Past Events
Thursday 29th July: EDIBLE YORK at ST NICKS AGM
7:15 - 8:30/ 9:30pm at York Environment Centre
Come hear about the Edible York initiative, followed by Friends of St Nicholas Fields Annual General Meeting.
- 7:15pm – Refreshments
- 7:30pm – Guest speaker - Elizabeth Freeman from Edible York will be talking about the aims and objectives of the initiative, and how it links with the council and other groups such as York in Transition. She will also present results of their work so far, including the first public fruit and veg bed near the Barbican Centre.
- 8:30pm – Annual General Meeting with a review of the year’s activities and events and the election of the management committee and officers. New members welcome!
Saturday 24th July: BUTTERFLY WALK
starts 10am from York Environment Centre
Join local butterflfly expert, Tony Fairburn, on a walk through the nature reserve. Around a half of the 50 UK species of butterflflies have been recorded on St Nicholas Fields. If possible, please book ahead.
Admission: £2.50 adults/ £1.50 children (free to Friends of St Nicholas Fields)
Thursday 22nd July: BE A ROTTEN VOLUNTEER
7-9:30pm at York Environment Centre
Join our jolly Rotters lot - come to this free training session to learn how to compost and spread the word. You will meet new people and have fun along the way. For more info & booking contact Catherine on 01904 412861.
Wednesday 21st July: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - mowing & raking
10am-4pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with the task in the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 17th July: MENDING, HANDCRAFTS & BIKE MAINTENANCE skill share
10am-1pm at York Environment Centre
Join sewing, mending, knitting & crochet workshop with Lynn Turner of York LETS. Please bring, if you can, balls of wool, bits of material, old umbrellas, lace, broderie anglaise, trims, etc. Plus your bike if it needs mending. Also Anna Semlyen will show you how to complete a simple one page form to apply for Ward Funding for anything with a community benefit. This event is organised by York in Transition.
Wednesday 14th July: SCYTHING COURSE
9.30am - 4pm, meet at York Environment Centre
We are very lucky to have Ray Lister, former British scything champion, to deliver a scything workshop. Come along to learn the skills and techniques of how to use the Austrian scythe. This lighter, versatile tool can make short work of cutting around your orchard, meadow, garden and even cutting the lawn. Scything is also a fantastic tool for getting rid of Himalayan Balsam and up to one year saplings. This is not hard work when you have the technique and good exercise as well as carbon neutral. The workshop covers setting up your scythe, different techniques, sharpening and maintenance of the tool. Use the scythed grass for mulching and making hayracks, which will be demonstrated. All equipment provided. Please bring your own lunch. Limited spaces available so please book ahead on 01904 411821.
Cost: £50
Saturday 3rd July: CAMERA CLUB
2-4pm at York Environment Centre
Join our friendly informal group if you would like to improve your photography skills and help us record life on St Nicholas Fields. For more information please contact Ivana at the Environment Centre.
Saturday 3rd July: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - balsam bashing
10am-1pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with the task in the nature reserve - Himalayan Balsam is an innocent looking but very invasive plant which we need to keep in check. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 19th June: TREE & WILDFLOWER WALK
2-4pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Join Judith Ward on a guided walk through St Nicholas Fields Local Nature Reserve, looking at the wonderful range of trees and wildflowers growing here. Please book ahead.
Admission: £2.50 adults/ £1.50 children (free to Friends of St Nicholas Fields - you can join on the day)
Saturday 19th June: FOOD CO-OPs & CHICKENS
10am-1pm at York Environment Centre
Learn about the Soil Association, how its York branch supports local farmers through its food co-ops and how you could benefit from joining. There will also be advice on keeping chickens in urban gardens and other food projects such as a potential central York Country Markets group. Lunch will be provided. Please book ahead on 01904 411821.
Wednesday 16th June: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - balsam bashing
10am-4pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with the task in the nature reserve - Himalayan Balsam is an innocent looking but very invasive plant which we need to keep in check. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 12th June: GIVE OR TAKE DAY (aka Junk Swap)
1-4pm at York Environment Centre
Join the annual recycling extravaganza – a chance to get rid of stuff and pick up something you do want. You can also have some drumming fun with Steve Hill of Daftasadrum, and there will be children’s activities, displays and refreshments.
