Eco-Congregation Scotland is excited to announce the appointment of Stephen Curran as manager.
Stephen brings a wealth of skills and experience with him to this important post. As a Glasgow City Councillor he has served as City Treasurer, and Executive Member for Education and Young People; and has been active in the Justice and Peace movement and a wide range of community organisations.
Mary Sweetland, Chairman of Trustees, welcoming Stephen to the team said:
We look forward to a step change in Churches taking action to mitigate the impact of climate chaos with the appointment of Stephen and our new Eco-Chaplain, Rev David Coleman, next month.
Stephen is joining ECS at a time of rapid growth, with the number of eco-congregations across Scotland now over 430 and growing. He said:
With a longstanding interest in environmental issues and faith action, I am delighted to take on the charity manager role at Eco-Congregation Scotland, supporting churches to tackle climate justice and address more sustainable use of assets and resources.
I recognise the growing impact of individual congregations striving to live the Gospel today in addressing climate justice, linking environmental issues to faith in practice.
Encouraging and supporting this work is one of the great challenges of our time and I am honoured to be asked to manage Eco-Congregation Scotland to help achieve this.
Stephen has been involved in church life across Scotland, supporting and encouraging a range of churches on social action. He has three children and has lived on Glasgow’s south side for twenty years where he attends St Helen’s parish.
Biographical details:
Stephen has three decades of voluntary involvement in a range of charities, boards, committees and campaign groups. He developed a keen interest in environment and development issues at church and school in Ayr, where he started a Justice and Peace group, fundraising for charities working at home and overseas. He studied law to postgraduate level at the University of Dundee, where he chaired the Catholic Society and participated in ecumenical chaplaincy activities including the Christian Union and One World Group.
He subsequently worked in healthcare, retail management and IT training before eight years as a parliamentary aide for an MP and MSP representing Scotland’s most ethnically diverse constituency, engaging with local churches and campaigners on sustainability and climate change. He continued that interest through his role as an elected Councillor in Glasgow since 2003 – assuming senior roles on finance, service reform, health and social care integration, scrutiny of policing, education and community planning – bringing to the charity manager post significant experience in building partnerships.
Stephen served ten years as a Strathclyde Pension Fund trustee and successfully encouraged more focus on corporate, social and environmental responsibility in local government pension fund investments. For the past nine years, he was also a board member of The Hidden Gardens Trust, a community development charity encouraging volunteering through a multi-cultural greenspace.
Since 2015 he has served three years in his most recent employment as Scotland and North of England operations manager with Community Money Advice, a Christian charity supporting 157 free debt advice centres run by churches, foodbanks and local groups.