‘I want to be able to say I’ve done my best’: Wetherby Eco-Fair aims to help people save money and the planet
One of the organisers behind a Wetherby fair designed to help people save money and the planet says his daughter was his inspiration for the event.
Wetherby Methodist Church is hosting an Eco-Fair as part of Great Big Green Week on Saturday, June 6, focused on sustainability in the local community.
Adrian Balcombe, from the Boston Spa, Wetherby and Villages Green Group, has organised the event alongside the church to help locals tackle both the cost-of-living and climate crises.
He said: “I have a ten-year-old daughter and when she asks me if I have done enough [for the environment], I want to be able to say ‘I’ve done my best’.”
Adrian said reducing the impact people have on the environment ‘goes hand in hand’ with saving money, something which the Wetherby Methodist Church has seen directly.
The church, on Bank Street, has been fitted with solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage to save money and reduce their impact on the environment.
Thanks to their clean energy, the church has a predicted CO2 reduction of over 13,600kg – the equivalent of planting more than 13,700 trees.
It now runs on 99 per cent electricity and makes so much that soon any excess will be sold back to the grid, reducing their running costs.
Sandra Ellen, a volunteer at Wetherby Methodist Church, said preserving the environment is key to her faith.
“As a Christian, I think it’s really really important to take care of the world we’ve been given, and I think it’s really good that we can join up with members of the community to turn things around.
“You see so much devastation taking place that I think you need to do all that you can to combat that.”
While one goal of the Eco-Fair is to encourage people to get involved with climate action, Adrian said the town’s community already feels strongly about preserving their local area.
He said: “We’re very privileged where we live – we’ve got the River Wharfe running through our towns and villages, and we’re semi-rural, so we’re surrounded by some amazing countryside.”
“It really brings it home to locals, who are passionate about preserving and improving their area for future generations.”
The event will be attended by members of two local Wildlife Trusts, Food Pantries, Leeds City Council and eco-friendly local businesses.
Guests at the fair can also expect talks on river quality and food waste, stalls for shopping local, and activities for children.
Sandra said it is ‘brilliant’ that people across the country are hosting events for Great Big Green Week, which is expected to be celebrated by up to two million people keen to showcase climate action in their communities.
She added: “To know that so many community groups across the country are getting involved is very encouraging.
"The motto of our fair is ‘Be The Change’ – and I think we all need to take that on board and do everything we can to make the country greener.”
For more information about Wetherby Eco-Fair, click HERE