Winchcombe Green Town – Win Green Town for short (Charity number 1203637) – aims to create a better, greener future for Winchcombe in Gloucestershire. We are a community effort to tackle climate change and improve our natural environment.
We do this by engaging residents and businesses, raising awareness, initiating and encouraging actions across our town and working with other local groups to achieve common aims.
Examples / aspirations include:
- Insulation and clean energy for every home
- Electric vehicle charging points for all
- A community car club
- Rewilding and wildlife support
- Sustainable businesses
- Tree planting
- Ethical finance
- Reducing waste - reusing, repairing, recycling etc.
- Practical advice to help people work out what they can do
Win Green Town is part of the Transition Towns network to whom we are very grateful for early funding.
Win Green Town currently has six action groups:
- Transport - currently exploring a community car club for Winchcombe
- Nature First – tree planting and improving biodiversity, including the swift and hedgehog groups
- Community awareness, including collaboration with schools, youth groups and town council
- Waste not – reduce, repair, reuse, recycle etc.
- Homes & Energy – insulation and local energy solutions
- Green money Matters – use your spending power to encourage change
- Join our mailing list here
- Read our latest newsletter here
- Find us on Facebook here
- Donate to Win Green Town here
Previously:
Wildlife Photography Competition
We asked children to spend some time observing the natural world and entering a few photographs, with cash prizes and a chance to exhibit their photos for the winners. Full details of our next nature photo competition will be posted soon.
Thursday 07 March - Polinators in Peril with Victoria Logue
A fascinating talk by Victoria, beek keeper, botanist and horticulturalist, on the threatened role of polinators within our food chain, and practical planting tips to aid their survival. Held at Encounter Church, this was a popular event, and special thanks go to Victoria and to local handcrafted cider and apple juice by Bushel and Peck for providing a delicious addition to the bar.
Thursday 18 January - Jonathon Porritt
Well-known environmental campaigner and author Jonathon Porritt gave a well-attended talk about the twin crises of climate and nature that we are facing. A lively Q&A followed with everyone commenting on how much they enjoyed the session. Jonathon's balance of optimism and realism, based on many years of experience, was refreshingly honest.
Thursday 9 November - A Taste of Autumn
A talk in Winchcombe about the amazing biodiversity benefits of traditional orchards, with expert local orchardist Martin Haye; and David Lindgren from Bushel Peck. Included a demonstration of pruning techniques and a chance to taste different apples and ciders. A brilliant talk and evening attended by around 50 people.
Tuesday 7 November - Homes and Energy follow-up meeting at The White Hart
- to bring interested people together and build momentum for installing home solar panels and batteries. If you'd like a home survey for this, want to know more about Ripple Energy or are just generally interested and want to know more, please send a message via our contact form.
Sunday 16 September - Homes and Energy Workshop
Including an inspiring and informative talk by green home owner John Kime. The public were invited to discover and share ways to make their home more energy efficient - from simple money-saving tips to a possible community energy project.
Friday 14 September - Eco Film night at Postlip Hall
We organised two showings of the inspiring and hopeful eco film 2040, the first mainly for young people. Around 40 people attended in total. After the film there was time for discussion and making new connections. Very valuable.
Monday 28 August - Winchcombe Show
We had a great day - a good position right by the entrance and next to our friends at the Rotary Club book stall and Winchcombe Swift and Hedgehog Support Groups. We spoke to a lot of people: thank you everyone who took the time to stop and chat. You gave us some great new ideas and we signed up a good number of people to our email list.
Saturday 15 April 2.30 to 4pm: Hedgehog Trail around Winchcombe - starting from Abbeyfields Community Centre.
A fun activity for the family - we are organising a hedgehog trail around Winchcombe suitable for the whole family. Trail maps, refreshments and information on how to help our hedgehogs will be available at Abbeyfields Community Centre. Come and collect the trail map from Cleeve Room, Abbeyfields any time between 2.30pm and 4pm and then join us for hedgehog activities back at Cleeve Room once you have finished. Price £2 per child
Thursday 4 May, 7pm, Encounter Church, Winchcombe: Talk by Adam Henson
We enjoyed a wonderful talk from Adam Hensen about sustainability in agriculture. Adam kindly donated proceeds from his book sales to Win Green Town. Thank you also to Just In Case Gifts of Winchcombe for their help with ticket sales and generous donation.
Other recents
Thank you to everyone who turned out to plant trees in the Mill Lane / George V recreation ground recently: friends, neighbours, Town Councillors and Win Green Town members. Trees given to Nature First WGT by Glos County Council included birch, rowan, oak, alder, hornbeam and field maple.Thanks especially Ian Humphries, Dan Garner and Sara Noons GCC. More here.
Taking advantage of the closure of the road over Cleeve Hill a group of us picked around 20 large bags of litter, efficiently collected by Tewkesbury Borough Council the very next day thank you. We raised some funds for Win Green Town and Tewkesbury Green Party in the process: thank you to everyone who sponsored us. More here.
Thank you also to everyone who joined us for our talk 'Hedgehogs and Us' on Sunday 12 March. It was very well attended and Gill Kime, our local hedgehog expert, gave a fascinating talk about the life and ways we can help our spikey friends. We also raised an amazing £106 for Vale Wildlife Rescue Centre to help them in their amazing work. Thank you to everyone who came along. Photos and more info here.
Christmas fundraiser
A fundraiser was held at Winchcombe Museum which was very well attended.
Good News!
Now you can buy food that would be otherwise thrown out at greatly reduced prices
Learn more at toogoodtogo.co.uk
Win Green Town is a registered charity, Winchcombe Green Town, UK charity number 1203637