Great Big Green Week events

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Join us for Great Big Green Week from 10 to 18 June, as we celebrate community climate action.

Throughout the week

Events taking place throughout Great Big Green Week 2023.

Recycle your oil at the Pig and Whistle and Beehive pubs

Head down to the Pig and Whistle pub to recycle your oil as part of their ongoing collection drive for customers. Save it from the drain and bring in your used cooking oil and they will combine with theirs to send off to recycling.

  • Led by: Pig and Whistle and Beehive (Grumpy Pig pubs)
  • Time: Throughout opening times each day
  • Location: Pig and Whistle and Beehive pubs

Putney Society Front Garden Award Scheme

Judging of front gardens in central Putney will take place from 4 to 18 June 2023. 'Plant Don’t Pave' your garden and help to encourage wildlife, reduce risk of flash flooding, improve our health and wellbeing and improve your streetscape!. Head to www.putneysociety.org.uk for more information or get in touch with judith.chegwidden@gmail.com.

  • Led by: Putney Society
  • Time: Daylight hours
  • Location: Selected streets in Putney

A Wandle Wonder Wander

A river walk with a difference. Wander along the Wandle, following our mixed-reality, geolocation trail with your mobile device. Discover sights, sounds and quirky animated artworks, which reveal the wonder of our local heritage. To access the trail, visit the Wandsworth Arts Fringe website for a map to print or download and a link to get started. 

  • Led by: XAP
  • Time: Anytime you like!
  • Location: River Wandle

Saturday 10 June

Events taking place on Saturday 10 June.

Saturday gardening

Come and help out at this half-acre rooftop community garden. Free to attend and no need to register - just drop in. All tools provided. Tasks include weeding and watering. You are also welcome to simply come and enjoy the space. The garden has mature fruit trees, a grassed area, decorative planting and beds for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs. Email doddingtongarden@gmail.com with any questions. 

  • Led by: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden
  • Time: 10am to 1pm
  • Location: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden, Charlotte Despard Avenue SW11 5HD (Entrance is up the metal stairs at the end of Charlotte Despard Avenue, across the square behind Tesco Metro on Battersea Park Road)

Workshop on Sustainable Creativity

Free workshop session exploring how to be a greener and more sustainable artist/maker/creative. An interactive opportunity to reflect, discuss and collaborate.

  • Led by: Sarika Studio
  • Time: 3 to 5pm
  • Location: Wimbledon Art Studios, 10 Riverside Yard, London SW17 0BB -
  • Sign up: Register for the workshop

Modern Mining

Using electrical waste, or e-waste, collected from amnesty boxes and your own items, join Katie Surridge at sculptural workstations to collect copper wire, steel, aluminium and other metals that are trapped in discarded electronic devices. In addition,100 free makers packs will be available to take home. Katie designed the packs in collaboration with the University of Leeds - they contain pieces of her sculpture which require your help electroplating. Find out more about the Modern Mining workshop. It is free to attend, but donations are invited.

  • Led by: Katie Surridge, artist and sculptor
  • Time: 11am to 5pm
  • Location: Balham Library

Farm 2 City

This June Shallowford Farm will be travelling from Devon, bringing their animals and team to Clapham Junction! Farm 2 City will be open for anyone in the community who wants to come and experience the farm. The free experience will take about an hour and includes seeing the animals and taking part in short interactive educational activities.*

  • Led by: Shallowford Farm Trust and Providence House
  • Time: 10am to 4pm
  • Location: Providence House, Battersea
  • Sign up: No booking required, but you can sign-up for a reminder

* From 6 to 9 June Farm 2 City will be open for school and community groups - to book this type of visit email f2c@shallowfordfarm.co.uk

Climate Café

Climate Cafés are welcoming, respectful and confidential spaces to connect with others and share thoughts and feelings about the climate and ecological crises. They allow us to talk about what our changing climate means for us, to explore complex feelings and thoughts which may often be hard to talk about. The Climate Cafes are facilitated by experienced facilitators and therapists from Wandsworth. In order to make the climate café a safe space, participants are asked to arrive on time and stay for the full 1.5 hour session. Everyone over 16 years of age is welcome. For further information email climatecafes@protonmail.com.

