Great Big Green Week
St Mary’s Eco Church Group together with Wild About Ticehurst have announced a packed programme of events taking place from 8th-16th June 2024, celebrating the great work being done to create a better environment in Ticehurst and Flimwell.
Activities include a Swift Conservation talk, Gardening for Health, Darl Skies talk, Rewilding Walks, Bumblebee Conservation and Low Impact Organic Farming Walks.
Join us for the Great Big Green Week, which we’re running for the fourth year. We join communities across the UK, all aiming to celebrate the steps we’re taking to help nature and take action on climate change. In Ticehurst and Flimwell, St Mary’s Church Eco Group have invited community groups and businesses to celebrate the Great Big Green Week with a range of events, which are set out below.
With the UK ranked bottom of the list for biodiversity amongst G7 countries, this year’s festival includes talks on some of our most loved but threatened species and what actions we can take to help protect them – come along to learn more about swifts and bumblebees!
We are launching the festival in the village square on Saturday 8th June with our popular swap shop so do join us and play a part in supporting the circular economy.
SWAP SHOP and PLANT SWAP
Bring good quality items that you no longer want. Take items away that you do want! All for free. Even if you haven’t got anything to bring you’re welcome to take items. Please – no electrical goods, clothes or books and soft toys. Photos only of larger items such as furniture.
Time: Saturday 8th June, 9.00-11.00am
Location: Village Centre, Ticehurst
Info: Free – no money is exchanged! For full details see the poster.
WI – SALE OF CAKES AND PRESERVES
Buy delicious home-made cakes and cookies at this stall, along with a range of preserves, run by our local Women’s Institute. Includes handouts on reducing food waste.
Time: Saturday 8th June, 9.00 – 11.00am or until sold out
Location: Ticehurst Village Square
Info: Proceeds to be divided between the WI and St Mary’s Eco Church.
SWIFT CONSERVATION TALK: – by Cheryl Mason of High Weald Swifts. Help save our Wealden Swifts!
Cheryl Mason from High Weald Swifts hosts this informative talk celebrating these amazing birds. Swifts spend almost their entire life on the wing, but all is not right in their world. Find out what we can do to help them and by doing so, enrich our own lives. Registered Charity Number 1204521
Time: Saturday 8thJune, 6.00pm
Location: St Mary’s Room, St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst]
Info: Donations gratefully received, but not expected. Wine and nibbles provided.
REFLECTING ON FAITH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Join St Mary’s Church to celebrate the start of the Great Big Green Week at a special service of reflection on the connection between faith and care of the environment.
Time: Sunday 9th June, 11am-12noon
Location: St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst
Info: Collection to be divided between local foodbanks.
COUNT ON NATURE
Count the plants and wildlife in St Mary’s Churchyard. Discover what St Mary’s is doing to help its wildlife, and come along and help to identify plants, insects and animals in the churchyard. This is part of the Churches Count on Nature initiative. We will provide resources including field guides and a nature trail to guide you round the churchyard.
Time: Sunday 9th June, 2.00-4.00pm
Location: St Mary’s Churchyard, Ticehurst
Info: This event is free and suitable for all ages. No previous experience required. Refreshments available.
YOGA IN THE COMMUNITY WITH BEANIE
Explore your body and mind in the sun (we hope!) Wear loose comfortable clothing. Bring a mat if you have one, water, a blanket and a smile! www.beaniemacdonald.com.
Time: Monday 10th June, 10am-11.30am
Location: St Mary’s Churchyard, Ticehurst
Info: Donations to fund St Mary’s Eco Church projects. This event is subject to weather.
GARDENING AND HEALTH
Richard Claxton is a practicing GP who is also a garden designer specialising in gardens for healthcare settings, a volunteer guide for the Delos Garden at Sissinghurst, and a trustee of Greenfingers Charity, which funds and builds gardens for children’s hospices. His most recent project is leading on a new NHS-staffed Therapy Garden in Tonbridge.
He’ll be discussing the relationship between gardening and health and discussing how green therapies can become a key part of our healthcare system.
Time: Tuesday 11th June, 7.00pm
Location: St Mary’s Room, St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst
Info: Donations for Greenfingers Charity. Wine and nibbles provided.
BUMBLEBEE CONSERVATION TALK by Alex Hodges of Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Plight of the Bumblebee. Learn about the 3 types of bees and their ecological differences. We will explain why they are in decline and talk about the importance of conservation. You will find out how you can help in your gardens and how you can identify the main types of bumblebees.
Time: Wednesday 12th June 7.00pm
Location: St Mary’s Room, St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst
Info: Donations gratefully received, but not expected. Wine and nibbles provided.
PAINTING IN THE CHURCHYARD
Get creative and join the Ticehurst Art Group for a session painting in the churchyard. Guidance will be offered to those who need it. All ability levels welcome.
Time: Thursday 13thJune, 10.30am-12noon
Location: St Mary’s Churchyard, Ticehurst
Info: This event is free. We may move into the church, depending on weather.