What can you give/swap? Household and garden items like books, toys, bikes and bike parts, tools, kitchenware, paint (re-usable), bric-a-brac, plants, clothes, furniture.
Please do not give: electrical items; hazardous or toxic items; chairs, sofas or beds without fire safety labels.
Saturday 5th June: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - task to be confirmed
10am-1pm meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with the task in the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 22nd May: BIRD WALK
start 10am from York Environment Centre
Join local ornithologist David Campbell on a walk through the nature reserve. Please bring binoculars if you have them and book ahead.
Admission: £2.50 adults/ £1.50 children (free to Friends of St Nicholas Fields)
Wednesday 19th May: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - task to be confirmed
10am-4pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with a task in the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 15th May: CARBON REDUCTION ECOCELL course with Peter Redwood
11am-12 at York Environment Centre
Get a flavour of this practical flexible modular course (available on a CD) on everyday environmental issues and how to downsize and live a lower carbon lifestyle. Focus is on reducing waste. Originally produced for Christian Ecology Link (non-denominational and working with all religions - Jewish, Moslem etc) on environmental issues. All welcome. Followed by a tour of St Nicholas Fields and York In Transition Events planning over a shared lunch. No need to book.
Saturday 8th May: 10th ANNIVERSARY OF YORK ENVIRONMENT CENTRE
11am-4pm at York Environment Centre
Come and celebrate our 10th birthday with us! Join us for any or all of the following:
- 11am - 12 noon celebration with birthday cake and speeches including the former Environment Minister Chris Mullin
- 12-1pm lunch and exhibition about the first ten years of the Centre and a peek at what the next ten may bring
- 1-4pm stalls of local groups, children's activities and speakers on: green building - at 1pm, Phil Bixby of Constructive Individuals; eco-refurbishment - at 2:15pm, Nick Parsons of South Yorkshire Energy Centre; and Green Streets - at 3:30pm Kate Lock, local author involved with the project.
Saturday 8th May: COMPOST! THE MINI-MUSICAL
2pm at York Environment Centre
It's Compost Awareness Week 2010 - Come and enjoy this little "composition about decomposition". Heworth Cubs will be performing the musical, written by local poet Anneliese Emans Deans, as part of the Environment Centre's 10th Birthday celebrations.
Thursday 6th May: COMPOST INFO STALL
2-7:30pm at Morrisons, Foss Island Road
It's Compost Awareness Week 2010 - Come and visit York Rotters' stand at Morrisons, Foss Islands Road and find out more about composting and the Council's new home compost bin offer. Bring your wage slip with you too and enter Minster FM's 'Double your Pay in May' competition.
Wednesday 5th May: USING HOME COMPOST to grow your own in a small space
7-9pm at York Environment Centre
It's Compost Awareness Week 2010 - This talk on how to use home-made compost is from Sandra Geere, local gardening expert from the Local Link. Please book ahead with York Rotters Officer, Catherine Bamford.
Tuesday 4th May: HOW TO COMPOST TRAINING
7-9pm at York Environment Centre
It's Compost Awareness Week 2010 - Find out how easy it is to make your own compost. Please book ahead with York Rotters Officer, Catherine Bamford.
Sunday 2nd May: COMPOST INFO STALL
11am-3pm at Deans Garden Centre, Stockton On The Forest
It's Compost Awareness Week 2010 - Pop along to the garden centre for free friendly home composting advice from York Rotters volunteers.
Sunday 2nd May: COMPOST GIVEAWAY
9:30am-2:30pm at Harewood Whin site in Rufforth
It's Compost Awareness Week 2010 - City of York Council is giving away free compost from the Yorwaste site at Harewood Whin in Rufforth. Bring your bags/ containers to fill up with compost made from York households' garden waste.
Saturday 1st May: CANCELLED - ECO-ACTIVE DAY
We've decided to relax over the bank holiday weekend so that we can better focus on the 10th birthday celebrations on Saturday 8th May. We'll need many hands on the day so if you can help us make the big event run smoothly, please get in touch.
