Looking for help this year.

York Environment Forum has been looking at whether it is possible to lead a York Environment Week for 2023. On Tuesday we decided there needs to be a Core Group of at least six people. And we need to recruit this team by the end of February.

Below is information about what the Core Group tackles to organise YEW. The Core Group members are not paid for their involvement but some members may be able take on the role as part of their paid jobs. Anyone motivated to join in can put themselves forward, no need to be a member of York Environment Forum. From start to finish it takes about seven months to run YEW.

One decision the Core Group will make is about dates. Being realistic YEW23 would be in the second half of the year, and not at the same time as the Great Big Green Week in June.

If you are interested please get in touch by 28th Feb. As we need to cover the range of tasks also include a list of what skills you can offer related to the outline below.

You can also contact the Chair of York Environment Forum if you are not quite sure and would like a discussion or have a particular question.

Outline of Core Group tasks.

  • Making contact with and getting commitment from event organisers to take part. Ongoing communication with event organisers.
  • Agreeing timing and programme eg theme, logo.
  • Printed publicity and distribution, press releases and mainstream media liaison.
  • Website- update homepage up, layout updates, entering event details, blogs.
  • Social media in advance and during week.
  • Background admin – organising and chairing meetings, minuting, housekeeping the YEW emails, dealing with incoming queries from all sources, monitoring and evaluation.
  • Overall project management: keeping track, ensuring systems are set up and are functioning,  following up any issues of finance, legal compliance etc that might arise.

We have had three York Environment Weeks so far, and it would be great to have number four, but this depends on having an effective team, Hoping you can help or can find someone who can.

Many thanks,

York Environment Forum.

Reply to: info@yorkenvironmentweek.org.uk

direct email to Chair: yorkenvironmentforum@gmail.com

The YEW website is: yorkenvironmentweek.org.uk

YEW 22: One week, many strands

A Passion for the Earth was the theme of the Green Christian  event at St Luke’s in Clifton, on 10 September, preceding YEW 22 and reflecting the range of ideas and actions for people and planet that we are offering.  Billed as  ‘a day of discussion, stalls and worship to encourage our communities, build common cause for creation and inspire ambitious change’, it led to many reflections and ideas for ways forward.  Stalls on offer during the refreshment breaks were varied too: from energy and food-growing advice to global justice and fair trade.  Some of these groups will be back on Sunday 25 September at St Nicks and some will be running their own events during YEW.  It’s good to see opportunities among our events to join some dots through networking among different groups.

Similar diversity is reflected in this letter from the Climate Coalition to the new PM.  It has been signed by over 100 different organisations, urging her to ‘put the interconnected climate, nature and cost of living crises at the top of the agenda’.  It refers to a vision for ‘a country and a world where children walk to school breathing fresh air instead of dangerous fumes, and their parents think about the future with hope instead of fear.’  They say that this needs ‘brilliant engineers, builders, farmers and local people across the UK to be supported to roll out the solutions to make our homes warmer, our transport cleaner and cheaper, and to restore our natural environment.’ Signatories include faith groups, NGOs, TUs and many more – the  organisations and actions are even more varied than the participants in York Environment Week!

That said, we really have done our best to include a range of groups and activities in YEW22.  You can get stuff repaired with Repair+Share at St Thomas’s Church Hall on Lowther Street, on Saturday 24 September,  learn about climate science on different dates with Climate Fresk and about  investing for the environment on Monday 26 with YorWealth.   For energy-saving tips you can go online with Zero Carbon Yorkshire on Monday 26, or meet York Energy Advice (and  a sheep?!) in person at York Explore on Tuesday morning 10.30-1.  There are chances to learn about growing food with Edible York and protecting pollinators with Bishophillbillies.  You can also find out if trees are the new coal with Axe Drax on Monday 26, meet rebels from Extinction Rebellion on Tuesday and join an online discussion about  Climate Jobs on Thursday 29 September with York TUC.  Towards the end of the week, you’ll find eco-crafting with TCV at Wild Friday on 30 September, and urban walks to Leeman Road’s Green Spaces with YoCo on 1 October, and to Meet York’s Remarkable Trees with York Bike Belles on Sunday 2 October.  Apologies to groups left out of this selection, of course, and there is more to come because YEW is running alongside two more festivals.

You can find more walks in the Walking Festival, and some events related to the environment are happening during  the 50+ Festival.  The latter includes the York Mosque Walk and Talk event starting at 1.15 on 25 September at York Mosque on Bull Lane.  There will be a talk about Islam and pro-environmental behaviour by Water Consumption researcher and PhD candidate Lina Khattab), a walk to St Nicks Environment Centre, a panel discussion among participants from various faith groups and none, and refreshments at 3pm.  Booking is advised by email (rasha.salah.ibrahim@gmail.com).

Once more, York Environment Week has lots of different events to offer.  We have many groups in York doing our best to tackle the climate and ecological emergency so plenty to choose from. 

PRESS RELEASE: York Environment Week 2022 – this year it’s personal

This year it’s personal – York Environment Week 2022 invites the people of York to take part in action on climate change and sustainable living.

Now in its third year, York Environment Week is running from 24th September to 2nd October, and with more opportunity for in-person events this year the focus is on participation, with an exciting and engaging range of free events for everyone.

The first two editions of York Environment Week had to cope with the pandemic and as a result much of the action was online via Zoom. This year the greater freedom to run in-person events means it’s been possible to partner with a wide range of organisations across the city and create indoor and outdoor free events which showcase a variety of responses to climate change and the sustainable living.

Penny Bainbridge, chair of York Environment Forum and organiser of York Environment Week says:-

“York Environment Week each year is a celebration of working together, having the power to make a difference for the planet. We are all helping to create a safer and greener future.”

The variety of events reflects both the complex range of issues surrounding the environment, and the diverse groups within York which have developed to enable a response to them. These range from the very local and personal – how can we cook delicious meals using locally-grown food – through to national issues including the creation of climate jobs to make the changes we need to our buildings and cities. There will be events exploring how to make our homes cheaper to heat and more comfortable, looking at the natural environment, and exploring how we send a message to central government about local concerns.

The full programme is at https://yorkenvironmentweek.org.uk/events-2022/

York Environment Week organiser Phil Bixby says:-

“Ensuring a sustainable future requires action at government and council level – and we welcome the city’s work towards a climate change strategy – but it will also mean changes in our everyday lives. York Environment Week 2022 shines a light on some of these areas of change – from how we get around the city through to how we invest. The current turbulence in energy costs has put sustainability onto everyone’s agenda, and this year’s events give a chance for people to learn, to explore, to share.

There are many local groups and initiatives which have been working for years to make York a more sustainable city – York Environment Week makes that experience available to all”.

Ends

Contact for media and enquiries: info@yorkenvironmentweek.org.uk

Notes for Editors

  • York Environment Week is organised by York Environment Forum, the voice for the environment in York
  • The week will run from 24th September to 2nd October with a range of diverse events
  • All events are organised by, and the responsibility of the individual groups running them and most will require pre-booking.
  • Running alongside the nationwide Great Big Green Week means YEW will be one of many events running all over the country to raise climate awareness – info at https://greatbiggreenweek.com/