Great Big Green Week 2025
7th - 15th June 2025
Did you know that it’s Great Big Green Week coming up?!
The Great Big Green Week (GBGW) is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. This June, people across the country come together to take positive action with their communities; hosting events and activities to inspire others to step up for climate, nature and people, and call on decision makers to create a safer, greener future. Communities will be organising bake sales to bush craft, festivals to football matches, and everything in between!
There will be all sorts of activities and events taking place all week throughout our hometown of Bovey Tracey. Find out how we’ll be celebrating at MAKE Southwest as part of our Green Maker Initiative…
During the week at MAKE Southwest
Tuesday 10th June, 10.30am - 1.30pm | Darn Your Clothes: Introduction to Darning
Workshop Space (first floor) | £5
Bring along an item of knitwear to repair with Molly Rooke of Darn Good Studio.
Whether that be a sock with a hole, a jumper with a worn elbow or a snagged cuff, learn the basics of darning that can be used time and time again on your favourite knits.
We’ll be focussing on visible mending and celebrating our repairs using second-hand yarns from Molly’s collection of sourced materials.
Thursday 12th June, 10am - 4pm | GMI Materials Swap Shop
Courtyard | FREE
Our Green Maker Initiative’s Materials Exchange will be open for the day for you to bring along unwanted materials and take donated materials you might find useful.
Don’t have anything to swap? Come along anyway and have look, we’ve got lots of materials that could do with a new home!
Please note: all materials are encouraged and welcome, however the majority of the materials in our existing collection are textiles.
Friday 13th June, 10.30am - 1.30pm | Weave a Willow Bird House
Workshop Space (first floor) | £15
Join MAKE Southwest Maker Member, Vivienne Turner, to weave a beautiful bird house from locally grown willow.
Over a pre-prepared moss covered frame, you’ll random weave willow to make a round bird house for nesting birds.
These houses are ideal for Blue Tits, Robins and Wrens to raise their young in the Spring and also shelter during the cold winter months. The woven exterior also creates a perfect environment for insects!
All tools and materials provided.
The Great Big Green Fun Day
Saturday 14th June, 10am - 4pm | Mill Marsh Park
Make Your Own Sockist | 10am - 4pm (drop-in) | FREE
The Sockists Project is here to help you have some fun transforming old socks into your own little eco-activist!
Dig out your old socks and prevent them going to landfill. No previous making experience is needed – just some time, a little patience and some simple hand stitching. Make them for friends and family for the ultimate environmentally friendly present, or keep them for yourself to help keep the climate crisis at the forefront of your mind.
All materials provided (sourced from Plymouth Scrapstore) and socks will be available if you haven’t got your own.
It’s a calm and unhurried session so if you don’t quite finish your Sockist in the session, the instruction sheet will help you to do so at home.
If you want to send messages urging those in power to do more about climate change and the loss of nature, there will be lots of Sockists waiting to record your message on the Sockists’ Soapbox.
A MAKE Southwest Workshop
Don’t forget to post pictures of your completed Sockist on social media with #thesockistsproject
This workshop is free and doesn’t require any booking.
Under 16s should be accompanied by an adult.
Great Big Green Fun Day. Free event with information, fun for all the family and activities associated with Climate change and Nature awareness. There will also be a programme of music form local a school choir, folk orchestra, a Bovey community singing group and a Climate Choir, who will also being doing a workshop. Find out more on the dedicated Facebook page, HERE.
What else is on in Bovey Tracey during GBGW
Keep an eye out for other activities happening with other community groups and organisations during the Great Big Green Week…
Climate Friendly Cafe at Bovey Tracey Youth Cafe [open 10am - 4pm daily]
Sustainable gardening tips at National Trust Parke’s walled garden [all week]
Promise tree - make your pledge to nature [all week]
Gaia Flyers jazz performance at Dartmoor Whiskey Distillery [Tue 10 June, 6.30pm]
Eco poetry: a great big green poetry reading at First Draft Books [Wed 11 June, 7pm]
Clothes swap promoted by Evolve [Fore Street]
Eco poetry workshop for adults [Thu 12 June, 10.20am - 12pm]
Tool repair skill sharing at National Trust Parke’s walled garden [Thu 12 June]
Great Big Green Read with international speaker, Prof. Peter Stott MBE at Wickham Hall [Thu 12, 6.30pm]
Bat Safari at National Trust Parke led by Bovey Bat Group [Thu 12 June, 9.30pm - 11pm]
Wilding Film Screening at Wickham Hall [Fri 13 June]
Green Gallery - children’s workshop & exhibition of art at Paradiso [Sat 14 June, 10.30am - 4pm]
Great Big Green Fun Day at Mill Marsh Park [Sat 14 June, 10am - 4pm]
Green Gallery - exhibition of children’s work at Paradiso [Sun 15 June, 10.30am - 2pm]
Community Conservation drop-in at National Trust Parke [Sun 15 June, 10.30am - 3.30pm]
Bovey’s own Great Big Green Week logo designed and generously supplied by Sarah McIntyre