Saturday 1st May: WORMCHARMING
2pm meet at York Environment Centre
It's Compost Awareness Week 2010 - Come along and take part in York Rotters' annual competition. The team charming the most worms will win a wormery. Plots will be allocated on a first come first served basis so please arrive early.
Saturday 1st May: CANCELLED - CAMERA CLUB
Instead of meeting on the first Saturday of the month as usual, the Camera Club will meet on Saturday 8th May to document the 10th birthday celebrations of the Environment Centre. Join in!
Wednesday 21st April: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - footpath building
10am-4pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with a task in the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 17th April: CEILIDH DANCE & Transition film
7.30-11.30pm at Priory Street Centre
St Nicks will be having a stall at this fun event at Priory Street Centre - we hope you'll join us for a dance (or the film and a natter)! Ceilidh band Pugwash Convention will be playing live music and a caller will guide you through the dances. If you are not into dancing, come along anyway - there will be 'In Transition' film, many stalls of local green groups, raffle and light refreshments.
Tickets: £3 concessions or in advance /£4 on the door. Bring your own booze. Advance tickets available from Anna Semlyen on 01904 654355, anna[at]yogainyork.co.uk or from Ivana at the Environment Centre.
Saturday 10th April: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - task to be confirmed
10am-1pm meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with a task in the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 20th March: SEEDS & SEEDLINGS SWAP & gardening tips
10am-1pm at York Environment Centre
Bring along your spare seed packets and seedlings or just yourself. There will also be gardening tips, information on plants postcode database and nitrogen-fixing native plants, plus refreshments. The day will culminate with Chris Chidlow’s introductory talk on permaculture at 12 noon. Entry £1
Wednesday 17th March: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - Buddleia coppicing
10am-4pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with the task in the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 13th March: BIRDS & SPRINGTIME - storytelling and eco-crafts
2–3:30pm at York Environment Centre
Come to our storytelling and eco-crafts session on the theme of “Birds and Springtime”. All welcome, especially 3-8 year olds (all children must be accompanied by an adult). Dress for the weather as some time will be spent on the nature reserve. Tea, coffee and cake provided.
Admission: £1 per family
Saturday 6th March: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - Buddleia coppicing
10am-1pm meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with the task in the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Friday 26th February: ENERGY AUDITING FOR COMMUNITY BUILDINGS
9.45 for 10am start - 4.30pm at York Environment Centre
Almost all community buildings could be made more comfortable for the users while cutting their energy bills, if the right energy efficiency measures are employed. This one day free course, delivered by the Energy Saving Trust, will show you how to carry out a basic energy audit of a community building. It includes monitoring of energy consumption, identifying potential savings that could be made through the introduction of energy efficiency improvements and a summary of renewable energy options. Free booking includes a free lunch. Places are limited, so early booking is advisable. Please contact Ivana at the Centre for more information and bookings.
Saturday 20th February: BEE INFO DAY & beehive making
10am-1pm at York Environment Centre
One third of all our food depends on bees but they have been disappearing. Come and help make a simple bee hive, enjoy honey tastings, watch films and learn how you can help bees in your garden or even a windowsill. There will be advice available from the National Bee Unit and York in Transition stall. Free admission, donations welcome
Wednesday 17th February: ECO-ACTIVE DAY - Buddleia coppicing
10am-4pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Come help us with the task in the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Eco-Active Day is a great opportunity to be doing something useful outdoors, get lots of fresh air, maybe learn a new skill, get fit, meet like-minded people and drink cups of tea!
Saturday 6th February: MAKE THE MOST OF YORTIME! FAMILY FUN DAY (includes Eco-Active Day & Camera Club)
10am-4pm at York Environment Centre
There will be two Eco-Active sessions on this day so you can come to one or both to help us clean up the nature reserve. You will get a warm feeling and free lunch in return. Besides free refreshments and information stalls, fun day activities include:
- 10am-12.30 Eco-active Day session 1
- 10-11.30am Storytelling and ecocrafts
- 10-11am Wildlife Walk 1
- 11.30am-12.30 Wildlife Walk 2
- 12.30-1.30pm Lunch
- 1.30-4pm Eco-active Day session 2
- 2-4pm Camera Club - bring your camera and learn about some wildlife photography basics
Saturday 30th January: BIG GARDEN WATCH
10:30 am - 12 noon at York Environment Centre
We will be taking part in the RSPB’s ‘Big Garden Birdwatch’ – and we need your help! For one hour we will record all the birds who visit the Environment Centre Garden, and also take a walk around the nature reserve and see who else we can find! The cold weather has brought in species not usually seen in urban areas in the search for food, so we hope this’ll be a really interesting hour. As well as contributing to RSPB’s data on urban birdlife in the UK, this session will an opportunity for people interested in forming a regular Wildlife Watch group to meet and make future plans. Cups of tea available throughout, and soup will be served at 12 – donations gratefully received!
