THERE has been a place of worship on the site of St Alkelda’s Church, in Giggleswick, since Saxon times.

The magnificent building which currently graces the village has a Grade 1 listing but this has not held back the parochial church council for wanting to bring the historic building into the 21st century and give it a decided green hue.

Indeed, what better example to bestow on the community than to lead the way ahead to a carbon neutral legacy?

In this regard, those running St Alkelda’s are, as the old adage goes, practicing what they preach.

This week we learn that planners have given the go ahead for the south aisle roof of the church to be covered in solar panels.

The idea is to generate power to run heating and lighting and thus sweep away that grimy carbon footprint which even a house of God is not immune to.

Those of the old school may shudder at the thought of those fine old Yorkshire stones being covered in modern, shiny black photovoltaic cells.

But it is what is known as advancement, change, new technology, a way forward.

Call it what you like, but there can surely be nothing wrong with capturing what comes from the heavens for free and utilising it so the drain on fossil fuel-powered energy can be lessened.