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Solar update

In late November 2025, we celebrated the anniversary of the installation of our solar panels and battery storage.  In their first year, the solar panels generated a total of 8,350 kWh.   This is roughly enough electricity to power 4 average UK homes for a full year.  Of the total: We used 2,458 kWh ourselves – either straight away or stored in our batteries to use later – saving us £706 as we didn’t have to buy this electricity from the grid. We exported 5,892 kWh to the grid (this was spare overflow electricity when our batteries were full) and got paid £942 for this.  The total financial benefit for the Church over the year was £1,678.  Sincere thanks to our Treasurer, Anthony, for this overview, and thank you to those who contributed to their installation for making this possible.  
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Recent posts

I watch the sunshine lighting the sky!

We've done it! At the beginning of the year installing solar panels was just a pipe dream. In March we had hope of turning the dream into reality when we received our first funding - see our previous post Stepping Towards Net Zero . Well, as we enter Advent to prepare for the coming of Jesus, the light of the world, here they are, installed and working! Massive thanks to our funders: WY Mayor Community Climate Grant - £10,000 Benefact Trust Methodist Grants Programme - £4,300 Bradford North Methodist Circuit (10% Property Grant) - £2,202 Bradford North Methodist Circuit (Net Zero Grant) - £1,362 Yorkshire West Methodist District Advance Fund Grant - £3,564 John Devereux Bequest (remaining balance) - £378 Remaining funding came from our church funds. Huge thanks to our Lettings & Property Team for seeking the above grants and preparing the plant room, and to Carlo and Ian from Yorkshire Energy Systems for their excellent work and attention to detail during installation. Wit...
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Hush the Noise - Join the Love Song this Christmas

Christmas is loud, isn’t it? So much expectation. So many voices. Telling us how to celebrate, what to wear, what to eat and drink, what to watch and what to buy. Instead, this Christmas we’re inviting everyone to hush the noise. To listen for the love song that the angels bring, this and every year. They sang it for the first time more than 2,000 years ago, on the midnight clear. They’re just waiting for us to join in. We want to share that same song of love by crafting angels, adding a tag with a message of love, and distributing them across Thackley in the week before Christmas.  We hope that they will bring joy to those who make them, and bring a smile to the faces of those who see them and take them home this Christmas. How you can help We would love as many people as possible to get involved by creating angels, using your preferred crafting method eg knitting, crochet, felting, sewing etc, and adding a tag with a message of love. There are links to a few patterns below, but f...
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Stepping Towards Net Zero

We care for creation and all God's gifts The universe is an expression of God’s loving, creative nature. We are currently in a climate emergency requiring urgent action, but the good news is that by learning about God’s love for creation and our place within it, we can learn to take care of the world we live in. The Methodist Church has set an aspirational target of becoming a net zero carbon emissions Church by 2030. We have already made good progress to reduce our carbon emissions by: Switching to LED lighting and smart switches to avoid lights being left on accidentally. Installing recycle bins, and recycling printer cartridges. Moving winter worship into the Community Hall.As an example, last year’s Advent worship cost an average of £56 each Sunday to heat the main church. The heating had to come on at 4.00 am and even by 10.30 am the church didn't feel overly warm. During January, it cost an average of £15 to heat the community hall. It doesn't need to come on until 8 ...
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