Puppets, snorkel safaris, and a lit up Belfast City Hall: Great Big Green Week is in full swing!
Great Big Green Week is in full swing - and what a week it's been so far. We're nearly at the midway point, and communities across the UK have been coming Together for Good in the most wonderful ways.
Until 14 June, events, activities and conversations celebrating action for climate and nature are taking place in every corner of the country. By the end of the week, 1.6 million people are expected to have taken part across more than 10,000 events - with 56% of Great Big Green Week attendees say they rarely or never attend climate or nature events. This is a week that reaches new people in new places. Here's just a taste of what's been happening.
A puppet, a trail and a message of positivity
In Chichester, an 8ft ethereal puppet called Daniel has been making his way through the city streets, handing out dandelions - each one carrying a handwritten message of positivity - to passers-by. Daniel's walks have taken him past the floral displays that have sprung up outside shops and eateries across the city as part of Chichester BID's free Chichester in Bloom trail, weaving together art, nature and community in a quietly magical way. Participants could also join a free workshop to make their own dandelion to share along the way.
Snorkel safaris and a celebration of the sea
Down in Falmouth, families gathered at Gyllyngvase Beach for a free Festival for the Ocean - a joyful celebration of the coast and marine environment. Highlights included snorkel safaris, a Basking Shark and Cuttlefish Procession, marine stranding demonstrations and an underwater camera demo, alongside a community beach clean. Drop-in activities ran throughout the day: cyanotype art, recycled plastic weaving, children's ocean storytelling and more. It was a reminder of how much there is to love about our coastline - and how much is worth protecting.
Doors open in Cardiff
In Radyr, Cardiff, Radyr Methodist Church threw open its doors for a community Eco Fair. Visitors browsed a plant swap, no-waste living stalls, local honey from Elsinor Honey, produce from Garlic Meadow and fair trade artisan crafts from Bethlehem - all rounded off with homemade cakes and refreshments. A warm, welcoming afternoon that put community and sustainability side by side.
A landmark moment in Belfast
In Belfast, City Hall was lit up green in celebration of Great Big Green Week - a striking visual moment and a reminder of just how far and wide Great Big Green Week has reached. From grassroots community events to national landmarks, the week has shown the breadth and depth of what people across the UK are coming together to celebrate.
Growing something good in Aberdeenshire
In Aberdeenshire, the volunteer-led Grow Mearns project has been doing what it does best: quietly, carefully growing thousands of plants for local towns and villages, and distributing them during the week to support biodiversity and pollinator-friendly planting across the region. It is the kind of patient, community-rooted work that Great Big Green Week was made to celebrate.
There's still time to be part of it
These are just a snapshot of what's been taking place in community halls, gardens, nature reserves, churches and high streets the length of the country. Up and down the UK, more than 20 councils have joined in - a powerful sign of just how mainstream action for nature and climate is has become - community groups have opened their doors, and thousands of people have come together for good.
Together, these communities are sending a powerful message: people across the UK want cleaner air, greener neighbourhoods, thriving nature and a better future for the communities they love.
There's still plenty of week left. Find out what's on near you and be part of it. And if you're heading out to an event, make sure to share your photos with #GreatBigGreenWeek - and join thousands of others celebrating across the country. 💚
And you can watch our short video of the highlights so far:
We're delighted to be partnering with Wildling - a free app giving you access to over 2,000 nature locations across the UK, a weekly nature magazine, wildlife ID guides and seasonal activity ideas. Whether you're looking for your nearest woodland, planning a family day out, or learning to identify what you see, Wildling is a brilliant companion for getting out into nature - during Great Big Green Week and beyond. Download the Wildling app.
Images: Radyr Methodist Church Seed Swap (Climate Cymru) / Walk of the Dandelions, Chichester (@culturesparkchi) / Festival for the Ocean, Falmouth (@jorymundyphotography) / Grow Mearns, Aberdeenshire / Belfast City Hall (@saramccracken_pr, @cllr_tarabrooks)