From a leaky roof to a green oasis
When a leaking roof needed replacing, St John's Church in Waterbeach saw an opportunity to do more than repair their building and honour their commitment to creation. They created a living green roof that now captures rainwater, supports wildlife and helps keep the church rooms comfortable throughout the year.
Richard Stobart from the St John’s Eco Team, said,
“We share an ongoing commitment here at St John’s to honour Creation and to be responsible stewards of it. The pressing need to fix a leaking flat roof presented us this opportunity to further that commitment, as we explored ways to increase biodiversity, reduce water usage and conserve heat energy.”
The green roof, planted with Sedum, harvests rainwater, which is then stored underground and re-used as part of a grey water system to flush the toilets in the church room below.
Not only reducing carbon and supporting the environmental journey of the church, the green roof also has many other benefits:
- reduces water use by collecting rainwater
- helps keep the building cooler in summer and warmer in winter
- provides valuable habitat for insects and wildlife
- creates a more resilient church building for future generations
Using largely recycled insulation layers and a water-regulating membrane-layer, 17 varieties of Sedum plant have been spread like a turf-carpet. As the plants grow and flower, they will return oxygen to the atmosphere; whilst providing additional diverse habitat for insect life.
The ‘Net Zero Villages Grant Scheme’, promoted by South Cambridgeshire District Council, together with overviews from the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority, has provided valuable funding so that community activities can continue in the church room.
The churchwardens and fabric team at St John’s have since installed a watering system to keep the green roof looking green, again utilising the stored rainwater.
Photos: (L-R) Green roof at St John's; Installation of a watering system for the roof, using 'grey rainwater' collected by the system.
A novel approach to celebrating and publicising the green roof
St John’s are keen to celebrate this Eco- approach to saving energy and rainwater. One churchgoer, Angela Brown, has created a recycled textile installation for a display which helps to explain the green roof gas and mineral exchanges: it was first displayed for Earth Hour in March 2026, in the international time of awareness and respect to our planet.
Angela has also created an information board to sit alongside the installation, detailing how the green roof was engineered.
This fen-edge church has campaigned on environmental concerns for two decades, achieving the Silver Eco Church Award from A Rocha UK in 2025. They have also converted parts of the churchyard into managed wild meadow to encourage biodiversity in the churchyard.
Journey to Net Zero Carbon
The church is committed on its journey towards Net Zero Carbon; an air source heat-pump and solar panels power the church room heating; the installation of bicycle hoops encourages people to cycle to church; and they use Fairtrade products for their hospitality wherever possible.
Dorothy Druitt from the St John’s Eco Team, said,
“Serving Fairtrade, sustainably and ethically sourced tea and coffee after our services is a small but visible contribution to our Eco approach here at St John’s.”
St John’s supports theological and spiritual reflection on all aspects of Creationtide, welcoming speakers to Sunday services, and to ‘Making Sense’ sessions on a Sunday evening. Dr Ruth Bancewicz presented ‘Even the Stones Would Cry Out: Making Peace with Creation’ in 2025, and Dr Hilary Marlow on ‘Making Sense of Environmental Theology’ in 2024.
St John’s and its sister church, All Saints’ in Landbeach, have long since celebrated Creationtide and championed climate justice. Both villages have shared a sustainability group focused on Franciscan values since the millennium; this ‘Living with Integrity’ group has since evolved to create a focused Eco Team at St John’s.
Creationtide celebrations
Regular Creationtide installations at St John's encouraged thought and prayer, remembering that nearly 800 years ago, St Francis of Assisi urged respect for all forms of wildlife and weather. Rev'd Jackie Metcalfe, Associate Priest, installs artwork and photograph around the church, encouraging visitors to see anew just how remarkable creation can be. Rev'd Jackie also leads monthly ‘green prayers’, for creation and the environment.
Photos: Clockwise from top left - Angela Brown puts the finishing touches on the green roof textile installation; Waterbeach Brownies and Guides get involved in creating textile displays; a Dove - Peace for Creation textile creation; Raindrops, leaves and insects interweaved with sharp reds to indicate climate change concerns; the green roof celebration textile installation in place on the font inside St John's church.
In 2024, Angela Brown created two textile hangings, inspired by the science behind soil. Bacteria and Fungi motifs in the design hint at energy, mineral and gas conversions which enable Soil to play a role in mitigating Climate Change – and so much more.
Angela spoke of her inspiration behind the project,
“Soil is as alive and miraculous as anything which lives in it or on it!”
During 2025, Angela provided a textile banner with a Dove, on the theme of ‘Peace with Environment’. Prior to this, during 2022, a pop-up installation appeared outside St John’s; celebrating Creationtide but also reflecting on environmental responsibilities. Local Girlguiding groups, together with young people from the Waterbeach Youth project, contributed brightly coloured leaves and insects, representing biodiversity, and water droplets, highlighting water-stress concerns. Interweaved through these were sharp reds to indicate climate change concerns. The installation brought the communities together, with churches from Landbeach and Milton helping to stitch the leaves, water droplets and insects into place on the netting.
Community involvement
The Eco Team at St John’s have encouraged community involvement in all their activities. The Brownie groups that meet in the church room built ‘bug hotels’ to encourage insects to move into the churchyard, and hedgehog homes in the nearby old burial ground, which is managed by the church. The youth group at St John’s have recently sponsored an apple tree, which was planted at the old burial ground. Their tree is named Gavin.
Photos: Clockwise from top left - Bug Hotels in the churchyard, made by Waterbeach Brownies; an information board about the green roof; careful meadow-style maintenance management means more biodiversity and native species thrive in the churchyard; 'Gavin', the youth group-sponsored apple tree, planted in the old burial ground; Sustainability at St John's information board; Native wildflower, Comfrey, thrives in the churchyard.
Youth leader Joel Newns, said,
“It’s so important to our young people that we care for our planet. Our youth group jumped at the chance to sponsor a tree in the old burial ground, and we plan to visit Gavin regularly to watch them grow!”
Local Girlguiding groups have also undertaken Biodiversity surveys, in 2023 and 2026, logging the species of plants, lichen and insects spotted in the churchyard.
Brownie leader Holli Bielby, said,
“Our Brownies love that we can explore the churchyard during our meetings. They are often asking questions about the churchyard - Why is the grass so much longer in this part? – and it’s lovely to be able to explain to them why! They’re able to see our Caring for Creation commitment in action, whilst also having fun in the outdoor environment and working on badges. Building bug hotels, hedgehog homes and being Environment Detectives are part of the Girlguiding programme, and it’s wonderful to have the opportunities for this right on our doorstep - and to support the church Eco Team - as we run our meetings.”
Rev'd Paul Butler, Priest in charge, said,
"We are blessed to have a capable and committed Eco team, who are leading the way; building up St John's as a beacon of sustainability; increasing biodiversity in our churchyard and old burial ground; embracing our journey to Net Zero Carbon; and reducing our water and electricity usage. Their work is supported and celebrated by the church community - and the wider community - as a core part of the mission and ministry of St John's'."