Thursday 21st January: ST NICKS STORYTELLERS' FIRST MEETING
10:30am at the Environment Centre
- Do you believe stories can inspire positive action and change?
- Would you like to be part of an environmental storytelling and crafts group?
- Do you want to engage children and adults alike in some of the most important issues of our time?
We are looking for volunteers to help form the St Nicholas Fields Storytellers group, who will run monthly sessions at the York Environment Centre and on the Local Nature Reserve. We hope to bring in parents and children from the local community one Saturday a month to hear stories, explore the reserve and get creative and crafty with nature!
If this sounds like something you’d like to be involved in, please come to our first planning meeting – all welcome. No experience necessary – just bring your ideas and creativity! For more info please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator Ellie.
Wednesday 28th October: PUMPKIN EVENING
5:30-7pm at York Environment Centre
Come for an evening packed full of all things pumpkin: Giant Pumpkin competition - bring yours along if you've grown a big one, pumpkin carving competition - just bring along a pumpkin to carve, and pumpkin refreshments - soup and muffins. Join us for the food and fun!
Saturday 17th October: 'HOW TO COMPOST' TRAINING
12-2pm at York Environment Centre
Be amazed at the wide variety of waste which you can turn into fantastic compost—and you don’t even need a garden to do it. The course will cover how to start composting, what you can and can’t compost and how to compost cooked food waste. Please contact York Rotters for more info & booking.
Course fee: it's free
Saturday 17th October: REDUCING FOOD WASTE training
10-11:30am at York Environment Centre
Around one third of all food bought ends up being thrown away, much of which is still edible, costing the average family approximately £420. As well as showing people how to reduce the amount of waste they produce the course will also show people how to dispose of any food waste in an environmentally friendly way. Please book ahead.
Course fee: it's free
Thursday 15th October: FOOD DILEMMAS
meet 6:30pm for 7pm start - 9pm at York Environment Centre
Permaculture Association’s free workshop which introduces permaculture thinking. If you are concerned about food security and wondering what you can do about responding to climate change, come and explore positive solutions for a life with enjoyable abundant food. Booking is essential: please contact Suzi High on suzi_cherrytree[at]yahoo.com or 0777 6253743
Saturday 10th October: APPLE DAY
1-4pm at York Environment Centre
Join our annual celebration of everything apple. There will be apple juicing, juggling, craft activities and Apple Olympics for children. Enter your favourite apple recipe into our Apple Pudding Competition and test your dexterity in the Longest Apple Peel contest. Find out about cider making, using apples in the kitchen and other apple facts. There will also be Yorkshire Orchards stall selling their produce and offering samples of dozens of different apple varietes; and much more.
Saturday 26th September: SEEING GREEN SPONSORED WALK
start 10am or 12 noon
Help raise funds for this year’s ‘Seeing Green’ Community Arts Project with a short walk around St Nicholas Fields. The funds will help provide art based learning and volunteering opportunities for people who have suffered mental health distress. A series of visual arts workshops will run throughout November and December and artworks created in response to York's beautiful green spaces will be exhibited and then auctioned on Residents First Weekend January 2010 at Priory Street Centre to raise further funds for the project. Seeing Green 2009 is a partnership project between Arts Action York, York CVS, Friends of St Nicholas Fields, York & District Mind and CYC/PCT Recovery Services.
