BASINGSTOKE Green Week, an annual week-long celebration of local efforts against climate change and towards nature protection, is commencing today (Saturday, June 8).

The array of events and activities⁠ - arranged with the backing of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and community organisers⁠ - will run until Sunday, June 16.

The week's proceedings will kick off in Basingstoke's town centre with a host of performances, exhibitions, and interactive sessions.

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Junk Jodie, the artist and storyteller, will showcase her work, there will be an eco-fashion show by Basingstoke College of Technology students and a reading from writers Kerry McIntosh and Lucy Jones.

Performance poetry from students at Queen Mary’s College will also feature.

In Festival Place’s Porchester Square, zero-emission electric cars will be on display in Lower Wote Street at the Top of Town.

Simultaneously, The Malls will host a green market, where organic produce will be available to buy, and information on local wildlife will encourage visitors to take actions that support the planet.

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In addition, the borough council’s Green Team will provide free advice on carbon reduction, cost-saving measures, and garden flourishing tips at their pop-up eco-home.

Throughout the rest of the week, other activities will be running across the borough, including Northdown Orchard guided tours on Sunday, June 9, an award-winning garden visit on Friday, June 14 and the Overton Green Weekend, comprising an array of events like bug hunts, slow fashion shows, and a repair café on Saturday 15 and Sunday, June 16.

As a continuous tradition, free woodchips for gardens will be available while stocks last, and a repair team will provide free fixes for faulty items in Basingstoke town centre.

A full agenda of the week's line-up can be accessed at basingstoke.gov.uk/green-week until the start of Green Week.

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."