X marks the spot

Our first local Green Picnic  took place this afternoon, and proved a great success! The weather was perfect and lots of people  supported the event. As well as providing  an opportunity to meet friends not seen for over a year,  and enjoy a picnic on the  grassy area called The  Battery (Oliver Cromwell assembled his troops there, but it is also the  site of  Anglo Saxon  habitation) there were about twenty stalls promoting sustainability and  "green" ideas.

You could find out about greener energy and  travel, recycling and upcycling, growing your own food more  sustainably,  ethically produced  clothing, food and household products, and have a go at some crafts.

We were part of a large stall encouraging gardening  for wildlife. I had a pond dipping station with a sample  of water from our garden pond which included  snails, dragonfly nymphs and water boatmen, for people to investigate.  
We also had a large map of Oliver's Battery  parish on display. Here is a young man, having found  his home on the  map, putting stickers  in his garden to show (with a different colour for each)that they have one or more of a wildlife pond, hedgerow of native plants, a wildflower meadow or woodpile. We want to create a 'wild belt' in the parish and, with today's mapping, we now have an idea of what is there already, which is a promising start, on which we can build.