The Bats of Jephson Gardens

On the evening of 6th September, a bat expert from the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust will lead a walk and talk around Jephson Gardens. 

Image from ukwct.org.uk

It’s completely free to come along and learn more about these mysterious nocturnal beings as they swoop around the Gardens, but booking is essential – email our ranger at ranger@action21.co.uk for information and to book. 7-8.30pm. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Hive of Activity

Bee prepared: unwitting visitors to the main lawn of Jephson Gardens on 17th August will find themselves in the middle of quite a buzz.

Warwick and Leamington Beekeepers will be gracing the Gardens once again with their honeybee keeping equipment and products, and they’re inviting the locals to get involved! Visitors can try their hand at skep hive making and beeswax candle rolling, or just sit back and watch a live bee-handling demonstration.

This free event is a brilliant day out for all the family! Take a look at photos from last year’s event on our Flickr site. (make the words Flickr site the link to the pics, link below)

Please note that children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, email ranger@action21.co.uk

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51978593@N07/sets/72157632241651519/

Birds of Prey

Saturday 10th August, 11am-4pm
Jephson Gardens’ top lawn

Yes, local company Falconry Days are back, bringing a host of feathered and furry friends to entertain and amaze you! 

This free family friendly event will see birds, live falconry displays and racing ferrets take over the main lawn of Jephson Gardens. Visitors will be able to meet Richard and Bomber the Harris hawks, Mad Max the high speed falcon, Jack the Arctic falcon and Diogenis the barn owl. They might even get to hold one of the winged wonders on their fist!

The falconry displays will wow crowds at 11.30am and 3pm, when head falconer Bob Edwards will demonstrate the birds’ abilities. Ferret racing will also be held throughout the day, and punters will be able to meet the competing ferrets, called Blondie, Nipper, Sable and Lightning, and help to run the races.  The ferrets will race through 5-6m lengths of piping, mimicing their natural behaviour in their wild habitat of underground tunnels.

Local Cubbington-based company Falconry-Days.Com will be running the event. Said Head Falconer Bob Edwards, “This event is a wonderful way of bringing the countryside into the town and giving residents a chance to see these fantastic creatures up close and in action. Be prepared for some jaw-dropping moments during the falconry displays – Bomber, Mad Max and the rest of the crew are capable of some fantastic feats! Together with the fun and frolics that the ferrets bring, it’s a great day out for all the family.”

Held on the top lawn at the Willes Road end of Jephson Gardens, the event is free to attend.  Children should be accompanied by an adult. Dogs are not allowed in the viewing area.

For more information email ranger@action21.co.uk

By Sam Elvyhart

Big Litter Pick

Action 21 is on a mission to get Jephson Gardens tidy. Will you join us as we scour the grounds restoring the Gardens to their natural beauty? Any brave participant will be rewarded for their efforts with free tea and biscuits afterwards!

If you’d like to be part of the team, come and join us at East Lodge on Saturday 3rd August. The litter pick will start at 9:30am and last around an hour. There’s no need to book – just turn up (unless you’re a child, in which case make sure you bring an adult with you). 
Email ranger@action21.co.uk for more details.

Clothes don't grow...but kids do!

Action 21’s first bargain baby clothes sale.

With little ones, it seems that clothes bought one week are too small the next. Parents can get trapped into expensive cycles of buying and throwing away baby clothes after only a few wears. Well, no more! We have received tonnes of donations of good quality baby clothes, and on Saturday 13th July we will be offering them to parents at an extremely low price. For just £5, parents can fill a ‘bag for life’ with baby clothes. Participants will also receive a 20% discount voucher off their next purchase at The Re-Useful Centre.

This event will take place from 11am-12pm, on Saturday 13 July 2013 at East Lodge, Jephson Gardens. £5 on door. Call the Action 21 office for more information on 01926 339077.