  • Led by: Wandsworth Climate Cafés
  • Time: 5.30 pm registration, for a start at 6pm (finished by 8pm)
  • Location: Wandsworth Friends Meeting House 59 Wandsworth High Street London SW18 2PT
  • Sign up: The number of participants is limited to 12 per session, so please sign up in advance, and cancel if you can't make it

Sunday 11 June

Events taking place on Sunday 11 June.

Climate Justice Dialogues Workshop

This is a structured workshop that engages people on climate justice. The first half is about understanding how each of our opinions are different based on our own individual experiences and backgrounds and how we can listen to one another to then learn from each other and adapt our own views. The second half is spent discussing a statement on climate justice practicing the skills learnt earlier. This event is free to attend.

Sustainable Fashion Meet the Maker

Local sustainable fashion brand Gung Ho London will be taking over the Power of Place exhibition space to talk through the meanings behind their statement prints for those who want to learn more about sustainable fashion and what the future of that industry looks like. Come and chat about only creating what is wanted and what a zero-waste business looks like. Interested in sustainable fashion or bold prints, this one's for you.

  • Led by: Gung Ho London
  • Time: 12 to 6pm
  • Location: Battersea Power Station, Power of Place exhibition space on the ground floor

Sustainable Growing at The Paradise Cooperative

A range of free practical activities and information will be available to support visitors to learn new skills in sustainable urban growing. This will include guides to no-dig growing, companion planting, gardening without plastic, composting and making space for nature in even the smallest of spaces.

  • Led by: The Paradise Cooperative
  • Time: 10am to 1pm
  • Location: The Paradise Cooperative, Dobbins Field, 19 Heathfield Road, SW18 3JE
  • Sign up: Register for Sustainable Growing

Monday 12 June

Events taking place on Monday 12 June.

Flower Power at York Gardens Library

Join us at the library for a ‘seed-bomb’ workshop to celebrate Great Big Green Week. We’ll be making bee and butterfly friendly wildflower balls you can use to sow seeds and provide habitats for little critters across Wandsworth. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Wandsworth Libraries
  • Time: 10am to 12pm
  • Location: York Gardens Library

Flower Power at Southfields Library

Join us at the library for a ‘seed-bomb’ workshop to celebrate Great Big Green Week. We’ll be making bee and butterfly friendly wildflower balls you can use to sow seeds and provide habitats for little critters across Wandsworth. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Wandsworth Libraries
  • Time: 10am to 12pm
  • Location: Southfields Library

Guided Wellbeing Walk

Take part in a Guided Wellbeing Walk around Battersea Park. The route is 5K and fully accessible. The group will pass key areas of interest, learn about the connection between wellbeing and nature and a certified Mindfulness professional will be present to share some tips. It will be a relaxed event, open to all, with light refreshments at the end.

  • Led by: Paul’s Cancer Support
  • Time: 5:30 to 7.30pm
  • Location: Battersea Park
  • Sign up: For more details email fundraising@pauls.org.uk.

The Big Wandsworth Litter Pick

Work together to tackle some of the areas in Wandsworth with a litter problem, helping to collect plastic and other rubbish to keep our streets cleaner, clearer and more welcoming for local residents. Litter bags and pickers will be supplied, so please do join this friendly and welcoming group to get active and make a difference in our borough.

Led by: Goodgym Wandsworth
Time: 6.30pm set off time
Location: Meet at Battersea Arts Centre to walk/run to various litter hotspots in the areas
Sign up: Register for the Big Wandsworth Litter Pick

Into the Forest Exhibition

During WAF and GBGW a forest will grow around the Home Cafe in Earlsfield, made out of reused and reclaimed materials. Celebrating traditional tales and the environment, 'Into the Forest' is a sensory mash up of art, stories and food: Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, and Gretel collide in an adventure story about kindness and bravery - all set inside a forest built in the café that you can eat, smell, and touch. The forest will go on to become part of a set design for a youth theatre performance in July.

Led by: Bounce Theatre
Time: 9am to 4pm
Location: Home Community Café, St Andrew's Church, 571 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield SW18 4SR
Sign up: No booking required, but you can register for a reminder.

