Great Big Green Week

Now an annual national celebration, GBGW was launched in September 2021 when over 5,000 events highlighted community action to tackle climate change and protect green spaces. We have previously linked local activities to GBGW: the town's Tree Festival (2021), participation in a Dorset-wide Open Greener Homes event (2021 & 22), a display at the Library: Cost of Living - what can I do and save the planet too? (2022), a film show: Kiss the Ground (2022), and more. At our meeting in January, Chris Harwood, then better known as the organiser of community tree planting projects around Shaftesbury's hinterland, made a pitch for us to aim BIG for GBGW 2023. What follows is the outcome - taken from June's newsletter!

Great Big Green Week

Chris Harwood spearheaded local efforts to make our participation in the UK-wide Great Big Green Week both a reflective and vibrant celebration of our community's actions to tackle climate change and protect nature (Thank you Chris!). He writes: "GBGW is about the community pulling together, working together to fight climate change and the nature crisis. Coming to the opening ceremony is part of that pulling together. Being there is working to tackle the crisis. The more people that attend, the more that we all show that community groups are getting on with it. This is the most powerful action that we can take. It shows politicians that we want them to get on with it."

Simon Hoare MP will formally open the week's events at 2pm in Shaftesbury Town Hall. Simon will give a very brief introduction, after which he will light the Green Vigil Candle. All are then invited upstairs to the People's Exhibition. Afterwards (3pm) there is a free "Herbs and Medicine" talk and demonstration in the Abbey and later (6pm) the first of the daily Green Vigil Candlelight Walks.

'Climate, Nature, Community' - Planet Shaftesbury's meeting, Thursday 15th, 7.30pm

We're marking GBGW with a return visit by Dr Gary Mantle, head of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Gary gave a talk at the Town Hall in January 2019 about the impact of climate change on local wildlife. It proved very popular, many of us wanted to do more locally, and the discussions that followed Gary's talk led to the formation of the Planet Shaftesbury network. This time, Gary will focus on the changes he's seen, including in community engagement, during his 33 years in post.

Lucy Young, who is both science and policy adviser to WWF-UK, and an active member of Hedgehog Friendly Shaftesbury, will describe the People's Plan for Nature. This plan came out of a collaboration between WWF, RSPB and the National Trust and the wider community. Lucy will give us a different perspective on our 'Climate, Nature, Community' theme.

There will be time for Q&A and discussion, particularly directed towards the question: 'What next for Shaftesbury?'.

All welcome at this Town Hall meeting. Please tell friends and neighbours!

Great Big Green Week at a Glance

Find additional details of these Shaftesbury events, and some for activities in the wider area, on the GBGWS website (GreatBigGreenWeekShaftesbury.org) - which is being added to as we go to press!

Sat 10th:

10-11am...............Green Breakfast Church, St Peter's

10am-12pm..........Planet Shaftesbury drop-In with children's activities, Library

12-5pm.................Visit GBGW marquee, Motcombe Fete

2pm......................Opening Ceremony (see above), Town Hall

3-4pm...................The Healing Green Breath of Nature with herbalist Julie Wood, free, Shaftesbury Abbey

Sun 11th:

11am.....................Shaftesbury Tree Walk, meet guide, Robin Walter, at the Town Hall

11am-12pm..........Drop-in at the Community Farm, Shaftesbury Homegrown on Breach Lane, (repeats on 14th, 16th, 18th)

1pm & 3pm ..........Taprisha's magical green stories for children of all ages, Pass the Hat, Gold Hill Museum

6-9pm...................Make and take away a bat box, bring a crosshead screwdriver, Town Hall

Mon 12th:

5.30pm.................Drawing trees workshop with artist Lynda Appleby, Town Hall

7pm......................Mmmm (Monday meal, movie, mingling) (£15 call to book: Jenny 07801240103), Grosvenor Arms

Tues 13th:

6.30-8.30pm........Green medicine, workshop session includes harvesting herbs, making remedies & how to use them. With Julie Wood (£12), Shaftesbury Abbey

Wed 14th:

3-5pm...................Garment upcycling, after-school session for parents & children, Town Hall

6pm for 6.30.........Great Big Green Sing & picnic, Community & Palida Choirs & Reel Deal, Bring chairs & picnic blankets. Hot drinks, bar & ice creams available. Free – donations to the Abbey, Shaftesbury Abbey

Thur 15th:

10am-1pm............Green Market stalls, High Street

10.30am-4pm.......Chase & Chalke, join their Nurturing Nature project for a walk on Fontmell & Melbury Downs. Followed by coffee & cake. Minibus from/to Shaftesbury – assemble at Bell St Car Park. Booking Required. Or just join them for the coffee & cake - see separate listing.

2.30-3.30pm.........Great Big Green Litter Pick with the Hilltop Litter Pickers, equipment provided, meet at recycling bins opposite Tesco filling station

3pm-5pm..............Meet the Town Clerk, Brie Logan,  who'll talk about 'Sustainable Shaftesbury', Town Hall

3pm & 5pm...........JUMP, two clarinet performances by Karen Wimhurst, The Chapel Studio, Tuckingmill

7.30pm.................'Climate, Nature, Community'  (see above), Town Hall

Fri 16th:

1-3pm...................Open garden, Abbey School, visit the inspiring garden at this primary school in St. James

7-9pm...................'Conservation & Orangutans in Sumatra & Borneo’ talk by Alison Bristo, Grosvenor Arms

Sat 17th:

10.30-12.30pm.....Poetry & Prose Writing Challenge, Gold Hill Museum, see details in separate listing & Forum for supplementary information

Sun 18th:

10-12pm................Tai Chi for Health with Sue Marks, meet at Town Hall

2-5pm....................Make and take away a hedgehog box, bring a crosspoint screwdriver, Town Hall

these additional activities run throughout the week - see access information on the GBGWS website:

Contribute to online collections of nature photography, poetry and recorded reminiscences from childhood

'Nurturing Nature' exhibition in association with 'Wild about the Donheads' in the community space at Donhead St Andrew Church

'People's Exhibition' encouraging reflection with items from the community - upstairs at the Town Hall

'Earth: Goldilocks Planet' an exhibition by Cranborne Chase Astronomy Club at The Rising Sun, Donhead St Mary

Book and information display at Shaftesbury Library

and, at the heart of all this activity, there will be a green pyramid and vigil candle outside the town hall all week as well as a meditative Green Vigil Candlelight Walk to the Town Hall leaving Tesco at 6pm daily - turn up beforehand at Tesco's customer services with a greenish jam jar and they will pop in a free tealight.