How you can get involved in The Great Big Green Week

Wokingham Borough Council is encouraging residents to take part in The Great Big Green Week, with lots of opportunities to get involved.

The Great Big Green Week is a national celebration of action on climate change and this year takes place from Saturday 8 to Sunday 16 June.

It is the UK’s biggest celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. The theme for this year is ‘Let’s Swap Together for Good’ and aims to inspire people to think about simple swaps they can make that can reduce their impact on the environment.

Cllr Jordan Montgomery, executive member for climate emergency, said: “I am delighted to see there will be so many ways for residents to play a part in The Great Big Green Week. Whether it is getting out into nature and enjoying some of the spectacular woods and nature reserves we have in our borough or making a personal pledge to reduce your carbon footprint, there is something for everyone.

“As a council, we continue to do as much as possible to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and we hope to realise this dream by continuing to think about the climate in all that we do, from encouraging residents to use active travel methods where possible, to the way that we operate – all with our Climate Emergency Action Plan at the forefront of this journey. We all have a role to play to ensure Wokingham Borough does its part to tackle the climate emergency.”

How you can get involved

• Free Nature Day at Rooks Nest Wood – Saturday 8 June (12 noon to 4pm): Jointly hosted by the council and Thames Basin Heaths Partnership. Explore the meadows and woodland and learn more about how the areas was transformed from agricultural grazing land into a thriving nature reserve. There will be a 45-minute guided walk with a warden at 1.30pm. The event is suitable for all, especially families with school age children. No need to book, just drop-in
• Nature recovery webinar – Tuesday 11 June (6.30pm to 8pm): Join in an online discussion about the latest on the Berkshire Nature Recovery Strategy. This is an opportunity to learn about the progress of the strategy and to see the direction and priorities being established. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is the responsible authority for the Berkshire strategy, supported by other local authorities, including Wokingham Borough Council. The webinar is free to attend and you can register online for information on how to join the webinar
• Go on a bug hunt: Wokingham Town Council is encouraging people to take part in a bug hunt for a citizen science project. Whether it is at your local park, at your school or even in your garden, everyone can get involved. You can find out more about the Wokingham Big Bug Hunt and download a count sheet online. Email your results to Wokingham in Bloom, or drop them off at the town hall

There are also lots of ways to get involved through your local library, including:

• Green heart pledge: Create a green origami heart to be displayed at your local library. Fold a heart and write your green pledge on the hearts. If you are creating a green heart pledge at home, send a photo of your pledge to us by email

Image

• Nature poem competition: Children are invited to express their creativity by sending in their poems about nature. There are three categories and the winner of each will receive a £20 book voucher. The categories are under the age of seven, aged eight to 11 and aged 12 to 18. Submit entries by email, providing your name and age, or drop off entries at a local library. The deadline is Sunday 30 June
• There will be a green-themed Storytime at Wokingham Library on Tuesday 11 June, from 4pm to 4.30pm. This is a drop-in event aimed at children aged four to seven
• Selected libraries will have displays on nature and biodiversity. There will also be a collection of recommended books on the digital book platform Libby

Adopt a Street

There are currently more than 800 volunteers across the borough who are part of the Adopt a Street scheme. Volunteers pick up litter and help to keep their local area clean and tidy.

The council provides a litter picker, high-visibility vest and green Adopt a Street bags, which get collected alongside kerbside rubbish. The council is grateful to have so many community-minded residents who spend their time and effort in making a positive impact on the environment.

Many town and parish councils, along with community groups, also run litter picking events, which are a great way to help keep the borough clean.