Modern Mining

Using electrical waste, or e-waste, collected from amnesty boxes and your own items, join Katie Surridge at sculptural workstations to collect copper wire, steel, aluminium and other metals that are trapped in discarded electronic devices. In addition,100 free makers packs will be available to take home. Katie designed the packs in collaboration with the University of Leeds - they contain pieces of her sculpture which require your help electroplating. Find out more about the Modern Mining workshop. It is free to attend, but donations are invited.

  • Led by: Katie Surridge, artist and sculptor
  • Time: 11am to 6pm
  • Location: Balham Library

Tuesday 13 June

Events taking place on Tuesday 13 June.

Intergenerational planting and crafting

Older people are invited to join this intergenerational community centre for intergenerational planting and crafting. Join local primary school children and their 'Grandfriends' to plant a range of vegetables and take part in Great Big Green Week themed crafts. Over the coming weeks, the community will tend to the vegetables and eventually harvest them to make a delicious soup for lunch!  This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Sparkle - Intergenerational Community Centre
  • Time: 10.30am to 2.30pm
  • Location: St Stephen's Church Hall, Manfred Road, East Putney, SW15 2RS

Don’t Bin it- Bring it! Climate Pub at the Pig and Whistle

The Pig and Whistle run a oil recycling scheme that allows you to bring in your used cooking oil from home to be added to theirs to be recycled. Join the recycling revolution and add to their current total of over 200 litres recycled. Come down to the pub and grab a pint to hear more, meet other locals involved in the scheme and collect your very own reusable container to bring future oil drop-offs in. No sign up required, just turn up with your oil or by yourself to find out more.

  • Led by: Pig and Whistle Pub
  • Time: 8pm onwards
  • Location: The Pig and Whistle, 481 Merton Road, Wandsworth SW18 5LD

Wednesday 14 June

Events taking place on Wednesday 14 June.

The Art of Recycled Art

Work together to create a piece of recycled art for the back of the Woodfield Pavilion, using plastic bottle tops and an old shower curtain. Many hands make light work - everyone can get involved. No skills, just fun making something beautiful out of rubbish. Refreshments will be provided. This is an accessible space and all are welcome. Free to attend and no sign up is required. For more information email thewoodfieldproject@gmail.com.

  • Led by: The Woodfield project
  • Time: 11am to 4pm
  • Location: Woodfield Pavilion

Wednesday gardening

Come and help out at this half-acre rooftop community garden. No need to register - just drop in. All tools provided. Tasks include weeding and watering. You are also welcome to simply come and enjoy the space. The garden has mature fruit trees, grassed area, decorative planting and beds for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs. Email doddingtongarden@gmail.com with any questions. 

  • Led by: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden
  • Time: 12.30 to 3.30pm
  • Location: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden, Charlotte Despard Avenue SW11 5HD (Entrance is up the metal stairs at the end of Charlotte Despard Avenue, across the square behind Tesco Metro on Battersea Park Road)

Into the Forest Exhibition

During WAF and GBGW a forest will grow around the Home Cafe in Earlsfield, made out of reused and reclaimed materials. Celebrating traditional tales and the environment, 'Into the Forest' is a sensory mash up of art, stories and food: Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, and Gretel collide in an adventure story about kindness and bravery - all set inside a forest built in the café that you can eat, smell, and touch. The forest will go on to become part of a set design for a youth theatre performance in July.

  • Led by: Bounce Theatre
  • Time: 9am to 4pm
  • Location: Home Community Café, St Andrew's Church, 571 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield SW18 4SR
  • Sign up: No booking required, but you can register for a reminder.

Digging with the Dietitians Gardening Club

Join club members at the veggie patch who will be weeding throughout the week, as well as watering the plants, topping up compost with coffee grounds and fruit/veg peelings from the staff restaurant, creating water drip feeders using recycled plastic bottles, planting and managing the vegetable patch; tomatoes, beans, peas, parsnips, peppers, carrots, courgettes and cucumbers. Chat about the dietary benefits of growing your own fruits and vegetables in an unused section of the workplace. Free to visit! Follow @StGDietitians on Twitter and diggingdietitians on Instagram for virtual tours and regular updates throughout the week, or email james.jackson@stgeorges.nhs.uk for more information.

