Green for go – Foxlowe to host festival

A GREEN Festival is set to take place in Leek.

The event will be held at The Foxlowe Arts Centre in the town on Saturday, June 26.

Run by Moorlands Climate Action, the HUG Festival will feature a variety of stalls, activities and displays on green themes.

Moorlands Climate Action member Teresa Pattison said: “We were obviously disappointed when we had to cancel last year’s event after all the planning that was put in. We have a large number of participants already confirmed and more set to come on board.

“We will ensure that the festival will be run in a Covid-safe and family-friendly manner.”

Among the names confirmed to attend are The Woodland Trust, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and Friends of the Earth. Others such as the RSPB look set to take part.

Creativity is high on the agenda, with local artists well represented at stalls and an exhibition. Several of the art stalls will be running drop-in workshops during the day, free and open to all.

The Foxlowe’s new

Dragonfly sculpture

Garden will be unveiled at the festival, next to a designated picnic area. There will be circus activities for children, a drumming workshop and a singing workshop. On the terrace, a willow artist will demonstrate his art and a visiting beekeeper will be talking about keeping bees.

Nature and its role in physical and mental health will be a strong theme, too. Leek-based mental wellbeing charity Borderland Voices will host a stall.

The Rainbow room and craft room will play host to a range of activities and workshops including children’s craft workshops, yoga, Qigong and a dance rehearsal.