For more info and sponsor forms: contact Vanessa Langford on tel. 01904 554617 or 07747 020251, Vanessa.Langford[at]york.gov.uk
Saturday 19th September: FOOD FOR FREE WALK
starts 2pm from York Environment Centre
Come on a walk with Clair Suddaby, CYC Community Leisure Ranger, and learn about wild plants you can use in the kitchen. This event is free but please book ahead.
Saturday 12th September: ECO REFURBISHMENT
9.30am-5pm at York Environment Centre
The vast majority of us will never design and build our own new eco-homes, yet our existing houses can make a massive contribution to our carbon footprint and wider environmental impact. This course covers ecological improvements to existing buildings, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, water re-use and conservation, healthy buildings and hazardous building materials. Tutor: Nick Parsons. Limited places available so please book early.
Course fee: £40 (£30 non waged)
Wednesday 9th September: WILDLIFE WATCH GROUP MEETING
4:30-5:30pm at York Environment Centre
Come to the initial meeting of our new wildlife watch group which will help us regularly monitor the wildlife on St Nicholas Fields. If you are interested in improving your wildlife ID skills and attending monthly socialising meetings with guest speakers, please get in touch with our Volunteer Co-ordinator. If you cannot make this meeting, please still get in touch.
Sunday 6th September: YORK GREEN FESTIVAL
11am-5pm at ROWNTREE PARK
We'll be having a joint Friends' and York Rotters' stall at the festival which promises to be even better than last year. The highlights include Seize the Day as the headline act on the main music stage, solar cinema, bike powered racing, a number of interesting stalls and workshops. The festival will also be the first outing for our mobile solar water heating unit so come check it out if you haven't seen it yet or need to wash your hands after some yummy food from one of the festival food stalls. For more details see: www.yorkgreenfestival.org.uk
Wednesday 26th August: POND DIPPING
start 6:30pm at York Environment Centre
Join local expert Martin Hammond for a pond dipping session. He will tell you about the creatures we'll find, show you some exciting ones from elsewhere and answer your questions about how to manage a pond for wildlife.
Saturday 18th July: SELF BUILD WITH TIMBER
9.30am-5pm at York Environment Centre
What is Walter Segal Timber Frame building? This introductory course will explain the background to this method and the practicalities of constructing and erecting simple frames for a garden shed or summer house. Nick Parsons from the award-winning South Yorkshire Energy Centre, is the tutor. Limited places available so please book early.
Course fee: £60 (£40 non waged)
Saturday 4th July: BIG BUG HUNT
10:30am-2:00pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Led by a skillful team and armed with ID guides, we’ll be searching in the undergrowth for our creepy crawly friends. At 2pm we will have a well deserved picnic to chat about all our discoveries. Please bring along some lunch and wear sturdy footwear, long sleeves and trousers. (After that some of us may like to go on to Museum Gardens to continue with bug-related activities at the Insect Festival.) Our event is free but if possible, please book ahead. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Wednesday 24th June: WILDFLOWER WALK
start 6pm from York Environment Centre
Always wanted to know what that little flower was called? Join our local expert Martin Hammond who will tell you. If possible, please book ahead.
Admission: £2.50 adults/ £1.50 children (free to Friends of St Nicholas Fields)
Tuesday 2nd June: BAT WALK
8:30-10:30pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Join our resident bat man Roger Curtis for an evening walk round the nature reserve looking and listening out for bats. Bat detectors provided. Please book ahead.
Admission: £2.50 adults/ £1.50 children (free to Friends of St Nicholas Fields)
Tuesday 2nd June: VOLUNTEERING TASTER
11am-1pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Come find out what it takes to volunteer at St Nicks, and enjoy a picnic and outdoor games. Whether you fancy giving volunteering a go or you volunteer already, just pop along. You will meet new people, help the environment, get fit and have a great time all at once!
Saturday 9th May: WORM CHARMING COMPETITION
2- 3:15pm at Creepy Crawlies (Wigginton Road)
It's Compost Awareness Week! Come along and take part in our friendly competition for all the family. Encourage worms to the soil surface using a variety of techniques such as drumming, watering and using garden forks. Equipment will be provided and a Mini Wormery will be awarded to the team charming the most worms to the surface. Places are limited so prebooking is advised. York Rotters will be on hand to answer any composting queries. Please contact York Rotters for more info & booking.