  • Led by: Dietitians Gardening Club at St George’s
  • Time: 5 to 6pm
  • Location: The veggie patch, back of Courtyard Clinic, St Georges Hospital, Tooting

Climate Justice Dialogues Workshop

This is a structured workshop that engages people on climate justice. The first half is about understanding how each of our opinions are different based on our own individual experiences and backgrounds and how we can listen to one another to then learn from each other and adapt our own views. The second half is spent discussing a statement on climate justice practicing the skills learnt earlier. This event is free to attend.

Healthy Habitats for Hedgehogs

A hedgehog was recently spotted on Wandsworth Common for the first time in many years. This free talk by Jackie from SW15 Hedgehogs will discuss how we can all help to encourage this priority species in Wandsworth with improved habitat in our back gardens and greenspaces. For more information email friends@wandsworthcommon.org.

  • Led by: Friends of Wandsworth Common and SW15 Hedgehogs
  • Time: 6.30pm
  • Location: Naturescope, Dorlcote Road (Next to Skylark Cafe) SW18 3RT

Thursday 15 June

Events taking place on Thursday 15 June.

Roehampton's Wild Scavenger Hunt

This free event will involve small teams using their smartphones to capture the nature that corresponds to the wildlife on their scavenger sheet, in one hour. You will be given an introduction to identifying nature and being aware of your surroundings. Afterwards the group will debrief over a drink and prizes will be awarded to the winning team. For more information email jonathan.nobrega@wwt.org.uk.

  • Led by: WWT and Roehampton University
  • Time: 12pm
  • Location: University of Roehampton, Southlands College, The Reef

Intergenerational planting and crafting

Older people are invited to join this intergenerational community centre for intergenerational planting and crafting. Join local primary school children and their 'Grandfriends' to plant a range of vegetables and take part in Great Big Green Week themed crafts. Over the coming weeks, the community will tend to the vegetables and eventually harvest them to make a delicious soup for lunch! This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Sparkle - Intergenerational Community Centre
  • Time: 10.30am to 2.30pm
  • Location: St Stephen's Church Hall, Manfred Road, East Putney, SW15 2RS

Growing time

A drop-in play session for parents/carers and children under 5, with activities focused on the centre's newly planted herbs, vegetable and wild flower areas. Free to attend, just turn up on the day.

  • Led by: Furzedown Community Network/Faylands Children Centre
  • Time: 1.30 to 3pm
  • Location: Faylands Children Centre, Faylands Avenue SW16 1 SY

After school gardening

A professionally guided after school gardening session for children. No experience necessary and no need to book, just turn up! For more information email doddingtongarden@gmail.com.

  • Led by: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden
  • Time: 4.30 to 6.30pm
  • Location: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden, Charlotte Despard Avenue SW11 5HD (Entrance is up the metal stairs at the end of Charlotte Despard Avenue, across the square behind Tesco Metro on Battersea Park Road)

Gardening for the older generation

A professionally guided drop-in gardening session for older members of the community. No experience necessary and no need to book, just turn up! For more information email doddingtongarden@gmail.com.

  • Led by: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden
  • Time: 2 to 4pm
  • Location: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden, Charlotte Despard Avenue SW11 5HD (Entrance is up the metal stairs at the end of Charlotte Despard Avenue, across the square behind Tesco Metro on Battersea Park Road)

Clean Air Day Anti-Idling Action

Air quality officers will be on site with air quality information and freebies. Don't miss Dr bike, police bike marking and a smoothie bike.

  • Led by: Wandsworth Council Air Quality team
  • Time: 11am to 3pm
  • Location: St Mary’s Church Putney

The Project Planter Plant-up

Members of The Furzedown Project's Gardener's Group will be celebrating the community planter which will be set up outside The Project on Moyser Road. They will be planting up a selection of herbs, fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed by everyone as they grow. The group will be inviting the local community to join them when the planting takes place and we will be cracking open a celebratory bottle of 'Chateau' Tooting wine - grown from grapes grown in local gardens and offer tastings of other produce like jams and honey that have come from local gardens, to inspire people. Some small plants will be shared out for local families to take home. Afterwards there will be a short talk in The Project by a local gardening expert and the chance to chat about garden issues and share tips with the group. No sign up required, just drop by.