DARK SKIES TALK
A talk from Samantha Nicholas, High Weald Landscape Partnership Officer on the importance of understanding the impact of light pollution and what we can do about it.
Time: Thursday 13th June, 7.00pm
Location: St Mary’s Room, St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst
Info: Donations gratefully received, but not expected. Wine and nibbles provided.
WARM WELCOME: COFFEE and CONVERSATION
Join us for our Warm Welcome Coffee Morning, which will include optional discussion starters to help stimulate conversations on green issues.
Time: Friday 144h June, 9.30am-12noon
Location: St Mary’s Room, St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst
Info: Donations welcomed but not expected.
EDIBLE LANDSCAPING with Celia Aceae Come learn how to grow more food without having to forfeit your garden aesthetic. No more Straight rows of vegetables taking up space you could be enjoying in other ways. Let’s discuss how to maximise space and resources for a garden that is both beautiful and tasty!
Time: FRIDAY 14th June, 7.30-9.00pm
Location: St Mary’s Room, St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst
Info: Donations gratefully received, but not expected. Wine and nibbles provided.
FARM WALK at LIMDEN BROOK FARM with Sam Newington
On this farm walk, local farmer Sam Newington will share how he is improving and monitoring biodiversity at Limden Brook Farm with rotational/mob grazing.
Limden Brook Farm is an organic cattle farm located on Sheepstreet Lane, it is run by Sam and Becky Newington. They run a mob grazing system on organic grassland, aiming to improve the health of the soil and to provide a thriving ecosystem to benefit the local and wider environment.
Unfortunately the fields are unsuitable for people with mobility issues. No dogs please (unless assistance dogs).
Time: Saturday 15th June, 10.30am
Location: Limden Brook Farm
Info: Places limited so booking required, contact peterwpjohnson@gmail.com
WILD FLOWERS IN THE WEALD Presented by Agrifactors of Heathfield. Introducing nature-friendly road verges to support Ticehurst wildlife
Time: Saturday 15th June, 6.00pm
Location: St Mary’s Room, St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst
Info: Donations gratefully received, but not expected. Wine and nibbles provided.
A SERVICE OF MORNING WORSHIP
The service will include a reflection on community, the healing power of nature and our deep spiritual connection with the earth.
Time: Sunday 16th June, 11.00am
Location: St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst
Info: A talk by Penny Evans.
TOUR OF REWILDED LAND
A chance to have a guided walk around Robin and JanetStott’s 18 acre field to see his projects to rewild and increase biodiversity – includes hedging, tree planting, wildflower meadow, ponds, a fascinating pottery astronomical timeline, and more! This will be followed by an optional walk, on Richard and Mark Vidal’s neighbouring land. Richard will be showing us his rewilding project progress and showing us the self-seeded trees and wild areas on parts of Gibbs Reed Farm, which is also on the same side of the Pashley Road on the edge of the village. Unfortunately the fields are unsuitable for people with mobility issues. No dogs please (unless assistance dogs).
Time: Sunday 16thJune, 3.00pm
Location: Upper Platts, Ticehurst
Info: Places limited so booking required, contact peterwpjohnson@gmail.com
Unprecedented weather events associated with climate change – drought, wildfires and extreme heatwaves – are predicted to increase and be more widespread in the years ahead. Our planet needs us to urgently tackle the climate and ecological crisis, and to take actions locally to help our struggling wildlife. We hope that this festival will provide information and inspiration for taking action together.
Looking ahead, we can continue to lobby our MP, campaign for action in our local villages, and take steps on an individual basis – whether it’s thinking about what’s on our plate, letting our garden grow a bit wild, or reducing energy consumption, every step helps.
SUGGESTIONS BOX: Please visit St Mary’s Church, have a look at the Eco Church display board, and in the box provided post any suggestions for further projects and actions that we as a community could take. Any ideas you have about what more we could do in our community to help our planet would be welcome. We hope that our local MP, Huw Merriman, will be able to join us at one of these events , which will provide us with an opportunity to voice our concerns and share our hopes to a member of our government who has influence over policy development.
LOCAL SHOPS: please take a look at local shops, as some are putting on special promotions and displays for this week. During the Great Big Green Week, Greenfinch, who are committed to supporting all things local, are offering 10% off to anyone who says ‘green’ at the desk when paying!
This festival is possible because of the hard work of volunteers, consisting of a small number of our Eco Church Group at St Mary’s Church, Ticehurst. In addition, we are particularly grateful for input by ‘Wild About Ticehurst, Flimwell and Stonegate’ and for the work of graphic designer, Alison Harvey, in creating posters free of charge. We have been greatly encouraged by the very positive support we have received from the wider community: local groups who have participated by putting on events; sponsors; shops for their displays and promotions; and local businesses and other groups for sharing publicity on social media networks.
To join our Eco Church Group please contact us using the details to be found on our Eco Church page.