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Press Release 2021

“Probably the most enjoyable and authentic country fair in all England!”

 

16th September 2021

 Green Scythe Fair Community Green Awards 2021

 

The Green Scythe Fair is pleased to announce the successful projects in its Community Green Awards 2021, in recognition of the amazing efforts so many community groups have continued to make through the pandemic.

 

Having had to cancel the Green Scythe Fair two years running, the Committee felt it was important to keep supporting green initiatives in the local region and therefore assigned £2000 for awards to groups who have:

  • come up with innovative ways of overcoming the challenges of the pandemic

  • benefited one or all of the following: local community, wildlife, the environment.

 

Three awards of £500 each were given to:

 

TRANSITION TOWN WELLINGTON

for their Gardening for Wildlife Campaign Innovation and involvement with community, through

  • Involving over 500 households with information, inspiration, materials, practical help, incentives and online resources

  • Overcoming lockdown restrictions through use of Online platforms (Facebook campaigns, What’s App groups, Instagram and You tube channels) as well as Pop up Shop window wrap display in Wellington town Centre

  • Developing an interactive Wildlife Map of their area, using a design that to allows other towns and villages to add their own maps and sightings;

     

BEAR CAT COLLECTIVE

for The Honesty Jar Henstridge

  • Swapshop where people bring items and take things in exchange or put a contribution in the pot, also offering a click and collect service

  • Keeping tonnes of unwanted items out of landfill throughout all lockdown period, and providing a source of many essential items while most shops were shut

  • Valued inclusive service for the local community especially those on low budget, families with young children are able to obtain clothes, shoes, books, homewares etc

  • Fabric and sewing supplies for masks and shopping bags, also sewing and carpentry workshops

  • Run by volunteers, who sort, repair and quarantine items in purpose-built shelter, and attracting volunteers from all walks of life, valuing skills in the community;

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BEAUTIFUL BOURNEVILLE

for Covid-safe nature-inspired outdoor community projects in Weston-Super-Mare

  • Benefiting wellbeing of people in an area of high deprivation, reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation

  • Transformation- developing positive narratives for their area

  •  Encouraging local people through ideas on Facebook page, to help and protect local

    wildlife and green spaces through small achievable activities that could be carried out

    during lockdown

  • Small group activities helping people to re-socialise safely after a period of

    isolation/lockdown;

 

And two runner-up awards of £250 each to:

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ACE ARTS

for their Woodland Wellbeing sessions

  • Building community through safe nature-based creative activities

  • Exploring themes of connections and resilience

  • Working in partnership with agencies to refer participants

  • Working with natural materials and building knowledge of wildlife;

     

MILBOURNE PORT PRIMARY SCHOOL

for Creating and developing a wildlife meadow on the site of a disused sports pitch

  • Focusing on outdoor education as a means of developing wellbeing and restoring relationships

  • Promoting nature and bio-diversity in the local community.

    ​

Hannah Aitkin, chair of the judging panel, said: “It has been wonderful to learn about so many positive projects that have continued during the lockdown periods – it has been very difficult to make our selection from the 11 applicants, and we have tried to include as many as possible by splitting the 4th Award between 2 projects.”

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Green Scythe Fair 2022

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The Green Scythe Fair Committee is now beginning to turn its thoughts to next year’s Fair. The first step in that process is to hold the 2021 Annual General Meeting, which will take place at the Langport Arms Hotel, Langport at 7.30pm on Thursday 14th October. All are welcome to attend!

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Would you like to join the team? Please sign up as a volunteer and help put on this fabulous event – just email volunteer@greenfair.org.uk. Volunteers have free entry and a free drink for 2 hours volunteering, plus a free meal for 4 hours volunteering.

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Sunday 12th June 2022 - put the date in your diary now and start planning how you will get there: foot, cycle, canoe, electric vehicle or last resort by fossil fuel. For more information see greenfair.org.uk/getting-there.

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Notes

For more information, please contact:

Francis Blake, chair, on 07973 955429

Cara Naden, PR, 07771 561398

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The Green Scythe Fair will be held at Thorney Lakes, Muchelney, TA10 0DW on Sunday 12th June 2022, open from 11am. For more information, see www.greenfair.org.uk (for camping, see www.thorneylakes.co.uk).

 

Contact details of the award winners:

Transition Town Wellington

community.ttw@gmail.com

www.ttw.org.uk

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Bear Cat collective

samantha-jane-@hotmail.co.uk

www.bearcatcollective.co.uk/the-honesty-jar

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Beautiful Bourneville

Nicky.pybus@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/Beautiful-Bournville-105874421608914

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ACE ARTS

hello@acearts.co.uk

https://www.acearts.co.uk

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Milbourne Port Primary School

EBlake@educ.somerset.gov.uk

http://www.milborneport.somerset.sch.uk

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