explained: ‘As our climate moves into crisis we are striving to make our Cathedral part of the change we all must make. We have achieved the Silver Eco Church awards last year, but we must do more. This investment shows our commitment to that change.’
The Very Revd Nicholas Papapdopulos, Dean of Salisbury commented: ‘Christians are called to protect and enhance the delicate ecology of God’s wonderful world. Developing and expanding our capacity to create renewable energy is vital for our common future. Salisbury Cathedral is proud to invest in a local initiative which we hope will yield a global harvest.’
The Right Revd Nicholas Holtam, Bishop of Salisbury adds: ‘Salisbury is a traditional and an innovative city. We need transformative change to move quickly towards a Net Zero carbon future. What an opportunity investment in these solar panels gives to combine renewable energy with the cathedral. It is the right thing to do.’
The Cathedral will be repaid the capital over the 20 year period (so the amount of interest it receives will reduce as capital is repaid). If the £25,000 capital is repaid over 20 equal instalments, interest paid will be £11,813 over the 20 year period.
Mike Smyth of Schools’ Energy Co-op, and Alison Craig, of Salisbury Community Energy, say, ‘We are delighted by this vote of confidence from the Cathedral. We hope others will feel inspired to follow their example and will invest in Salisbury’s zero carbon future.’
SOLAR SHARES – THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT