A vicar is putting his best foot forward and teaching people about the climate emergency.

The Revd Andrew Corke who is the team vicar at All Saints Church in Swanage has been devoting Sunday sermons to the topic of caring for God’s earth.

He even used a bike to power a liquidiser and make a smoothie – demonstrating the importance of renewable energy.

Revd Corke told the Diocese of Salisbury: “At All Saints Swanage we have been taking a long look at our response to the climate emergency – because above all it’s a God issue. Because as Christians the best reason of all to take the environment seriously is not a matter of politics or ecology – it’s because God has given us a beautiful world to look after and we’ve spent the last few centuries damaging and exploiting it.

“So this Autumn we’ve been having a series in our Sunday services called ‘Caring for God’s Earth’ - why we have a biblical calling as Christians to obey the creation mandate to care for the earth, living sustainably, eating sustainably and finally justice for the poor - with Jack Wakefield from Tearfund - because environmental problems always impact the world’s poor far more than the rest of us.

“Each week in addition to the sermon, Lucy Vierbergen, who is the All Saints eco-champion, has given us some pointers and practical advice about what we can all do to lessen our individual impact on the environment.

The church recently welcomed Sustainable Swanage to the church to hold its second Environment Day.

He said: “There was a host of interesting stands and stalls – Dorset Wildlife Trust, Durlston Country Park and lots of other organisations shared ideas about how we can care for our beautiful environment better.

“Sustainable Swanage has a goal to plant 1500 trees in Swanage.”

A crab apple tree was then planted in the church grounds. Revd Corke added: “In due time it will flourish and produce lots of crab apples as well as helping to reduce carbon in the environment.”