#SustFest market is a phenomenal success
St Albans Sustainable Market. - Credit: #SustFest
Thousands of people flocked to the city centre for the Covid-safe launch of this year's St Albans Sustainability Festival.
Sunday's sustainable market kicked off two weeks of events, with more than 70 local businesses, community groups and charities lining St Peter’s Street and Market Place.
Bee Wild stall at the Sustainability Market. - Credit: #SustFest
Sustainable St Albans volunteer Craig Scudder, who organised the market, said he was delighted with its success: “The atmosphere at the market has been fantastic with a huge buzz of optimism about easy changes we can all make to combat climate change.
"People clearly enjoyed being out again doing something positive – exploring electric bikes, buying plastic-free and sustainable fashion, chatting to local groups like Greenpeace and Wilder St Albans and eating vegan street food."
Leader of St Albans district council Cllr Chris White outside the Climate and Ecological Emergency stall. - Credit: #SustFest
Additional events on the day included tours of the Incredible Edible’s community food garden, Bethany Church’s Sustainable Living forum, and Plastic Free Harpenden’s litter picks.
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Residents are invited to register for festival events taking place over the next fortnight with a mixture of in-person and online talks, films, walks, crafts and nature activities for all ages.
Market organiser and Sustainable St Albans volunteer Craig Scudder at the Greenpeace stall with Greenpeace volunteer - Credit: #SustFest
Events on Thursday include the Woodcraft Folk’s ‘Meet the Engineer’ for children; local residents’ Nigel and Clare Harvey on their experience of replacing their gas boiler with an air source heat pump and an online talk on Sustainable Investment.
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Friday has ‘Make Your Business More Sustainable’, run by AECOM, a SustFest21 gold sponsor. Yoga enthusiasts can take part in outdoor sessions in Verulamium Park.
Mama Cynth at St Albans sustainable market. - Credit: #SustFest
In the coming week Highfield Park will be holding their 25th anniversary litter pick, Herts Waste Aware are running online sessions exploring recycling and one on plastic-free periods, and there are online cooking events and videos, the Cathedral tree trail, bike maintenance and group cycle-rides.
South St Albans churches are holding Adopt a Plant events and Park Street Residents Association and Wheathampstead Parish Council will be running campaigns engaging local residents with sustainability.
MATE electric bike stall. - Credit: #SustFest
St Albans Girls School is hosting a Biodiversity Week; Sir John Lawes has Sustainability Awareness and there are meat-free meals at Verulam School.
The 19th Harpenden Rainbows and Brownies will be ‘Enjoying Nature’ and over 20 local schools plan to use the downloadable eco-assemblies created for all ages.
Plastic Free Harpenden Family litter pick. - Credit: #SustFest
The full Sustainability Festival programme is at https://sustfest.org
