LOCAL charity Otley 2030 is partnering with Climate Action Leeds to deliver a day of workshops at Otley Courthouse as part of a whole weekend of ‘green’ activities.

The big Green Weekend in Otley starts on Friday, March 31 and finishes on Sunday, April 2 with a day of workshops hosted by Climate Action Leeds along the theme of ‘locally-rooted action in response to climate change’.

Otley 2030 is part of a larger city-wide movement in Leeds which aims to tackle the issues raised by climate change, and they are also one of several community hubs organised by Climate Action Leeds, an organisation working for ‘a zero carbon, nature friendly, socially just Leeds by the 2030s’.

On Sunday, April 2, Climate Action Leeds and Otley 2030 will host a series of workshops where participants can choose to attend for the whole day or just for one workshop, and all the events are free.

Workshops will cover core themes from both Climate Action Leeds’ and Otley 2030’s work, including: community energy, active travel, climate justice, and community wealth building. Local volunteers will also share their current work on developing the Otley Community Larder and in creating the Otley Nature Recovery Plan. There will be workshops outside in the courtyard too; in the morning people are encouraged to come along and get their bike fixed, while in the afternoon you can build a bat box.

Sue Hoey, from Climate Action Leeds said: “Working with Otley 2030 is a core part of Climate Action Leeds’ strategy to build a citizen-led movement working on issues that are good for people and the planet. It’s great to be able to offer all these diverse workshops in one day, which we hope local residents and those from further field will enjoy taking part in.”

The keynote workshop from 1.15pm to 2.15pm is on Doughnut Economics. This is a visual framework for sustainable development – shaped like a doughnut or lifebelt. The workshop will explain how Doughnut Economics is being applied at a citywide and community level in Leeds.

Representatives from Climate Action Leeds and Otley 2030 will be available throughout the day to chat. There will also be stalls giving information about a range of climate-related projects throughout the city and how you can get involved.

Light refreshments can be purchased in the Courthouse cafe throughout the day, or attendees are invited to bring lunch or visit a café in town.

The workshops are free but you’ll need to book a place via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/otley-green-weekend-locally-rooted-responses-to-climate-change-tickets-579132469807

The day of workshops with Climate Action Leeds is part of a larger Green Weekend event organised by Otley 2030 in partnership with Otley Courthouse, and with support from Otley Town Council and Leeds Inspired. The weekend’s highlights include a bike-powered youth gig at Otley Social Club on Friday, March 31, followed by a Green Fair on Saturday, April 1, and later that day ‘An Evening with Tom Heap’, both at Otley Courthouse.

For more information about the whole Green Weekend, go to https://www.otley2030.com/greenweekend2023