At the very start of Great Big Green Week, on Saturday 6th June, Sustainable Keswick joined forces with Keswick Repair Café to run a ‘bird box build’ event at the Riverside Bar, Penrith Road.
A steady stream of people stopped by to help assemble approximately 40 bird boxes, either to take home for their gardens or for installation in Keswick’s green spaces, including Springs Road Flood Basin and Elizabeth’s Woodland in Lower Fitz Park.
Amongst the many helpers were pupils from St Herbert’s School, of whom two belong to the eco-leaders’ group with which Sustainable Keswick has a partnership.
The event was very much a collaborative effort. The Riverside Bar and the Repair Café hosted it. Borrowdale-based Flynnes’s Barn lent their gazebo which sheltered people from the worst of the rain. Pete Leeson donated the locally sourced wood and Lakeland Décor the nails, while Matt Page made the kits for people to assemble, facilitated by members of Sustainable Keswick.
Donations went to the Keswick Repair Café who do a fantastic job reducing waste by fixing broken everyday items – they meet monthly at the Riverside Bar – check out their Facebook site for more info.
Angela Wakefield, Chair of Sustainable Keswick, said, ‘The bird box event was a huge success, attracting local people of all ages. It will provide 40 more nesting opportunities for birds in Keswick, which urgently need our help as natural nest sites such as holes in trees and old buildings are disappearing fast.’
The next big event which Sustainable Keswick will host is the ‘People’s Emergency Briefing’, on Friday 19th June, in the Mixing Shed at the Pencil Factory (Keswick Convention Centre) on High Hill. Doors will open at 6.30pm. The screening, which lasts 50 minutes, will start at 7.00pm. The evening will close by 9.30pm.
Speaking for Sustainable Keswick, Emily Hardy, who has led on the event’s organisation, said, ‘This is the most important event which we have ever put on, so we are hoping for a big turn-out. Given Cumbria’s vulnerability to climate shocks such as flooding and wildfires, Keswick is very much on the front-line of climate change.’
She added, ‘The screening also comes at a time when the country has just experienced a record-breaking early summer heat wave, with the likelihood another record-breaking hot year forecast and all that will mean for our farming and food security.’
Following the film, members of the audience will be invited to take part in a structured discussion, designed to support open, constructive conversation about the issues raised and what they may mean locally.
Sustainable Keswick stresses that the event is intended as a civic space, bringing together residents, community leaders and decision-makers. As well as our MP, councillors and other influential people in our community have been invited to attend and to take part in the discussion.
A number of organisations have been invited to exhibit at the event so that people attending can find out more about what is going on locally by way of environmental activities and get involved if they are moved to do so.
Tickets for the Keswick screening are free, but advance registration is encouraged through Ticket Tailor: https://buytickets.at/sustainablekeswick/2235289
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