It’s the summer holidays and that can only mean one thing, yes it’s time for the annual fun day at Woodfield Park .

Mick Steele from the Welland Residents Association invited us to attend this annual event and, as we had enjoyed this event so much last year, we are really looking forward to pitching the PECT gazebo and spreading the eco message to the residents who attend in their thousands, well nearly, mmm.

Last year Patrick and I gave away hundreds of free Warm Homes energy packs and we found our 500th survey participant for the Seeding Sustainable Communities project that I was working on at the time. This event was a great marker for us, it led to lots of conversation based around comments such as ‘this time last year’ and it was really great to sum up all the things we have achieved over the past year. Patrick has completed hundreds of surveys and is well into the second year of his project where he helps people find their way out of fuel poverty buy offering friendly and effective energy saving advice and I was promoting the Greeniversity, Peterborough’s green skill and green experience website.
Also joining us during the year was Sophie and her Green Team who have just completed their 2,000th free eco audit. At the event Scott and Chris from the Green Team spent the day helping people to identify ways they could cut their carbon. They even persuaded me that I should make the effort and get on my bike!

We were particularly lucky that the deputy mayor Bella Saltmarsh joined us at the PECT stand, Bella has been particularly supportive of PECTs projects on her patch and we are really grateful for all her efforts. We were also grateful to the Mayor who helped us to set up the stall then stayed around for a while helping to attract attention to the PECT stand.

The event itself was fabulous. Patrick loved the huge boot sale and I got both my dogs a new teddy each. I was able to buy a big yellow sunflower for my garden and the bees pleasure and some of the most delicious peaches I’ve ever had from the fresh produce stall. I didn’t fancy wall climbing, Patrick wanted to do bungie jumping but said that he had a medical condition that prevented him from doing anything dangerous – likely story!

  Along with all those that attendedr we really did have a great time When works this good who needs Saturdays off?   

Tags: Greeniversity | Green backyard | Energy Efficiency | Warm Homes Peterborough | Patrick McLintock | Karen Lawrence

Carpet can be used for many things. Personally I think it is best for putting on the floor in rooms and walking on, but it can equally be used as mode of transport (see Disney's 'Aladdin') or to roll people up and make giant-sized sausage rolls. One thing it is not widely used for though, is as a toilet. So, when one of my flatmates found the line between toilet and carpet had become blurred in his view of the world, I decided enough was enough. Argument. Landlord. Notice. And so, this Sabbath just gone, I upped sticks and moved to my own place. I just feel sorry for the poor sod who gets stuck living with me.

Tags: Do your bit for the environment | Climate change | Green backyard | Sustainable Communities | Sam Jones

Tags: Green backyard | Green Festival

Adult Learners' Week is the UK's largest and longest running learning campaign. Held each May, it encourages thousands of adults, whatever their age and background, to give learning a go.

Greeniversity student John Garton has won the Transformation fund regional award.

John was one of the Greeniversity's earliest supporters and has become a wonderful ambassador for the project. Since joining the Greeniversity in January he has got an email address and started to use the internet at his local library of which he is now a member. John has attended Greeniversity classes such as our popular Bee Keeping class where he learnt how to become a bee keeper; he is currently planning where to put his bee hive at the Green Backyard.

In its capacity as a Greeniversity venue The Green Backyard hosted John’s extremely successful Wild Food course and it was where I met John on Tuesday to set off for the East of England Regional Award ceremony which was held at the wonderful and new Air Space Conference Centre at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambridgeshire.

John's nerves were soothed as soon as we arrived in the conference centre’s car park when a spitfire flew over head showing off with impressive loop the loops and a victory roll. John holds a keen interest in Second World War history and as an ex-forces man he immediately felt at home and like all boys with toys he was off to look at the planes.

Once John had been recovered from the museum we went off to collect his award and John, who never fails to impress, gave a wonderful acceptance speech after he received his certificate from TV news presenter Susie Fowler Watt.



Well done John we are all very proud of you and all of you’re achievements.

You can read more about John's story here at the Adult Learners web site.

Tags: Karen Lawrence | Peterborough Greeniversity | Adult Learners Week | Green backyard

Hello everyone, I’m PECT’s new Project Support Officer and this is my first blog... Please be gentle!
 

My first day with the PECT team took me from the cosy confines of the office to the great outdoors of the Green Backyard, an ever-expanding ecological allotment and training ground for people wishing to dabble in green skills. We took part in a little Guerrilla Gardening, a worldwide sunflower planting event. We removed weeds from a patch of soil, preparing it for the new life which we would sow! We also found a few bits of rubbish, such as tin cans and a spoon which were recycled. Except for the spoon, which Patrick has for some reason adopted as his mascot.

What made the event amusing was that myself and fellow starter Bacar were dressed (as you do on your first day ready to impress) in formal office gear, which wasn’t at all suited for the task at hand! It was a lot of fun, and I found it inspiring to work on a project with so many enthusiastic people. Everyone at PECT is so passionate about environmental issues, they’re great to work with (even Lisa, who insists on calling me Bob and terrorises the office).

All in all it was a fun first day. I didn’t want to go home, how sad is that?

Tags: Green backyard | Peterborough Environment Capital | Peterborough Greeniversity | Robert Gallagher | Creating the UK Environment Capital | Groovy and green

Here's an update of the courses that are taking place next week at the Greeniversity

GREEN ARMY GYM

WHEN:14th March 12-1.30pm
WHERE: The Green Backyard

Join a qualified and experienced personal trainer for a circuits session at the Green Backyard, learn how digging, hoeing and weeding can form part of your work out and find out about the nutritional benefits of growing your own.
Come prepared for an outdoor workout with sturdy footwear that may get muddy!

GROWING GROUP -SOWING SEEDS

Guest speaker Geoff Stebbings editor of‘Garden Answers’on seed sowing indoors and outside
With the opportunity to have some of your questions answered

WHEN: 16th March from 2-3.30
WHERE:Age Concern, Centre for Well-Being

This course is provided by the charity Age Concern who respecfully ask for a donation of £4.00 which includes light refreshments.This course is for people aged 50+

GLASS & CERAMIC DECORATION WRKSHOP

WHEN: 17th March,10.30 - 12.00
WHERE: Age Concern, Centre for Well-Being

Have you ever decorated glass or ceramics? Why not come and have a go, they make an ideal gift

This is an Age Concern Course with a COST £5.00 which includes one item and refreshments.This course is for people aged 50+


A WALK IN THE WOODS

WHEN: 20th March from 10am–12noon
WHERE: Meet at Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre

Join Park Rangers Gary Mason and Rachel Storey for a walk through Lynch Wood and Bluebell Wood. Learn something of the history and maintenance of these woods.

For further details and to enrol on any of these free courses go to: www.greeniversity.org.uk

Best wishes,
Greeniversity team

Tags: Green backyard | Karen Lawrence | Peterborough Greeniversity