Darlington Eco-Fair draws in hundreds of visitors

OCCASIONAL downpours didn’t dampen the interest in Darlington’s Eco-Fair at the weekend as hundreds circulated among the stalls in the Market Square in the town’s annual exhibition of all things sustainable.

The fact that almost all the displays were under canvas probably helped entice more visitors inside to take shelter from the weather conditions, which ranged from drizzle to deluge to sunshine.

Visitors were rewarded with tips on recycling, house retrofitting, active travel, countryside care and more, as children were kept entertained with planet-friendly arts and crafts.

The annual event, organised by Darlington Borough Council, is now a firmly established part of the local authority’s calendar, which has set a target of becoming carbon neutral by 2040.

And at the weekend, dozens of organisations took advantage of the opportunity to showcase their efforts to help and support the environment, while encouraging others to do the same.

The Eco-Fair coincided with the launch of this year’s Great Big Green Week – the country’s biggest celebration of efforts to encourage sustainable habits that will reduce carbon emissions and prevent tonnes of recyclable items from being thrown into landfill.

Exhibitors welcomed the chance to show the public the work they carry out all year.

Ian Hoadley of Darlington Beekeepers’ Association, said: “We’ve supported the Eco-Fair for the past two or three years and we like it because it enables us to tell members of the public about the benefits of pollinators, why there are important and how simple things like having wild flowers in your garden can make such a difference to bees.”

CPRE, the Countryside Charity, was another returning exhibitor and Durham branch chair, Andrew Thompson, said: “The Eco-Fair’s a great event for those involved in protecting the environment, cutting carbon emissions or involved in sustainability.

“We had a really successful time drumming up interest in CPRE County Durham last year, and it has been the same this year.”

Martin Shiel-Diego of active travel charity Sustrans, said: “Our message is all about getting on your bike or going for a walk and the fact you’ll feel healthier and happier as a result, as well as being kinder to the environment 

“Events like the Eco-Fair allow us to be able to share that message to the public, face-to-face, and we had some great conversations.”

Alex Nicholson, the council’s town centre partnership and events manager, who co-ordinated the event, said: “It was great to see so many people involved and the event proving such a draw again.

“It was also good to get such feedback from many of the exhibitors themselves who felt it was a great place to showcase the work they do for the environment and also the small but important ways that everyone can play their part in creating more sustainable lifestyles.”

• Great Big Green Week, which runs through until Sunday, June 15th, is the UK’s biggest celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. During the week, communities, schools, businesses and other organisations hold events in support for action to protect the planet.