Oxford residents receive award for simple living this Christmas

A local group has received a prestigious eco-award for their efforts to reduce waste, recycle and improve the environment, as they join a growing number of community groups who are shunning excess this Christmas. On 15 December, parishioners from Corpus Christi, Oxford and Our Lady of Lourdes, Wheatley, presented their project - the fruition of over a year's work - to charity assessors, in the hopes of gaining a Livesimply award.

To gain the award, championed by the charity CAFOD, the parish created a plan - based on current activities and new projects - to show their progress towards living more sustainably and in solidarity with those in need, which included creating and selling over 400 Livesimply cookbooks and holding a recycling drive.

Due to their exceptional efforts, the group were awarded the status of being a Livesimply group.

Maureen Thomson, the assessor who visited the parish, said: "The activities have obviously helped people get involved and parishioners welcomed the chance to try new ideas.

"One lady told me how she hoped for a time when all Christians would have a powerful voice like Greta! Another shared how she had quietly influenced the University Law Faculty to be much less wasteful.

"The involvement with other local agencies for homelessness, the Salvation Army, Recycling for Good Causes and Fairtrade have meant the parish has not taken on the burden alone.

"Their example will have been a powerful witness in the wider community that the church is there and wants to help."

There are now 70 groups across England and Wales who have been presented with the award.

In deciding to work towards the award the community, inspired by Pope Francis' environmental letter, Laudato Si', have pledged to live in solidarity with all people and sustainably with creation.

The group are hoping that their example will inspire others to also take up a simpler way of living this festive season.

Maria Elena Arana, CAFOD's Livesimply coordinator, said: "I am so pleased that Corpus Christi and Our Lady of Lourdes have put some many good practices in place. By coming together as a community to carry out these changes, they are going to make a massive difference."

Find out more about the Livesimply award: https://cafod.org.uk/Campaign/How-to-Campaign/Livesimply-award