Bridport will be part of the UK's biggest ever celebration of community action by taking part in Great Big Green Week.

Great Big Green Week will be on between 24th September and 2nd October this year.

Events kick-off in Bridport with a festive gathering on Millenium Green. Millenium Green will be filled with a range of stalls, refreshments and picnicking, all linked by a Green theme and throughout the event there will be live music on the stage.

Many of the events are still being planned, but events on the calendar include Bridport Tree Planting, Bridport Town Council (Energy Champions), a mass bike ride through town, visiting a beaver's lair, monitoring river health, ending with a refreshing swim in the sea on the final day.

Full schedule

Saturday 24th September

Opening Gathering is at 10:30am-3pm on Bridport's Millennium Green. Stalls, music, activities for children.

Eco Church/Living Churchyard: Exhibition 10:30am – 3pm in St.Mary's Church showing work done to promote plant and animal diversity in three of the parish churchyards. Tea and cake until 12:30pm. Family Nature Trail/Treasure Hunt in the churchyard 9am-12pm, and making bird feeders (£2 to cover costs).

Walk for Rosemary-Jubilee Trail: A covid delayed 25th anniversary programme of walks for the Jubilee trail (Forde Abbey to Brokerly Dyke) honouring Rosemary Bramah who was instrumental in overseeing its success. These are Ramblers Dorset events and are listed below as Walks 1-5. Non-members welcome.

Walk 1: 8.5 miles. Circular, covering from Coles Cross to Four Ashes. Start 10:30am . Four Ashes (ST440 003). Bring picnic. No dogs. Places limited. To book contact Ian 07826 150114. 

Walk 2: 9.5 miles. Circular, covering Parnham to North Poorton. Starts 10am, from Yam Barton Car Park, Beaminster (ST481 014) Bring picnic. Places Limited. No dogs. To book contact Bridget 07952 517764.

Sunday 25th September

Bridport Community Orchard Group will be processing their apples into juice from 9am-12pm at the orchard (behind St Mary's church). All are welcome to come and watch, sample the juice and maybe join in! No booking required, contact Robin [email protected] for more information.

Bridport Tree Planting invite you to walk around their latest initiative. Starts at 3pm at the top of St. Swithins rd, near the Scout hut. Plans include new planting of pollinating shrubs, trees and a new flower meadow. At 3:30pm take a stroll around the nearby Otter Bend. Come down and learn what is happening and walk the site. Cold drinks, juices and nibbles free of charge. Contact: Joe Hackett [email protected].

Walk 3: (see Sept 24th). 7.5 miles. Circular route from Pound Cottage, DWT Kingcombe to Wynford Eagle. Starts at 10am. Pound Cottage Car Park, Kingcombe Centre (SY553 990). Bring picnic. No dogs. Places limited. To book contact Laraine 01308 459159.

Monday 26th September

Walk 4: (see Sept 24th) 9 miles. Circular from Cole's Cross to Forde Abbey. Starts at 10am from Blackdown village hall CP on B3165, DT8 3LE, (ST397 024) Bring picnic. No dogs. Places limited. To book contact Pete on 01297 631130. 

Tuesday 27th September

How you can help monitor our local rivers: 11am until lunch. Meet at the football grounds car park, our site is just nearby on the Brit. Come down to the river and watch the CSI scheme and Riverfly in action. Bring a water bottle, refreshments will be provided. Contact Scott at [email protected].

Wednesday 28th September

Energy Champions: Bridport Town Council is developing energy champions in local communities to assist with the often confusing choices to keep our homes warm, reduce our energy needs and shift away from fossil fuels. Stall on Buckydoo Square.

Forest Schools: Join us from 3:30pm-5pm at Cooper's Circle (behind Allington football field) in the beautiful Allington Woods to enjoy some nature-based activities with or without your children (all ages).  Or just come for a chat about all things forest school over a cup of tea with some of Bridport's forest school practitioners. details [email protected].

Walk 5: See Sept 24th. 9 miles. Circular. DWT Lower Kingcombe to N Poorton. Starts at 10am. Pound Cottage Car Park Kingcombe Centre (SY553 990). Bring picnic. No dogs. Places limited. To book contact Jill and Simon 07974 756107.

Thursday 29th September

Visit the Beaver's lair: Organised by Dorset Wildlife Trust, a chance for a select few to visit a local beaver site this afternoon. Because they are nocturnal it is most unlikely you will see a beaver, but you will see their lodge and dams, and the changes that these ecosystem engineers have made so far. Booking via Eventbrite.

Demonstration of the Wonderbag: St Swithun's Church car park 10:30am-11:30am. Rachel Millson shows how to use this useful way of cooking and keeping food warm without an oven. Free tastings using glut produce from the weekly stall.

Bridport Primary School Wild and Edible Garden: 1:30pm and 2:30pm visits to see this facility set up alongside the school by TTB and Home in Bridport. Volunteers and some pupils will show you around the garden which includes rough areas and a pond so that wildlife can flourish. Here the children learn how to grow their own food and what insects and amphibians contribute to this. Numbers are restricted so need to be booked through Eventbrite.

Saturday 1st October

Bike through Bridport: West Dorset Foe's slow ride through the town centre, promoting the idea that cycling can be fun and safe. Refreshments at the Community Orchard to finish. Start at 11:45am at the Football Club car park (participants should be there by 11) Competent street riders, under 14s accompanied by parents. Sign up prior to the day recommended: [email protected]. Helmets & high vis required (some available).

Bridport Energy Champions: On the green outside Londis, Skilling, Bridport 10-1pm. Bridport Town Council is developing energy champions in local communities to assist with the often confusing choices to keep our homes warm, reduce our energy needs and shift away from fossil fuels. Representatives from CAB and Magna, plus an energy expert from Ridgeway contact [email protected].

Greener Homes: October 1st-2nd and October 8th-9th. Over 50 homes will be open to visitors showing greener ways of living. Find out how to upgrade your home, or simply save energy, by visiting households who have taken the first steps. Details on: dorset.greenopenhomes.net.

Sunday October 2nd

Paddle & Clean the lower Brit. Starting below the weir at Palmers, the object is to paddle to West Bay, enjoying the sights but also cleaning the litter from the river. Gather at 1pm at the Football grounds car park with paddle boards and kit for those signed up. There will be a group of young teenagers but adults are welcome. Please sign up beforehand. Those with kayaks or canoes are welcome but will need their own boat, kit and a means of a return trip. contact Sara on [email protected]

Join local swimmers for an end-of-week Splash in the Sea at West Bay! Meet near the West Bay Discovery Centre at 4:30pm. Any length of stay in the water qualifies for a cup of tea and cake/flapjack provided by Plastic Free Bridport (so remember to bring a reusable cup!) A refreshing end to this week of events. Sign up prior (with [email protected]). All swimmers will be responsible for their own safety.

Click here to see more event details.