A week of events and activities for people of all ages to enjoy begins this Saturday (8 June) as Basingstoke Green Week returns to the borough again this summer.

Organised by communities with the support of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, the festivities will run until next Sunday (16 June) as part of the annual week-long celebration of local action to tackle climate change and protect nature. 

To get people thinking about how they could make a bigger difference for the planet, a variety of events have been organised for Saturday 8 June to entertain and inspire visitors to Basingstoke town centre. 

Interactive performances by artist and storyteller Junk Jodie, an eco fashion show by students at Basingstoke College of Technology, book readings by authors Kerry McIntosh and Lucy Jones and performance poetry by students at Queen Mary’s College are just four of the acts taking to the stage in Festival Place’s Porchester Square to kick off the week.

Outside, zero-emission electric cars will be on show on Lower Wote Street at the Top of the Town for drivers to discover their next vehicle and The Malls will host a green market so people can shop for organic produce, learn about the borough’s native wildlife and get inspired to take planet-friendly action.

And as they browse these stalls, people will also be able to get free advice to cut carbon, save money and help their garden flourish by visiting a pop-up eco home, where the council’s Green Team will be offering free home and garden surveys.

Beyond this, activities will also take place throughout the borough during the rest of the week. These include guided tours at Northdown Orchard on Sunday 9 June, visits to an award-winning garden on Friday 14 June and the Overton Green Weekend on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 June, complete with events including bug hunts, a slow fashion show and a repair café.

As in previous years, people will also be able to stock up on free woodchips for their gardens while stocks last and bring broken items to repair experts taking up residence in Basingstoke town centre to see if they can be fixed for free.

The council’s Head of Climate Change and Sustainability Mark Lambert said: “With so much going on during this year’s Basingstoke Green Week, there are plenty of events and activities to enjoy and visitors can learn more about what we can all do to make a real difference to tackle climate change and encourage our native plants and wildlife.”

The full programme of events and activities can be found at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/green-week. The webpage will continue to be updated until Green Week begins.