  • Led by: The Furzedown Project
  • Time: 6 to 8pm
  • Location: The Furzedown Project, 91/93 Moyser Road, London SW16 6SL

The Loud Spring Film Screening

This is a screening of an hour-long documentary by Johanna Schellhagen, which is partly in German, with English subtitles. We will be holding a discussion session after the screening, to explore our reactions to the film and debate its findings. The description for the documentary reads: “while the climate movement recognises that capitalism and climate change mitigation are incompatible, we struggle to find a concrete political vision of how we can bring about systemic change. The Loud Spring outlines what the profound change we need might look like. - And why 'green' capitalism as way forward, is flawed. Includes interviews with: Andreas Malm, Julia Steinberger, Esteban Servat, Matthias Schmelzer, and climate activists from many movements across the world and input from the Mexican National Indigenous Congress CNI.”

  • Led by: Extinction Rebellion Wandsworth
  • Time: 7.30pm
  • Location: The Gorringe Park pub, 29 London Road, SW17 9JR

Growhampton Forest Garden Bug Hotel Making

Build a bug hotel for the Forest Garden out of natural materials, including cones, leaf litter, stones and wood. Also help design support structures for raspberries. No prior experience is required and all equipment, tools and training will be provided. This is a free event with no need to sign up, just bring yourself on the day! Email hillary.nevyjel@roehampton.ac.uk for more information.

  • Led by: Growhampton
  • Time: 1 to 4pm (It's a drop in and out session, so if you are running late, can only join in later or need to leave early, please ask the reception team in the student union for directions)
  • Location: Growhampton Forest Garden, with meeting point outside the Student Union of the University of Roehampton

Bird feeder event

As part of the national Great Big Green Week, the chaplaincy will be providing a workshop teaching you how to make natural bird feeders, which will then be placed out and around the campus. This will be an opportunity to get together with other students and staff, learn a new skill, and share your own! All abilities welcome, and ingredients will be provided.

A confirmation will be sent to you once your place is confirmed. There is a maximum of 11 spaces on each day. If you have any questions or queries, please email sabiha.iqbal@roehampton.ac.uk and if you would like to take part in this activity, please sign up using the online form.

  • Time: 2 to 3pm
  • Location: University of Roehampton, Roehampton Lane, London, SW15 5PH

Friday 16 June

Events taking place on 16 June.

DIY Wandsworth creative workshop

Learn new skills and get creative with climate action in this free guided workshop. Explore how you can start making a difference locally in a series of activities including zine making, games and guided discussions. In the second half of the workshop, work together to draw, paint and collage a collective vision of the future in Wandsworth that’s better for us and for the planet. No art skills or climate expertise required! Everyone welcome. Hot drinks, snacks and all materials provided.

  • Led by: Let’s Talk Climate Change and the Joyride Collective
  • Time: 1 to 3.30pm
  • Location: Music Room, St Mary’s Church, Balham, SW12 9BS
  • Sign up: Register for the workshop

Already Read Book Club

Head down to Roehampton Library with your favourite climate or nature related book. Share your love for a book you’ve already read and want to recommend for other people to read, and connect with others in the local area who are passionate about climate action and sustainability. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Community Bluescapes
  • Time: 10 to 11.30am
  • Location: Roehampton Library, 2 Danebury Avenue, Roehampton, SW15 4HD

Into the Forest Exhibition

During WAF and GBGW a forest will grow around the Home Cafe in Earlsfield, made out of reused and reclaimed materials. Celebrating traditional tales and the environment, 'Into the Forest' is a sensory mash up of art, stories and food: Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, and Gretel collide in an adventure story about kindness and bravery - all set inside a forest built in the café that you can eat, smell, and touch. The forest will go on to become part of a set design for a youth theatre performance in July.

Led by: Bounce Theatre
Time: 9am to 4pm
Location: Home Community Café, St Andrew's Church, 571 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield SW18 4SR
Sign up: No booking required, but you can register for a reminder.

Climate Café

Climate Cafés are welcoming, respectful and confidential spaces to connect with others and share thoughts and feelings about the climate and ecological crises. They allow us to talk about what our changing climate means for us, to explore complex feelings and thoughts which may often be hard to talk about. The Climate Cafes are facilitated by experienced facilitators and therapists from Wandsworth. In order to make the climate café a safe space, participants are asked to arrive on time and stay for the full 1.5 hour session. Everyone over 16 years of age is welcome. For further information email climatecafes@protonmail.com.

