The idea
Wild About Whitstable is run entirely by volunteers and community groups, working together to create around 30 family-friendly events across Whitstable from 12th -18th August 2024. There will be guided walks and talks led by experts and enthusiasts, workshops for children, wildlife exhibitions, a nature-themed art class, a bioblitz to record local species of fauna and flora, and an Eco Fair showcasing the work of local wildlife and environmental groups. We are partnering with the Horsebridge Arts Centre, Stream Walk Community Garden, Whitstable Museum, Whitstable Castle and Whitstable Library. To ensure that Wild About Whitstable has a lasting impact, at every event we will ask attendees to pledge to change one aspect of their lives such as growing food, re-wilding gardens, encouraging wildlife or using public transport, and offer support throughout the year to help them maintain that pledge. We want all our events to be free so that they are accessible to the whole community.
What we'll deliver
- 6 guided walks along the coastline and inland
- 7 presentations
- 12 family-friendly workshops
- Nature-themed art class followed by exhibition
- Barge trip with expert guides to Swale Estuary seals and birds
- Bioblitz at Stream Walk Community Garden
- Eco Fair
Why it's a great idea
To maximise its appeal, Wild About Whitstable will offer events for all ages covering a wide range of topics. For example: seaweed, sand fossils, bird-box and bee-bomb making, wildlife gardening, bats and moths, turtle doves, trees and wild medicine. With good publicity, we hope to attract at least 10% of the local population, around 3000 people, as well as summer visitors during the school holidays. Many events will be designed to be fun for children, offering holiday activities for families. By keeping events free, Wild About Whitstable events will be accessible to everyone, including those struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. Inspiring people to care for our coastline and inland habitats will help to preserve Whitstable as an attractive destination for visitors, benefiting the local economy. And by encouraging people to change one aspect of their life to be more environmentally-friendly, we can help address the climate and biodiversity emergency.
Steps to get it done
- Venues, events and session leaders booked and confirmed
- Launch publicity via website, social media, street banner, flyers etc
We would like Wild About Whitstable to engage as many local societies, interest groups and businesses as possible. Please get in touch with the CT5 Eco-Group on [email protected] if you wish to get involved.
