RECENT warm, sunny weather brought lots of visitors to Earley Town Council’s annual Green Fair, at Maiden Erlegh Nature Reserve.
“This year Earley Town Council is celebrating its 50th anniversary and so we were determined to make the Green Fair 2024 special,” said an Earley Town Council representative.
“Amongst nearly 60 stalls, this year the fair welcomed many new stallholders, offering a range of goods, including handmade pottery, cakes and treats and garden plants.
Families were also able to enjoy giant garden games, handmade by town council staff from discarded pallets and broken broom handles.”
Earley Town Council officers’ stall offered a free children’s activity trail around the nature reserve, with lots of prizes on offer, while three lucky young winners of a colouring competition each won a bee hotel.
The council’s ‘How Bad is a Banana?’ game was a thought-provoking and fun way to learn more about carbon footprints, with successful contestants winning a banana.
Staff also ran a mini help shop giving general advice to residents, and handing out food recycling caddies.
Local groups and charities offered traditional tombolas and spin the wheel activities, and Guide Dogs for the Blind brought along guide dogs Chester and Brody for people to meet and speak with their owners.
Conservation charities were well represented, with local groups including the Earley Environmental Group and the Culver Lane Allotment Association engaging with the public, explaining their work and encouraging people to join them.
First Class Falconry brought Kookie the kookaburra, always a star attraction.
This year he was joined by baby Elmo, a 12-week-old great grey owl, along with a host of other owls, falcons and birds of prey.
Alan Greenhalgh, their handler, answered questions about his birds, with visitors able to wear the gauntlet and hold the birds.
Music for the event was provided by Aloha Earley Ukes, a local ukelele group, and a range of refreshments, with ice creams and wood fired pizzas were available on site.
The town council is in the process of setting up a new Earley Repair Café in the autumn.
“We were pleased to host Billie Bachra and volunteers from the Lambs Lane Repair Café in Shinfield,” the council representative said.
“They helped visitors build wooden bird boxes and squirrel picnic tables and chatted about the ethos of repair cafes and how people can get involved.
“We’d like to thank Maiden Erlegh Rotary Club who provided refreshments, and all the stall holders.
“And we’d also like to say thank you to all those who attended and made the day such an enjoyable event.”
Earley Town Council’s Green Fair is on held the first Saturday in August every year.
For information, visit: www.earley-tc.gov.uk
