York Environment Weeks 2024: event guidelines

As you complete the form, please bear in mind the following guidelines:

Events must be ‘not-for-profit’. Organisers should fall into one of these categories:

voluntary or community organisation
registered charity
constituted group, society or club, including faith groups
not-for-profit company or community interest company
social enterprise
educational establishment
statutory body/ public sector (including city and parish councils)
political parties holding events that focus on an issue but with no party political content
Individuals, profit-making body, small business, landowner or other (please see point 3 below)

Profit-making bodies or individuals who are holding events should ensure that the events are rooted in the principles of York Environment Weeks and that all information, expertise or experience is offered for free. The events should not seek to promote the organiser’s products or services in any way.

Equality and access

All events that are part of YEWs24 must be open to all. We are especially keen that you consider how you can reach out to the widest possible audience.

It is also essential that you make every effort to make your event accessible for disabled people. For support and guidance on this, please contact the YEWs organising team at info@yorkenvironmentweek.org.uk.

Everyone organising and participating must treat everyone at the event with respect.

All events must be free to participants. You may ask participants for a one-off donation to your organisation, providing a reason for why donations help your work and what you will use them for.

York Opens Green Spaces

We are having a festival within the festival, in conjunction with York Climate Commission, called ‘York Opens Green Spaces’ (YOGS). This is for YEWs events that are connected to protecting and enhancing green spaces in York. It will be held over the weekends of 28^th/29^th September and 5^th/ 6^th October.

To be a part of this celebration:

Events must fall within the the weekends listed above and last for a minimum of four hours, though we welcome people who can open their sites for the whole of both weekends!

Events must take place in the Green Space itself, to raise public awareness of “making spaces for nature” and encourage everyone to be in nature.

Event organisers must have the authority to hold the event on the land and have the informed consent of the landowner in all cases.

YOGS event organisers must be present on site and be accessible to participants for the duration of their whole event.

Event organisers are responsible for their own bookings where these are necessary.

Events must address the issues of climate change, net zero and/or nature recovery in some way.

All event organisers will be invited to register or update their entry with WildYork.uk where appropriate.

Make it clear that their event is part of York Environment Weeks 2024 by including the YEWs24 logo and a link to our website in publicity.

Contribute to the distribution of posters and brochures and leaflets where-ever possible.

Here are the deadlines for event submissions:

Next Steps: Once you have applied we will contact you to confirm that your event will be included in the YEWs24 programme, or we may have questions about your submission. Once accepted, we will let you know our approach to publicity, monitoring and evaluation.