IT is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st Century but, while many are still grappling with the issue, two North Yorkshire villages are now on the cusp of becoming carbon neutral.

Monk Fryston and Hillam, near Selby, are expected to reach the benchmark next year, following a joint initiative which has seen residents, the community centre, primary school, church, football and cricket clubs working together to combat climate change.

Major changes have included the installation of solar panels to provide carbon neutral power, complete with battery storage to allow electricity to be used for lighting.

Thermal imaging camera surveys have allowed people to map the points where heat is lost from their homes and where draughts cause buildings to use more power than necessary to maintain heat.

Achievements include:
*Monk Fryston United Football Club raising funds to buy a battery powered LED floodlight system to allow teams to train at their Stocking Lane pitch during the dark nights, rather than travelling out of the village to train. The next step is to install solar panels to charge the batteries.The cricket club and football club are also jointly working on a plan to replace their Pavilion cess pit with a more sustainable biodigester, supported with grants from North Yorkshire County Council and Selby District Council.

*Monk Fryston Church of England Primary School receiving a government grant to replace its ageing gas boilers with ground source heat pumps and its fluorescent lights with LED ones. Pupils have recently celebrated getting the Gold Eco Schools Green Flag Award in recognition for their hard work in environmental education and a committee of Eco Warriors has been formed.

*The community centre receiving a grant from The Community Lottery Fund to replace its gas heating with an air source heat pump.

*St Wilfrid’s Church focussing on the church hall, which is in need of major restoration including installing an air source heat pump to replace an old gas boiler.

Organisers Monk Fryston and Hillam Community Association say the remarkable achievement puts the community years ahead of the targets set by many public bodies, and demonstrates what can be achieved by those determined to make a difference.

Project manager Ray Newton said that right at the start, residents were asked for their views on the project, and more than 96 per cent either strongly supported or supported the project. 

He said the project had received funding from a variety of sources, beginning with the Rural Communities Energy Fund.

“This funding has been used for a feasibility study to examine if it was possible to make our community buildings carbon neutral and then options on how to do it with cost forecasts to power the buildings with sustainable energy," he said.

“These options enabled us to take a big stride towards making them carbon neutral."