Summer Fayre

Bearsted CAN at the Fayre 24th June

The theme for Bearsted & Thurnham Carnival & Fayre this year was Once Upon a Time/ Celebrating children’s films, so Bearsted Climate Action Network decided to take the inspiration for their stand from the OCEAN. This allowed the team to weave ‘fictional sea creatures’ together with the important message about protecting our oceans and reducing the use of plastics.

Working with Bearsted CAN, the Fayre Committee embraced the challenge of making the Fayre more sustainable by picking up the strapline of ‘Being Green on the Green’, with an emphasis in 3 main areas, Recycling, Sustainable Travel to the event and Reducing the use of plastic.

Bearsted CAN built a 10 foot ‘Recycling Fish’, designed to look like Nemo and took part in the carnival procession from Madginford Hall to the Village Green. Nemo was then in pride of place on the Green collecting plastic bottles in his great big mouth, to be recycled later. The fish was transported on a cargo bike in order to pick up on the sustainable transport theme.

Nemo created quite a spectacle with his bright orange colourings, white stripes and eyes made out of paper plates. The whole construction was made from recycled materials including pallet wood, scrap stainless steel mesh, reclaimed trout fishing net, aluminium cans, broom handles, an old sheet and DVDs.

The children on the carnival route particularly enjoyed stopping Nemo’s passage to throw their plastic bottles into his mouth.

At the Fayre itself Bearsted CAN continued the recycling theme with a can crusher, more information about recycling and the important message about pollution in our riverways & oceans.

Bearsted Climate Action Network are keen to involve the whole village with all age groups being involved in thinking about what we can do for the climate. So a big part of the stand was dedicated to a display of Artwork produced by Roseacre Junior School. Bearsted CAN  ran an Art Competition for ‘Great Big Green Week’ getting the children to produce a piece of artwork thinking about Climate Change & Sustainability. The results were amazing with some colourful and thoughtful expressions from the children on the climate theme.

Bearsted Fayre Committee together with Bearsted CAN also worked on promoting sustainable travel, encouraging people to walk or cycle to the event where possible. Bearsted CAN constructed a dedicated cycle park within the arena for people to safely secure their bikes to. They also carried out a travel survey to find out how people travelled to the Fayre.

Bearsted CAN have various events during the year including quarterly Bearsted Repair Cafes, Guest Speaker events, Vegetarian Evening’s, Tree Planting aftercare, group Litter Picking events and more.