The Peterborough Green Festival celebrates 20 years with a host of free activities in the city
Peterborough is gearing up for two weeks of funfilled, green-themed events aimed at encouraging people to take a greater interest in the environment. This year’s Peterborough Green Festival will be marking its 20th anniversary when it launches in Cathedral Square on Saturday, May 28. Run by Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT), most events are free to take part in and organisers are aiming to provide something for everyone. Each year there is a theme for the Green Festival and this year PECT is partnering with Travelchoice to encourage everyone to car share, walk, cycle, and use public transport to save money, get fit, and help the environment.
The launch event in Cathedral Square, will feature a host of stalls, stands, activities, entertainments, music, games, competitions and give-aways.
There will also be a stage-bus (a working bus that will transform into the main stage), a pedal powered Scaletrix (a bike simulator that lets you cycle the world) plus healthy food sampling, and the UK’s greenest cars will be on show. After the launch day there is a fortnight of green events and activities being held across the city.
Cycling Treasure Hunt on Tuesday, May 31. Swish – recycling at its most glamorous with a posh frock swap – on Thursday, 2nd June Free Bikeability training on Thursday, June 2. An evening bike ride with BBQ at Willowbrook Farm on Friday, June 3. A solar power fun day at The Eco Innovation Centre on Saturday, July 4. Bee Wild at Nene Park on Sunday, June 5. Trashion Show on Thursday, June 9, featuring a book-signing with Julie Hill, author of ‘Secret Life of Stuff’. Springwatch Fun Day on Saturday, June 11. Throughout the festival a ‘Made in Peterborough Pop-up arts cafe’ will take place in Peterborough City Centre.
Cycling will play a huge part in the Green Festival activities with the Peterborough area boasting some of the best routes in the East of England.
Peterborough’s Green Wheel network of cycle routes provides over 45 miles of continuous and sustainable trails around the city. It was one of the first large scale projects PECT delivered for Peterborough and first opened in 2000. Not only does the Green Wheel contribute to a sustainable transport system, it also celebrates over 3,000 years of social, cultural and economic history through colourful interpretation boards and a series of sculptures.
This £11 million project was 50% funded by the National Lottery through the Millennium Commission, matched by contributions from public and private businesses and voluntary organisation. Since it was first opened the City Council and PECT have been working together to enhance the route including improvements to the surfacing, signage and interpretation.
In 2008 PECT carried out a detailed survey of the route to identify areas for enhancement and to prioritise these. Since then the City Council has arranged for a 4km section of the Green Wheel to be improved near Peakirk including re-surfacing and new gates and cattle grids. A pond was also constructed adjacent to the Green Wheel near Stanground Lock for biodiversity and educational visits. And one of the biggest stories has been the Shanks Millennium Bridge over the River Nene at Stanground Washes, which provides a direct, safe and fully off-road link between Peterborough and Whittlesey for commuter and leisure cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians.
It also forms part of the National Cycleway Network, making Peterborough a gateway for routes into East Anglia from the Midlands and the North.
This outstanding bridge, designed and constructed by Whitby Bird & Partners, is constructed from weathering steel, which prevents the bridge from corroding and eliminates the need for painting. It is manufactured partly from recycled metal and has been carefully designed to minimise any disturbance to the birds that live and breed on the Nene Washes.
Championing the environment
Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) is a charity that was set up following Peterborough’s designation as a UK Environment City in 1992.
PECT carries out research and implements practical projects to protect and improve the environment. Its mission is to lead and support the city in delivering growth and regeneration in a truly environmentally sustainable way. PECT works with a wide variety of stakeholders to make a difference to the environment – through innovation, enterprise and commitment to action on the ground. The charity has a strong track record of delivering projects of regional and national significance, and employs a staff of 35 working on initiatives from green spaces to business environmental management to sustainable communities and lifestyles.
Innovative scheme teaches green skills
Peterborough is becoming a greener place thanks to an innovative scheme where people with ‘green skills’ are passing them on to others. The initiative called Greeniversity offers a range of free courses on growing your own veg, how to knit, ways to customise charity shop clothes, how to ride (and service) your bike, and tips on insulating your loft. It’s free and the idea is to have fun and meet new people while you learn how to be a little greener.
To get involved all you need is enthusiasm to learn or teach and a tiny bit of spare time to attend or teach a class – or lots of classes if you have lots of time. Greeniversity learners and teachers are a diverse bunch – there are over 300 of them already! The aim is to get more people learning ‘green’ skills – things that ensure a healthy, active life. For every class you attend you earn a green point towards the Greeniversity Green Degree and a graduation ceremony is held every year in March.
“As a Greeniversity teacher or mentor you’ll receive training and experience which could help you in a future job. It’s definitely something to put on your CV,” said a spokesperson.
Peterborough is gearing up for two weeks of funfilled, green-themed events aimed at encouraging people to take a greater interest in the environment. This year’s Peterborough Green Festival will be marking its 20th anniversary when it launches in Cathedral Square on Saturday, May 28. Run by Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT), most events are free to take part in and organisers are aiming to provide something for everyone. Each year there is a theme for the Green Festival and this year PECT is partnering with Travelchoice to encourage everyone to car share, walk, cycle, and use public transport to save money, get fit, and help the environment.
The launch event in Cathedral Square, will feature a host of stalls, stands, activities, entertainments, music, games, competitions and give-aways.
Peterborough is becoming a greener place thanks to an innovative scheme where people with ‘green skills’ are passing them on to others. The initiative called Greeniversity offers a range of free courses on growing your own veg, how to knit, ways to customise charity shop clothes, how to ride (and service) your bike, and tips on insulating your loft. It’s free and the idea is to have fun and meet new people while you learn how to be a little greener.
