Chichester Eco-Festival will offer insight into what is being done in city to protect environment

The free event – on Saturday, November 6, at the Newell Centre in Tozer Way – is open to all and has been organised to coincide with the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.

The family-friendly festival will be a celebration of all the exciting things happening in the city to protect the environment and an exploration of what more can be done and how residents can get involved.

Co-organiser Julia Sanders, of Transition Chichester, said: “This Eco-Festival builds on a decade of eco events held in Chichester.

“We are very excited to mark the COP26 conference by bringing together so many groups taking positive action in our city to mitigate the effects of climate change.”

The festival will feature an eco-fair offering themed music and poetry entertainment, t-shirt and card printing, and numerous stalls showcasing the work of environmental groups in the city including organic gardeners, conservation volunteers, tree wardens, Eco Chi, Extinction Rebellion and Transition Chichester, which is sponsoring the event.

There will also be a swap shop clothing rail and table-top swap for free exchange – and it is hoped plastic-free campaigners The Final Straw, from Emsworth, will be there too.

Hot takeaway food for donations will be provided by the Chichester food waste and education charity UKHarvest, and tea, coffee and cake will be served in a pop-up cafe.

Organiser Lucia Withers, said: “By now most people know that we are in the midst of dual climate and ecological emergencies but lots of us don’t know what to do about it.

“The idea of the Eco-Festival is to show what is already being done in our area, and hopefully inspire and support everyone to get involved.

“In the words of Greta Thunberg,’no one is too small to make a difference’ – so this event is about showing what sort of difference we can make in Chichester and beyond!”

The eco-fair will take place from 3pm to 6pm and will be followed by a panel discussion on the theme of ‘Working Locally to Tackle Climate Change and Protect our Environment’.

Chaired by city and district councillor Martyn Bell, this will be from 7pm to 8.30pm, with limited free tickets which must be pre-booked.

On the panel will be Heather Barrie of the Green Party, environmental solutionist Nicola Peel, Yvonne Thomson, chief executive of UK Harvest, and president of the Sussex Wildlife Trust Tony Whitbread.

To book free tickets for the panel, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/chichester-eco-festival-panel-event-tickets-176585862067

For more information about the Eco-Festival visit www.transitionchichester.org