  • Led by: Wandsworth Climate Cafés
  • Time: 7pm registration, for a start at 7.30pm
  • Location: The Furzedown Project, 93 Moyser Road, London SW16 6SJ
  • Sign up: The number of participants is limited to 12 per session, so please sign up in advance, and cancel if you can't make it

Friday gardening

Come and help out at this half-acre rooftop community garden. No need to register - just drop in. All tools provided. Tasks include weeding and watering. You are also welcome to simply come and enjoy the space. The garden has mature fruit trees, grassed area, decorative planting and beds for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs. Email doddingtongarden@gmail.com with any questions. 

  • Led by: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden
  • Time: 10.30am to 1.30pm
  • Location: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden, Charlotte Despard Avenue SW11 5HD (Entrance is up the metal stairs at the end of Charlotte Despard Avenue, across the square behind Tesco Metro on Battersea Park Road)

Bird feeder event

As part of the national Great Big Green Week, the chaplaincy will be providing a workshop teaching you how to make natural bird feeders, which will then be placed out and around the campus. This will be an opportunity to get together with other students and staff, learn a new skill, and share your own! All abilities welcome, and ingredients will be provided.

A confirmation will be sent to you once your place is confirmed. There is a maximum of 11 spaces on each day. If you have any questions or queries, please email sabiha.iqbal@roehampton.ac.uk and if you would like to take part in this activity, please sign up using the online form.

  • Time: 2 to 3pm
  • Location: University of Roehampton, Roehampton Lane, London, SW15 5PH

Saturday 17 June

Events taking place on Saturday 17 June.

Letters to Tomorrow workshop

The future of our borough is not yet written. And you help write it. This is your chance to publicly declare what is important to you and what climate action you want to see on a local and national scale. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Community Bluescapes
  • Time: 10.30am to 12.30pm
  • Location: Roehampton Library, 2 Danebury Avenue, Roehampton, SW15 4HD

CREW does Great Big Green Week

CREW's Great Big Green Week event will be a stand at Tooting's beloved Fun Day! This is a chance for children and families to learn more about CREW's work in the borough, green energy and all things climate. We'll be hosting a stand at the event, hosted by BATCA, where you'll get to play some eco-action games (giant board games that teach about energy saving, insulation, etc.) and take part in our wind turbine phone charger workshop and learn how wind power turns into electricity. Perfect for families and young people who want to learn more about renewable energy and energy saving measures! This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: CREW Energy
  • Time: 12 to 5pm
  • Location: Broadwater Road, Tooting, SW17 0EF

Planting along Bedford Hill

Join Beautify Balham as they add more compost to the existing ground gardens along with more flowers and plants. This event is free to attend. For more details email hello@beautifybalham.org.

  • Led by: Beautify Balham
  • Time: 11am
  • Location: Bedford Hill, Balham

Flower Power at Northcote, Earlsfield and Battersea Park Libraries

Join us at the library for a ‘seed-bomb’ workshop to celebrate the Great Big Green Week. We’ll be making bee and butterfly friendly wildflower balls you can use to sow seeds and provide habitats for little critters across Wandsworth. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Wandsworth Libraries
  • Time: 10am to 12pm
  • Location: Northcote, Earlsfied and Battersea Park Libraries

Flower Power at Battersea, Balham, Wandsworth Town, Tooting and Putney Libraries

Join us at the library for a ‘seed-bomb’ workshop to celebrate the Great Big Green Week. We’ll be making bee and butterfly friendly wildflower balls you can use to sow seeds and provide habitats for little critters across Wandsworth. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Wandsworth Libraries
  • Time: 2 to 4pm
  • Location: Battersea, Balham, Wandsworth Town, Tooting and Putney Libraries

Saturday gardening

Come and help out at this half-acre rooftop community garden. No need to register - just drop in. All tools provided. Tasks include weeding and watering. You are also welcome to simply come and enjoy the space. The garden has mature fruit trees, grassed area, decorative planting and beds for growing fruit, vegetables and herbs. Email doddingtongarden@gmail.com with any questions. 

