How fantastic does this event look? Excellent stuff!

This coming Saturday (7th June 2014) there’s a cracker of an event happening in Walsall Arboretum – the Environment Day features all the best is local music, seminars, stalls and all things green and environmentally sound, from gardening to organics and birds to bat advice!

Following the massive success of the annual Bands on the Beacon event, and the fun that was  The Bandstand Marathon in 2012 and the Arboretum Big Gig of last year, Walsall’s parks team are really pushing the boat out for live music and events this year, and they do an excellent job.

To that end, Arboretum Ranger and top bloke Mark Hopson has been in touch. Mark is a great music fan, and is really enthusiastic about the park he works in, too.

Mark wrote:

HI Bob,

Just a few things to sort out now and our Walsall Arboretum Environment Day is complete! It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster organising this event – from sorting out stalls to listening to the local talent Walsall has to offer and booking them on our folk stage, but it’s really worth it for the end result.

Here’s the timetable for our Seminar Marquee:

• 10.15am Demonstration on weaving a bird box with Morgan Bowers
• 11am Attracting wildlife into your garden with Mike West from RSPB
• 12pm Animal Man
• 1.15pm Keith Stone Assistant director of neighbourhood Services officially opening the Country Park followed by a guided walk with the Countryside Rangers
• 1.30pm Gardener’s Question Time. A panel of experts for all your gardening needs
• 2.15pm Flower arranging demonstration using flowers that benefit wildlife by, Yokes’ Magic Garden
• 3.00pm Morgan Bowers from BrumBats will be talking about all things batty

All talks and presentations are around 20 – 30 mins in length except the Animal Man which is an hour.

Folk Stage Times:

• 10.30 – 11.00   Dan Salt
• 11.10 – 11.40    Emma Langford
• 11.50- 12.20    Embarking
• 12.30 – 1.00    David Young
• 1.10 – 1.40       Barry Hunt
• 1.50 – 2.20      Brains For Breakfast
• 2.30 -3.10       Faye Bagley
• 3.20 – 4.00     Pete Kelly

We have around 30 stalls attending the day so plenty for people to see and do! Our Wildlife garden will also be open for the public to walk around.

All of the above is absolutely free! There are 3 childrens rides, a face painter, a few craft stalls and food.

We’ve tried to get as much useful information on green issues and what people can do around the home, garden, and allotment as we can, while creating what we hope will be a fun and relaxing event for all, all we need now is decent weather!

Thanks for your help in promoting this. This is the second year running the Arboretum Rangers have organised Environment Day and it has come on a long way in just one year!

Cheers
Mark Hopson

Arboretum Park Ranger
Parks.
Clean And Green Services.
Clocktower,
Lichfield street,
Walsall.

Email – HopsonM@walsall.gov.uk
Phone – 07843 501522

This sounds like it’s going to be an excellent day out, and I know just how hard Mark and the team work on this stuff. Come on – a free gig, stalls and activities? You’d be mad to miss it!

I wish everyone involved in this project all the best.

The refurbished Arboretum is looking great – and the bandstand is a wonderful spot to catch live music, for folk of all ages.