On Saturday 8th June, Shakespeare’s New Place welcomed visitors for a free day of fun, marking the launch of Stratford-upon-Avon’s Great Big Green Week 2024.

Sustainable Shakespeare Community Day attracted over 1,300 attendees, who learnt about all things sustainable through a series of free hands-on activities, thanks to the support of the Trust’s community partners. Through the inspiring event, organisers shined a light on environmentalism and showcased the efforts of local and regional groups in tackling climate change and protecting the natural environment.

The day formed part of the Trust’s wider Great Big Green Month celebrations, featuring a new series of events and activities promoting sustainability across the Shakespeare family homes.

“After months of preparation, it was wonderful to see so many people join us for our Sustainable Shakespeare Community Day at Shakespeare’s New Place, kicking off Great Big Green Week in Stratford-upon-Avon,” said Andrew Anderson, Environmental Health and Safety Officer at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the organisers of Sustainable Shakespeare Community Day.
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“Learning about sustainability and how we can protect the planet can be engaging and fun, and we hope this event demonstrated that. I hope that everyone who attended left with at least one idea to help create a cleaner and greener environment.”

To kick off the celebrations, young winners of a green competition run by Stratford Climate Action and Net Zero Stratford opened the event with a special ribbon cutting ceremony. They were joined by family, friends and representatives from the Trust.

Throughout the day, attendees enjoyed a vibrant lineup of engaging activities brought to them by the Trust and partner organisations. Stallholders included Stratford Climate Action, Stratford Wildlife Friends, Act on Energy, and Net Zero Stratford.

With the theme of Great Big Green Week this year being swapping, there was a special Give and Take table, where visitors were invited to bring unwanted clothes and accessories to swap with any items on the table, all for free.

For those interested in learning more about environmentalism at the Trust, its sustainability and gardens teams were on hand to share their ongoing efforts to enhance sustainability and biodiversity across all of Shakespeare’s family homes.

To add to the atmosphere, guests could sit back on a deckchair whilst enjoying live acoustic music performed by a local band. Not only that – visitors were also treated to a special appearance from green tree stilt walkers who walked through the Great Garden.

“We have enjoyed collaborating with so many inspiring organisations and groups from across the region – a big thank you to you all. It was also brilliant to see audiences of all ages getting involved in the activities and excited to learn how they can help protect our planet.

‘’This truly was a fantastic day for everyone who joined us in celebrating all things green,” added Andrew Anderson.

More information about the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s Sustainable Shakespeare programme can be found here.