  • Led by: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden
  • Time: 10am to 1pm
  • Location: Doddington & Rollo Community Roof Garden, Charlotte Despard Avenue SW11 5HD (Entrance is up the metal stairs at the end of Charlotte Despard Avenue, across the square behind Tesco Metro on Battersea Park Road)

The Big Putney Bike Ride

Led by the MP for Putney, Fleur Anderson, this is a family-oriented group bike ride around the streets of Putney. Using a route devised in collaboration with Council cycling officers, the Big Putney Bike Ride will give people of all ages and abilities the opportunity to experience cycling around Wandsworth. The route is roughly seven miles, starting and finishing in Wandsworth Park, travelling in an anti-clockwise (left-turning) loop as far as Telegraph Road at Putney Heath. The ride will be marshalled by fully trained volunteers from the Wandsworth Cycling Campaign, one of the borough groups of the capital-wide London Cycling Campaign which has been working for safer, healthier streets since 1978. We hope the Big Putney Ride will help encourage a new generation of Wandsworth residents to feel confident in taking to the streets on a bike.

Led by: Wandsworth Cycling Campaign and Fleur Anderson, MP for Putney

Recycled collage art workshop - create your own vintage masterpiece!

Join this creative workshop to learn how to create a stunning paper collage from only using recycled print materials, from discarded books and old magazines to retro wrapping papers and forgotten postcards, you’ll go home with an amazing piece that you’ll cherish forever. Get lost in the stunning materials provided and have fun with framing your piece in a A4 mount - you’ll finish the class with a finalised work to be proud of! Besides learning a new skill and having fun, this class is mindful, inspiring and guarantees you to leave feeling relaxed. All collage materials will be provided, no experience is needed, anyone aged 15+ is welcome to join via the above sign up link - this is also where you’ll find more details about the workshop. Find more info about the artist and her work on www.gooseglitters.com.

  • Led by: Laura Goossens (@gooseglitters)
  • Time: 10:30am-12:30pm and 2pm-4pm
  • Location: The Art'otel, Battersea
  • Sign up: Register for the Recycled collage art workshop. There will be a maximum of 15 attendees per workshop so book early to avoid disappointment. 

Green the Grid and Southfields Restart Café

This event brings together two community groups in Southfields: Green the Grid (a residents group which aims to turn grey to green in front gardens and streets) and the Southfields Restart Café (a voluntary group which fixes items which would otherwise be thrown away). The Cafe enables people to bring their broken electricals and other items to be fixed to keep them in use. Green the Grid invites local residents to collect free drought resistant and wildlife friendly plants for their front gardens. This is part of their ‘Front Garden 5’ project, which focuses on the five benefits of greening front gardens. Planting for drought resistance is one of them, but it also includes the benefits that plants bring to improve air quality, prevent flooding, encourage pollinators and improve our wellbeing by brightening up the neighbourhood. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Green the Grid and Southfields Restart Café
  • Time: 12 to 3pm
  • Location: St Barnabas Church Hall, Merton Road, SW18 5EP

Collage workshop: the wonderful Wandle

Join illustrator Jane Porter to make your own individual collage contribution to a giant mural project celebrating our local river Wandle. Working from reference pictures and the river itself, you will use interesting textures and colours to create your own piece of artwork inspired by wildlife on and around the river. Your work will then be photographed and included in a large art installation opening on Garratt Lane later in the summer. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: Jane Porter, Illustrator
  • Time: 12 to 3pm
  • Location: Kimber skatepark, Kimber Road, Wandsworth, SW18 4NY
  • Sign up: No booking required, but you can register for a reminder.

School activities

Alongside the Great Big Green Week activities open to the public, several activities and events are happening in our schools locally. 

Do you work for a school in Wandsworth? If you want to find out more about what initiatives schools are running and get connected with organisations that can assist with your climate curriculum and extra-curricular activities, join our termly sustainability schools' network. Email togetheronclimatechange@wandsworth.gov.org.uk for more details.

Climate Action workshop at Goldfinch Primary School with Climate Ed

A climate action workshop delivered by a trained Climate Ed ambassador. They will be teaching students about carbon literacy and climate action, and how they can make simple, effective changes with their families to move towards a more climate-friendly lifestyle. If you would like to work with Climate Ed at your school get in touch via contact@climateed.net or visit their website.