Pincushion Workshop for Sewing Beginners

There are only two weeks to go before our Pincushion Making workshop at the Re-Useful Centre Craft Room, Ramsey Road, Sydenham.  From 10.00am – 3.30pm on Saturday 13th July, this workshop will offer participants the chance to master the basics of sewing while learning how to make a beautiful pincushion.

 

At only £7, the session offers a friendly and relaxed space in which to pick up skills which will set participants on their way to sewing prowess. Lunch will be on a bring-and-share basis, with free refreshments available all day.

Led by volunteer Manjit Sidhu, the workshop is part of the Skill Share programme – a series of volunteer-run sessions which allow the community to get together and share skills and knowledge without big company fees. 

To book your place, call the office on 01926 339077.

Action 21 set to get creative at this year's Peace Festival

Swing by and see us in action at this year’s Peace Festival! Over the weekend of the 15th and 16th June, Action 21 will be inspiring punters with a variety of re-use craft workshops and Skill Share activities, all designed to get people thinking about creatively re-using items. See our workshop programme below.

Image from www.virtualtourist.com

Dr. Bike, staffed by our fantastic volunteer bike mechanics, will be there both days, so make sure you swing by to get your bike looked over – and while you’re with us, browse through our bikes, clothes and books for sale.

Free Skill Share drop-in activities
Suitable for age 8 upwards
Activities take around 15-30 mins

Saturday 15th
10.30am -12pm - Pine cone firelighter making
 
12.15 -1.45pm - Felt & button brooch making
 
2 -3.30pm - Introduction to crochet & knitting


Sunday 16th
10.30am -12pm - Pine cone birdfeeder making

12-2pm - Furniture upcycling demo by Southtown independent retailer Bobbi Meddings, aka 'The Sourceress'. Watch how to completely transform a discarded household object using basic art techniques.
 
2-3.30pm - Picture frame chalkboard making.

Walk to Commemorate Restoration of Jephson Gardens

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of their restoration, Action 21’s ranger will host a relaxed walk around Jephson Gardens on Friday 31st May. Those attending will find out how the Gardens changed during the Heritage Lottery-funded restoration, while spending the last morning of May in one of Leamington’s prettiest locations.  

Image from www.places-to-go.org.uk

Starting from South Lodge in Jephson Gardens, the walk is free, and will take place from 11am until 12:30pm. All are welcome, but must wear appropriate clothing. All children must be accompanied by an adult. 

Email ranger@action21.co.uk for more information.

Sew on Trend: Bunting Making Workshop for Sewing Beginners, 25th May

With the recent arrival of The Great British Sewing Bee on our screens, homemade fashion is set to be the trend that sweeps the nation in 2013. And really, it’s about time too! If you want to start working your magic at the sewing machine but can’t tell one end from the other, then the Bunting Making Workshop for Sewing Beginners on the 25th May is the workshop for you.

Local volunteer and sewing pro Manjit Sidhu will lead the session on beginners’ sewing skills from 10:30am – 3:30pm in the Re-Useful Centre Craft Room, and by the end of the day participants will have mastered the basics and made some beautiful bunting to take home. Materials will be provided, but everyone is welcome to bring along their own. Lunch is on a bring-and-share basis, with free tea, herbal tea and coffee available throughout the day. 

The perfect opportunity to gain sewing skills at little cost, the workshop is only £5 and is the latest instalment of Action 21’s Skill Share programme. The idea of Skill Share is to get the community together, sharing knowledge, teaching and learning without big company fees. From making knickers to crafting wood, sessions will be running at Action 21 throughout 2013. If you have a skill you’d like to share, or fancy learning something new at little or no cost, get in touch to let us know.

To reserve your place call the Action 21 office on 01926 339077. Workshop fee payable on booking. Places are limited—book early to avoid disappointment.

Spring Tree Walk

There are over 150 different species of tree in Jephson Gardens!  Learn about the interesting trees found here with the help of a tree expert.  Walk is suitable for beginner and intermediate knowledge of trees.  

