The Great Big Green Week will take place 18th – 26th September 2021, and will be the largest event for climate and nature ever seen in the UK. Thousands of events across the UK will celebrate how communities are taking action to tackle climate change and protect green spaces, and encourage others to get involved too.

Local group, Greener Henley, has organised a number of events that will be taking place in Henley throughout the week.

Forty-four shops, cafés and other businesses have signed up to put a display in their windows. Each one will have a photograph of a vanishing species to make a “trail” for families to follow. You too can download a poster, colour it in and put it in your window to show that you care about climate action.

Some restaurants, cafés and pubs will put on special menus to include local produce and sustainable food and may offer more vegetarian and vegan options.

Greener Henley will have stalls and activities in Market Place offering advice about trees, wildlife and the town’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Fairtrade, Henley Rotary Club and Sonning Common Green Gym will also have stalls. 10am-4pm

Andrew Hawkins, the town’s tree warden, and Sally Rankin, of Henley Wildlife Group, will lead a tree walk around Gillotts Corner Field from 10am to noon and from 9.30am to 10.30am, Sarah Cook will lead a guided cycle ride around Henley.

Henley Quakers will mark International Day for Peace with a quiet walk. This will start at Friends Meeting House in Northfield End at 10.30am and go to the peace tree in Mill Meadows in front of the River & Rowing Museum.

Another walk is being organised on the same morning by Walkers are Welcome Henley. This will focus on picking up litter in the countryside. To take part, email Peter Stone on petercstone99@aol.com.

The first of two special documentaries at the Regal Picturehouse – ESCAPE FROM EXTINCTION: narrated by Dame Helen Mirren, provides a rare glimpse into the lives of endangered animals across seven of Earth’s continents 6.00pm

South Oxfordshire District Council will stage the Henley Eco Business Fair on local sustainable businesses in the town hall 10am-3pm.

Sally Rankin will lead wildlife working party at Holy Trinity Churchyard at 9.30am. To take part, email her on s.rankin@btinternet.com

Sarah Cook will stage another guided cycle ride around Henley from 9.30am to 10.30am. There will also be a bird walk led by Alan Parfitt in the morning.

Walkers are Welcome Henley will be inviting people to join a two-mile morning walk discovering the footpaths within Henley. For the time and meeting point, email
petercstone99@aol.com

Henley’s Great Big Green Bazaar showcasing all the things that Greener Henley are doing and featuring Clean Air for Henley, Henley Car Club and the town’s climate emergency working group. Professor Richard Fortey will be on hand to help people identify fungi. Other groups present will be Fairtrade, Sonning Common Green Gym, Henley Ramblers, Greenshoots with their produce and Henley Quakers. There will also be a display of environmental artwork produced by the Henley Manor care home and Harpsden Pre-School, among others. Market Place, Henley 10am-4pm

The second of two special documentaries at the Regal Picturehouse – Anthropocene: The Human Epoch: portrays the processes dominating and repurposing the earth for the material gains of humanity 1.30pm

Big Green Week River Clean at Val Wyatt Marina in Wargrave with Warriors on Waste and Planet Patrol 1.30-3.00pm

For more information on any of the events above, email greenerhenley@gmail.com