All about water at Hotham Primary School

as part of their existing outdoor learning programme the school are devoting a day to promote Great Big Green Week and to teaching children about the use of the earth's limited water resources in environmental sustainability – when to use water, when not to and what for! They will learn about wastage and plant maintenance and work through the story of water. The theme will be continued in the remaining outdoor lessons of summer term.

Sheringdale Spring Green at Sheringdale Primary

Sheringdale primary school children will be taking part in a gardening activity together with the Green the Grid campaign which aims to green front gardens and local areas with pollinator friendly plants and flowers. Through this activity they are hoping to educate the children about sustainability and the important of green spaces in our local community, emphasising the benefit of gardening and plant life for improving our local environment, helping biodiversity and also the huge mental health benefits having green spaces brings.

Gardening at Griffin Primary

A team of 15 volunteers will be joining Griffin Primary to work alongside their eco-champions to improve their existing gardening area. The children will design the space and which plants, fruits and vegetables they want to grow. The team will then work alongside the students to develop and improve these areas.

Mosaic Jewish Primary School Mindfulness Garden Build

The school are building and developing their own mindfulness garden. They will be creating planters to place in their garden and will work on developing the space into an area children can use to work more outdoors and have some quiet time.

Climate Psychologists in Wandsworth

Ahead of the release of their new book, The Climate Psychologists have been funded to offer sessions for local primary schools. Their new book ‘You Are Unstoppable!’ is a climate empowerment guide for young people, with an emphasis on wellbeing. During the 45 minute sessions, students will participate in group activities to help them think about their unique role in the climate crisis, and how they can begin to engage in climate action whilst protecting their mental health at the same time. The sessions are aimed at young people aged 10 to 12 (years 5 and 6) and their teachers. If you are interested in having one of these sessions in your school, contact togetheronclimatechange@wandsworth.gov.uk.

After Great Big Green Week

The activities don’t stop when the week does! Here are some additional activities happening outside of GBGW that you can get involved with.

Life-cycles dance performance

An established contemporary dance company, Battersea-based E33 have been making relevant and thought-provoking work for 12 years. This summer, the company return to the stage at the Royal Academy of Dance to premiere a varied new programme, addressing issues of wellbeing and climate change. From sunlight to butterflies, the works serve as a powerful reminder of the connection between people and planet and how important it is to take care of both. The performance will also showcase the talents of up-and-coming young dancers and local children, nurtured by E33 in collaboration with Providence House. With a diverse, inter-generational cast and a message of hope, 'Life-cycles' is an affirming exploration of the power of positive change and creativity in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Sew it, Show it - picnic and parade

Come dressed in something you’ve made yourself or repaired or bought in a charity shop, get ready to parade, join a sewing workshop or watch expert knitters - and don’t forget to bring a picnic! The Share & Repair group are thrilled that the team behind Fixing Fashion in Tooting Market are back to present Sew It, Show It, a celebration of slow fashion. If you sew or fix your own, or shop in charity shops, come along and join the parade, or pose from the sidelines. There will be local people on hand to teach you to sew, local shops selling their upcycled clothes and the culmination will be a Big Lunch supported by the Eden Project, so everyone is asked to bring their favourite food and something to sit on for a Big Community Picnic.

  • Led by: Transition Town Tooting
  • Date and time: Saturday 24 June, 1 to 4pm
  • Location: All Saints Garden

St Mike's Kitchen Garden

This event will provide an opportunity for guests young and old to explore the St Mike's Kitchen Garden which has been established on a section of the church field. Held on the same afternoon as the very popular St Michael's Summer Fair, this will provide an opportunity to find out how the plot has been developed in recent years into one holding over 30 raised beds, as well as what vegetables and fruit are grown and what this food is used for within the local community. Interactive activities are planned for children to explain a little more about sustainability and the importance of looking after the environment in a fun way. All children will get the opportunity to plant some lettuce seeds to take away and grow at home. This event is free to attend and no sign up is needed.

  • Led by: PCC of St Michael's with St Stephen's Church
  • Date and time: Saturday 24 June, 2 to 4pm
  • Location: Church Field, Viewfield Road, Southfields

Up to Wandsworth Great Big Green Week

Updated: 06/07/2023