The lighting levels in All Saints Church, Oakham had long been considered poor, with the subject of improvement first raised back in 1982. For some of the congregation, the low light levels meant difficulty reading their prayer and hymn books and sadly, in a few cases, some parishioners had stopped coming to church altogether because of the difficulties they faced due to the poor lighting.
This process gained new momentum in 2023 with Michael Latham overseeing the project on behalf of the PCC. Assessments were made on the original lights, and a new scheme was designed by Michael Barham from Illuminous Design which was submitted to the DAC for approval. Following a final service on Sunday 29 December 2024, the church was closed for 10 weeks whilst work was carried out.
The principle aim of the project was to improve the lighting levels for the congregation and to make the building more versatile for concerts and other types of functions. With new, ‘scene setting’ lighting installed, there are various light levels available to fully support and complement whatever is taking place in the building. The improvement is clear to see in the before and after pictures below.
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| Photographs from the same position, at the same time of day, from 2023 and 2025 | |
The replacement scheme has also meant a huge leap forward for All Saints’ eco journey. Installing modern LED lamps, to replace the old tungsten and florescent fittings and creating a system where the lighting can be controlled as needed, has made the new system more energy efficient and long lasting. It is anticipated that energy savings of around 75% will be made, making a significant impact on All Saint’ overall energy consumption and in turn, their energy costs.
Michael Latham of All Saints said 'it is providential that the decision to replace the lighting was long delayed, because the quality of light fittings has improved dramatically over the years, and I am sure that the end result which we have now is far better than we could have achieved in past times. Modern LED lighting is obviously far more efficient in both light distribution and energy efficiency, and we are assured that the life expectancy of the new light fittings will be far greater than the older style lights’.
Has this inspired you to look at the lighting in your church? A completely new lighting scheme may not be necessary but simply replacing your light bulbs could make a massive difference to the carbon footprint of your building.
The best place to start is by completing your Energy Footprint Tool (EFT) which will tell you what your church’s carbon footprint is and then point you in the direction of how to reduce it. The process is quick and simple and with just over 6 weeks left to complete your return, there really isn’t a better time to get started. Find out more here.