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FARRINGTON GREEN

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April 2025

Pollinator Party Report

New Local Events

Fashion Show

The Spring Pollinator Party kicked off with a fantastic fashion show, all with pre-loved clothing. Why? Because the fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, producing more carbon emissions than the airline industry. The UK alone sends 300,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill every year….

Solution? Don’t buy new, buy pre-loved clothes—and use your creativity to express yourself. That’s what the Village Hall saw as men and women, mums, dads and kids showed off dazzling clothing combinations drawn from local charity shops. If ever you needed convincing that you can look great without spending a fortune or harming the planet, this was your chance! With huge thanks to Sarah Mowat and Ann Morgan for organizing—and to the beautiful and brave models of Farrington Gurney!

There was tons for kids too! A whole host of helpers showed them how to make butterflies that could flap their wings or poppies for the forthcoming VE day celebrations. Lots of butterfly feeders were made and decorated too, along with birdfeeders and bug boxes , making Farrington Gurney a highly hospitable home for bugs and bees and butterflies.

Butterflies and Moths

The Big Butterfly Count in 2024 showed that the UK population of butterflies and moths had declined by almost 50%, causing the Butterfly Conservancy to declare an emergency. This is terrible, not just because we miss their beauty but because butterflies and moths are key indicator species: when they flourish, we know nature is in good shape. When they don’t, we know it isn’t.

Although most of us have a largely negative attitude towards moths, Higgy’s talk made a compelling argument for their important benefits: they are vital pollinators, a food source for young chicks and a vital warning sign of ecological harm. Most are entirely harmless.

TAKE THE PULSE OF NATURE: If you want to take part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count, it will run 18 July to 10 August at Westbury Beacon, one of the few places on the Mendips where Chalk Hill Blue and Wall Blue survive.

Forging Connections

One of our ambitions for Farrington Green is to connect with neighbouring communities, learn from their action on climate and share our learning too. So it was great to welcome Sue Palmer and Jill Philips, from Edventure Frome who talked about their initiatives over the next few months:

These include a clothes mending and fabric reuse workshop (stitch it, don’t ditch it!) a guided birdsong walk on May 4 and on June 13 talks, haberdashery and textile swaps hosted by Everyone Needs Pockets – all welcome! Bigger communities than our own can often do things that small villages can’t – so go enjoy them as they enjoy ours! Thanks to Joanne Nineham for reaching out to our friends in Frome.

Carbon Footprints

Pete Dyson from the University of Bath’s Institute for Sustainability and Climate Change came to demystify the idea of carbon footprints. These measure the carbon emissions of a geographical area and the carbon emissions of lifestyle choices: travel, consumption, energy usage. About a third of our community’s carbon emissions come from the latter.

Our emissions are somewhat larger than the regional and national levels. Why? Because we have a very high level of car commuting and our housing tends to be bigger, the carbon footprint of cities tends to be lower than in rural areas like ours.

How can we lower our carbon footprint?

ENERGY: Switch to renewables and store excess energy with batteries. Insulate.

TRANSPORT: Use public transport, where available and reliable. (A sore point!)

Shift to electric cars whose total emissions are at least 1/3 of petrol cars. Reduce flying.

FOOD: Reduce meat and dairy consumption. Protect and promote biodiversity.

CONSUMPTION: Buy less. Re-use and repair more. Use the village larder!

City to Sea

George Clark came from City to Sea, based in Bristol, to talk about his organization’s attempts to get plastics out of the oceans by working with companies to make their packaging from sustainable sources. Recycling has its uses, but we would all do better not to have recycle at all. Their website is packed with tips for living—imagine!—plastic free! Their motto: rethink, refuse, reduce and reuse.

Thanks to the Women Out Walking, to Mark Price and Karen Perkins for dishing out food and drink, the Primary School who supplied so many gorgeous posters to advertise the event, plus a host of supporters and advisors who support us and to Boningales Nursery for a splendid discount on the 450 plants that were given away to make Farrington Green.

What Else is Happening?

On VE Day, the Memorial Hall will get its own VE Day Memorial, which is a bench and some glorious planting spearheaded by Sara Price, with the support of the Hall committee and the Parish Council. It is part of a steady increase in beautiful pollinator-friendly planting all over the village. And a great demonstration of how we work together to make Farrington green.

And in order that the village VE celebrations look their absolutely MOST beautiful—come and join our LITTER PICK ON MAY 4 at 9am. Meet at Farrington’s Cafe who generously provide a hot drink and cakes for all avid pickers—so bring friends and family and keep Farrington clean!

ELSEWHERE

· In Wells, on April 29, our friends at Sustainable Wells have organized a presentation by David Sawtell and Dr Richard Lawson about the parlous state of the river Avon in particular and Wessex Water in general. Come to the Lawrence Centre (by the car park) for 7pm. Refreshments available and no charge but donations welcome.

· IN BRISTOL: Avon Wildlife Trust is running a course for people wanting to start a new wildlife gardening or food growing project. Learn about ecology for food growers, soil health, vegetable production planning, water systems, food and seed sovereignty, therapeutic horticulture and volunteer management. Where: Grow Wilder, BS16 1EL
When: Fridays, 6 June - 25 July.