Salford Cathedral is currently undergoing works to become to the most sustainable cathedral in the UK.
The works started in 2016 and is part of a project during the 175th anniversary of its dedication.
Phase Two of the restoration is set to start in April this year, focusing on the interior of the cathedral, which includes re-ordering the position of the altar, additional seating and a redecorating to restore the original features that have been lost over the years.
Phase One is already well under way, with repairs and refurbishments being done to the roof, tower, external walls, and doors, as well as insulation below the new roofs and double glazing added to all the windows.
English Heritage listed the cathedral as a Grade II listed building in 1980 and the current works are set to maintain that.
It was built in the 1840s however, the building has suffered many years of deterioration due to previous inappropriate repair using non-breathable materials.
The current works will restore the Cathedral ethically and sustainably.
Challoner Zon, communications officer at Salford Cathedral, said: “As a diocese we are very committed to the environmental mission.”
He explained the importance of the ‘Laudato Si’, released in 2015, in which Pope Francis critiques consumerism and environmental degradation.
The Cathedral’s Bishop, John Arnold, appointed in 2014, is the Catholic Bishop for the environment for England and Wales and therefore aligns the Salford Community with green initiatives.
He continued: “We are trying to reinstate the grandeur of the building whilst at the same time using contemporary techniques to make it as environmentally friendly as possible.
“It’s a really nice synthesis of the past and the present.”
Fillipa Martin, a volunteer for the Diocese of Salford, said: “The sustainability project is important to this community in particular because it’s so diverse. It brings people together for a common goal.”
The building is situated on Chapel Street and is only a short walk away from Manchester city centre. This makes it a hot spot for pollution on a busy main road.
Challoner Zon explained that the parish is so important for a lot of people in and around Salford. He said: “They want the parish to stand and the only way to do that is to future proof the building by making it as sustainable as we can now.”
The works will continue throughout 2023 and the Diocese of Salford will continue in their environmental mission and hopefully Salford will be home to the most sustainable cathedral in the UK.
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