Harrogate charity Horticap is holding open days today and tomorrow to encourage children and families to learn how to protect their local environment.
The open days are part of the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition climate action festival, which is being held in the run up to the UN climate change festival COP26 in Glasgow.
Horticap, a charity-run nursery on Otley Road that provides horticulture training for people with disabilities, is hosting stands by charities and businesses.
The weekend aims to get people involved in environmental efforts and highlight the importance of recycling and protecting local green spaces.
The event is being staged by Horticap and Pinewoods Conservation Group.
Lucy Hind, from Pinewoods Conservation Group, organised rock painting for children and gave information to people on how they can use the green space around them.
She said:
“Horticap come into the Pinewoods a lot to do work for us so we wanted to make sure we were supporting this.
“This weekend is about getting children involved and educating them and getting children out and about.”
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Other exhibitors include Harrogate District Biodiversity Action Group, Essential Needs and Cone Exhange.
Donated scrap
Chris Powell, community champion at Cone Exchange, talked about the Bettys and Taylors community project in Starbeck, which turns donated scrap into usable products and crafts.
Chris Powell with the items made from business waste group’s workshop
“We reuse lots of different business waste and we work to repurpose that with adults with disabilities. We work with the students’ skills to create a product, it could be something as simple as craft items or decorative items out of plastic lids from local takeaways.
“The aim is to get everyone involved and reduce business waste.”
Mr Powell said he was at the event to make people aware of the project and to raise some money for charities with their products.
Phil Airey, operations manager at Horticap, said:
“I just want to promote everybody here and encourage people to get involved in projects locally. So come along!”
The stands will be back open tomorrow 10-4pm.
Horticap’s greenhouse