Thursday 7th May: COMPOST CLINIC
10am – 2pm at Lakeland (on High Ousegate)
It's Compost Awareness Week! York Rotters will be in store to answer any composting queries.
Wednesday 6th May: ‘USING YOUR COMPOST TO GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES’ TRAINING
7-8pm at York Environment Centre
It's Compost Awareness Week! The course will cover how you can grow your own vegetables using your own homemade compost. Please contact York Rotters for more info & booking.
Sunday 3rd May: ANNUAL WORM CHARMING COMPETITION
11-12:30 at Rowntree's Park
It's Compost Awareness Week! Come along and take part in York Rotters' friendly competition for all the family. Encourage worms to the soil surface using a variety of techniques such as drumming, watering and using garden forks. Equipment will be provided and a Junior Wormery will be awarded to the team charming the most worms to the surface. Places are limited so prebooking is advised. Please contact York Rotters for more info & booking.
Saturday 2nd May: BIRD WALK
start 10am at York Environment Centre
Come join local ornithologist David Campbell on a walk through the nature reserve. Please bring binoculars if you have them. There are limited places on this walk so please book ahead.
Admission: £2.50 adults/ £1.50 children (free to Friends of St Nicholas Fields)
Saturday 2nd May: HAXBY AND WIGGINTON SCARECROW FESTIVAL
Saturday 2nd – Monday 4th May, around Haxby and Wigginton
It's Compost Awareness Week! Little Rotters, a group of children involved with York Rotters, have made a York Rotters scarecrow which is being displayed as part of the Scarecrow Festival. Follow the trails through the villages and answer the clues relating to each scarecrow. Prizes will be given for the most correct answers to each trail and the most popular scarecrows. Trails will be sold for £1 at Haxby Methodist Church from 10.30-4.30pm with the scarecrows being displayed until dusk.
Saturday 21st March: COMMUNITY HORTICULTURE & GROWING IN SMALL SPACES WORKSHOPS
10am-1pm & 2-4pm at York Environment Centre
10am-1pm Community Horticulture Workshop with Simon Cross from Northdale Horticulture
Television gardener, Simon Cross, will illustrate the benefits of community horticulture and indicate how a community or individual might plan, fund and implement a community horticultural project. He will discuss and illustrate a range of community horticulture projects both past and present and cover topics such as: community orcharding, community composting, shared allotments, street gardening, garden competitions/open gardens.
2pm-4pm Growing in Small Spaces with experienced local organic gardener, Jane Thurlow
Jane, who is co-founder of the York Organic Gardeners Association, will give a brief introduction to growing vegetables and fruit in a backyard or small space. Even if you only have a small patio, balcony or just a windowsill you can grow a bountiful crop of fruit and veg. Jane will run through the basics to get you started.
Please remember to bring your own lunch. There will be a break between the workshops for you to have your lunch and share your gardening ‘tips and topics’.
The workshops are free but places are LIMITED so early booking is essential. You can book on one or both on: 01904 411821
Saturday 28th February: 5TH BIRTHDAY & TREE TRAIL LAUNCH
12noon - 2:30pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Join our celebration of the 5th anniversary of St Nicholas Fields being designated a Local Nature Reserve. There will be an exhibition on the transformation from a rubbish tip into green haven, launch of the St Nicks Tree Trail with a guided walk, and you may get to have some birthday cake.
Saturday 14th February: CLOTHES SWAP
2-4pm at York Environment Centre
The Environment Centre is happy to host a York in Transition's event - a clothes swap for all. Please bring clean children's, women's or men's clothes to swap with others.
Saturday 31st January: SEEING GREEN ARTS AUCTION
starts 3:30pm at Priory Street Centre (doors open 12 noon)
Buy original artwork inspired by nature and benefit St Nicholas Fields at the same time. The Seeing Green Community Arts Project took place throughout this winter. 25 workshops in 5 different visual arts media gave people of all ages and abilities an opportunity to learn new creative skills and volunteer to make artworks for sale. The proceeds of the auction will help us provide positive activities for young people and increase awareness of green issues. You are warmly welcomed to come see the exhibition of artworks from noon and take part in the auction from 3:30pm at the Priory Street Centre. There will be light refreshments.