• Walk starts 11am at clock tower in Jephson Gardens.
• No need to book, just turn up. 
• All children must be accompanied by an adult. 
• Email ranger@action21.co.uk for more information.

Our free holiday activity for kids

Add a bit of sunshine to your child's Easter holidays with Jephson’s Jungle Club!

The popular sessions continue this Easter holidays, with free children’s activities running in the Glasshouse on Tuesday mornings, 10am-12pm.

Tuesday 26th March: accompany your child to plant a sunflower seed, which can then be taken home to grow.
Tuesday 2nd April: at this session, children can learn about different herbs and plant some herb cuttings to take home.

There’s no need to book, just turn up! All children must be accompanied by an adult. Email
ranger@action21.co.uk or phone 01926 258 782 for more information.

The Glasshouse is located in Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa.

Post by Laura Parkes, Action 21 volunteer

Fancy a stroll?

If you fancy a ramble around Jephson Gardens to learn about the history and management of the gardens, join our Spring History Walk on Sunday 24th March, 11am-12:30pm.  It's free and you'll get to benefit from the the park ranger's extensive knowledge.
 

Image: www.leamingtonlooksback.co.uk

Meet at South Lodge, Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa.  All children must be accompanied by an adult.  Email ranger@action21.co.uk or phone 01926 258 782 for more information.

Get ready for our Spring Swapshop!

If your cycle of winter clothes is beginning to bore you, and everywhere you look an unloved Christmas toy or game stares back, don’t despair: it will soon be time to liven things up with Action 21’s Spring Swapshop, a bring-and-share items swap guaranteed to restore a bit of excitement to your home! The Swapshop is taking place on March 16th at East Lodge and is absolutely free. You can be sure that your unwanted garments, accessories and games are going to good homes, and there’s an excellent chance that you’ll find something special yourself. Please arrive between 11-11.30am.

We’re letting you know the date early so you’ve got plenty of time to sort out what you’d like to pass on, making space for some lovely (free!) items in return.

By Laura Parkes, Action 21 volunteer

Skill Share project off to a flying start

It seems we’ve discovered what the people of Leamington really want – and, believe it or not, it’s the skills to make their own pants.

Show us your knickers!

Our first Skill Share session was fully booked up weeks before it took place, with a large waiting list for the next one! Yes, it seems that the art of knicker-making has proved to be a hotly sought-after skill in the Leamington. 

Taught by local vintage designer Dolly Clackett (aka Roisin Muldoon), workshop participants got stuck in and made some wonderful creations, as you can see.  One participant was so inspired by the workshop, that she volunteered to lead the next knicker making session. That’s exactly the Skill Share spirit we’re looking to create!

So, if you missed out on this workshop, don’t get your knickers in a twist. We’re running another workshop in the not too distant future – give us a call and we’ll put your name down for the next one.

We’re ecstatic that the Skill Share project has got off to a flying start. The idea of Skill Share is to get the community together, sharing knowledge, teaching and learning without big company fees. From making knickers to crafting wood, sessions will be running at Action 21 throughout 2013. If you have a skill you’d like to share, or fancy learning something new at little or no cost, get in touch to let us know.

Our next Skill Share session on Saturday March 2nd will be bunting making for sewing beginners. If you're interested, get in touch soon as places are limited!









T: 01926 339077   
E: louise@action21.co.uk 


By Laura Parkes, Action 21 volunteer 

Welcome to Action 21’s brand new blog!

Written by volunteers passionate about sustainable living, we’ll be covering sustainability news, discussing creative living, recommending sustainability-themed reads and chattering about all sorts of other current eco-issues. We will also keep you up to date with all the latest from Action 21, including workshops, events and project updates.

We hope you enjoy this blog as your regular dose of sustainable goodness.

Today's post is an introduction to the concept of sustainability, written by volunteer Katherine Dalton, who has redesigned our blog site - thanks, Katherine!

By Laura Parkes, Action 21 volunteer