Rothbury event to promote a greener, cleaner Coquetdale

To tie in with the event, Rothbury Community Cinema will be hosting a special film night, the evening before, Friday September 8.

They are screening the multi-award-winning film, Kiss the Ground, followed by Q&A with Walter Riddell from Hepple Estate,and chaired by Aidan Harrison, who is a retired upland livestock farmer.

Kiss The Ground is a powerful documentary exploring soil regeneration and its place as a solution to our planet’s climate crisis. This is a free event, but donations are welcomed to help with costs. Wine and soft drinks are for sale. Jubilee Hall. Doors open at 7pm – film starts at 7.30pm.

This year’s Great Big Green Event promises to be bigger, better, and more fun than ever. As well as numerous stalls selling a variety of eco products, you will find plenty of activities, information, and freebies.

Here’s a brief idea of what visitors can expect at this family-friendly event.

Avril Graham, from Rainbow Yarns, will be on the stage, demonstrating spinning, throughout the day. Feel free to ask her questions and watch how she turns a fleece into wool.

A range of organisations will be welcoming you to share information and ideas about a range of issues to do with mitigating climate change.

Both the Thropton Spar and Rothbury Co-op will be on hand to tell you about the work they are doing to support customers and help the planet. The incredibly knowledgeable Northumberland County Council officer, Wendy Fail, will be available to tell you everything to do with recycling. John Hartshorne from the Northumberland Peat Partnership will be bringing knowledge and samples about this precious resource.

Our local RSPCA shop will have some excellent pre-loved treats for you to purchase, all on a very special theme this year – but I have been told I am not to ‘let the cat out of the bag’ about the theme, if you will pardon such an expression from an animal charity!

From 1.30pm there will be a nature/art workshop with Mel Eaton, from Creative Space North East. This will be a lovely activity for all ages, not just for children!

Talks are running throughout the day:

 11am and again at 2.15pm Community Action Northumberland ‘Saving money and energy in the home’.

 12.15pm Coquetdale Repair Café - insulation

 1pm Wildflowers with Jane Austin-Walker, Groundworks. Jane has been growing wild flowers for the Re-flowering Redesdale Project for a number of years. This is a fascinating, fun, and informative talk.

Last year’s Climate Café was very popular, so we are bringing it back again this year. ‘What is a Climate Café?’ I can almost hear you asking! This is a safe and welcoming place to meet with a few other people, have a cuppa, and talk about how we feel about climate change. The sessions will be run by Elke Meiborg, and Suzanne Watkins, at 11am and again at 2.15pm.

There will of course also be cakes, biscuits, and cuppas for sale in the kitchen.

Rothbury CAN is the umbrella name for groups of climate activists who spend their spare time improving the environment and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The groups include:

Rothbury Rubbish Friends, which is a litter-picking group

Coquetdale Repair Café, which helps prevent broken objects going to landfill, by mending them.

ROWANS, Reclaiming Our Wild And Natural Spaces, this group plants trees and wild flowers, and is creating a wildlife corridor, for biodiversity.

Rothbury Tree Wardens, these volunteers work to protect and promote the iconic trees we have in Rothbury, as well as planting and maintaining many more.

Transport: Working on foot and cycle paths, and public transport issues.

Low Energy Housing: interested in solar panels, heat pumps, insulation, and so on.

Entrance to the Great Big Green Event on Saturday is free, but donations are appreciated to help with our projects.

All welcome, we hope to see you there. For more information contact Katie Scott at [email protected]

Rothbury CAN’s co-ordinator will only be there in the morning, however, as she is delighted to have been nominated, and got through to the final, of the BBC’s Make A Difference Award, in the Green Section. So, Katie will be in Newcastle enjoying afternoon tea with the other finalists in the afternoon.