Saturday 6th December: FUNGI WALK
starts 1:30pm at the Centre
Come join Findlay Cook on a hunt for autumn fungi. Please book ahead.
Thursday 4th December: CHRISTMAS CEILIDH
7-11pm at The Tramways Club - 1 Mill St (off Piccadilly)
Get your dancing shoes and holly at the ready! Friends of St Nicholas Fields have a lively Ceilidh band called Foxy Folk ready for you who will get you bouncing and a-toe tapping, a raffle with some excellent prizes on offer and a bar. You will also have the opportunity to buy some great xmas pressies and stocking fillers from our green Christmas shop: tetrapak wallets, can crushers, recycled stationery, composting equipment and more. All proceeds will go towards building a demonstration solar water heater so come have fun and support us at the same time! Tickets: £5/£3 conc. in advance from York Environment Centre or 411821; £6/£4 on the door. For directions please follow this external link.
Saturday 8th November: THE YOUNG FRIENDS OF ST NICHOLAS FIELDS LAUNCH MEETING
11am - 2pm at York Environment Centre
Are you 16-25 years old? Would you like to be involved in the decision-making, management and ‘youth’ outreach of St Nicholas Fields? Come find out what it takes and how you can benefit. The day will kick off with a lively treasure hunt around the nature reserve (including prizes for the winning team) followed by more information about the project, a chance to shape the future of the Young Friends of St Nicholas Fields and stand for a key committee member position! Snacks and drinks will be provided. For more info/ booking contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator.
Friday 7th November: SEEING GREEN - the bigger picture 1
11am-1pm at York Environment Centre
The first of a series of free photography workshops looking for the extraordinary in nature - part of a community arts project which will raise funds for St Nicks. If photography isn't your thing, there are four other types of art workshops to try out at other times and other places. For more information & to get involved please contact Lisa Buckley on 01904 621133 or email lisa.buckley[at]yorkcvs.org.uk
Thursday 23rd October: YOUTH VOLUNTEERING OPEN EVENING
6-8pm at York Environment Centre
Are you 16-25 years old and want to make a difference? Come find out more about the range of exciting volunteering opportunities at St Nicks whilst eating cake and playing Climate Change Bingo (with prizes)! For more info/ booking contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator.
Tuesday 14th October: LITTLE ROTTERS (for 7-13 year olds)
4–5.15pm at York Environment Centre
Little Rotters is free and will normally be meeting at the Environment Centre on the second Tuesday of each month from 4 until 5:15pm. If you’re 7-13 years old and keen to try something new, come along to learn how to drum on compost bins, paint them, and learn to perform the fun ‘Compost- the Mini Musical’. Along the way you will learn how to do your bit for the environment by composting your waste and in March 2009 you will get to perform the musical at a Little Rotters Party! Please contact York Rotters officer to book and for more details.
Thursday 2nd October: CONFESSIONS OF AN ECO-SHOPPER
7:30pm at York Environment Centre
York writer and former Press columnist Kate Lock will be reading from her new book 'Confessions of an Eco-Shopper: the true story of one woman's mission to go green'. In Kate's quest to experience all that an eco-friendly lifestyle has to offer - and to test what does and doesn't work when it comes to doing it in practice - she has tried everything from making her own moisturisers to worm-charming in high heels. The result is a humourous and personal account of a novice's conversion to 'the good life' that tells it like it is. Come and meet Kate and hear about her research - and perhaps take up one of her 'eco-challenges' yourself! Kate will also be signing copies of her book and there will be tea & cakes.
Sunday 28th September: ECO-BUILD WALK
starts 2pm from the Environment Centre
Join us for a walk showcasing some of York’s eco buildings - from a community centre to offices and residential houses. This event is organised in partnership with York in Transition.
Saturday 27th September: SPIDER WORKSHOP
10am-3pm, meet at York Environment Centre
Learn how to collect spiders on a walk through the nature reserve with Geoff Oxford, an expert from the University of York. You will then take your finds to a laboratory at the Biology Department on campus to identify them and take a closer look through microscopes. Please book ahead on 411821.
Charge £10 per adult/ £6 consession/ £3 per child.