Steyning Festival gets underway with a great Green Day

The Green Day also included an electric vehicle and e-bike parade, with Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffith and West Sussex county councillor Paul Linehan cutting the tape to set off a wide selection of cars and bikes. There were honking horns and flags waving to show the electric revolution had arrived.

Andrew said: "My thanks to Greening Steyning for organising such a well-thought-out event. It was wonderful to see local people really enjoying the day and learning more about the active role they can all take in making sustainable lifestyle choices.”

Excitement grew as more than 150 young people took part in the children’s parade, dancing along to a samba beat and following Goran the recycled sea dragon, controlled by youngsters from Steyning Woodcraft Group.

Stalls and demos covered environmental and healthy living topics, including Tottington Woodlanders, the Inspiration Eco Station milk float, a Parcour for Seniors demo, the Home Energy Helpdesk, willow weaving, recycling tips and the Repair Café.

The final session in the Big Top tent, We’re All in it for Nature, brought together seven local organisations and projects, all working to protect the environment and fight climate change. Three films were shown to celebrate local biodiversity and show how working together can help preserve and enhance it.

Geoff Barnard from Greening Steyning, one of the main organisers, said: "It was a truly joyful and memorable day. The take-home message was one of hope and how if we all get involved we can make a difference in protecting the planet, and our piece of it in particular.”

Also in the news: The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: Towns and villages across West Sussex prepare to celebrate

See the children who started school in Worthing in 2010

Worthing nursery celebrates 22 years of home-from-home care as owner takes a step back