ECOFest at Emmanuel – A good news story September 26

ECOFest at Emmanuel – A Good news Story  September ‘26

In 2023 the ECO Group at Emmanuel thought that organising a modest gathering of interested groups and organisations could be a helpful way of:

·       celebrating, collaborating and learning about eco activities in our area, beyond our church;

·       offering an opportunity to engage with communities, beyond the ‘usual suspects’ in our chapels and churches;

·       learning more about how we can be an active ECO Church;

·       responding to the Methodist Church call for Net Zero actions

We were surprised – and delighted – to welcome around 20 groups and organisations and offered a Fair-Trade Café Corner to offer a typical Emmanuel warm welcome. We realised how many different approaches to sustainability are being practised and promoted.  We assessed the feedback from the groups and participants and agreed to repeat the ECOFest the following year. 2026 saw our 4th ECOFest taking place.

Each year we have tried to adopt a slightly different emphasis and this has encouraged more and different groups and organisations to take part.  In 2024 we used a Primary Poets theme, encouraging primary school aged children to write poems on eco/environmental themes.  This resulted in a small poetry book prefaced with a poem from the Barnsley Bard, Ian Macmillan.

In 2025, our theme was, Healthy Planet: Healthy You!  This focused on ways in which we can support the sustainability of the planet which also benefit us.  This theme attracted different groups including public health representatives, the free food network, Olio and the production of a small recipe book of healthier baking ideas. A memorable, fun demonstration by the ‘Emmanuel Over 50s Fitness Group’ illustrated how we can keep fit and make fewer demands on health and environmental resources.

Our recent, 4th ECOFest, in September 2026, used a Re-use! Repair! Re-purpose! theme and a new cluster of organisations exhibited how they are working, often in collaboration, to encourage Repairing Communities.  We learned more about how waste management takes place in our town and the importance of re-cycling as well as how many items are retained and re-distributed for re-use.  We collected tools to donate to AgeUK for their Barnsley Hub of shed activities and we promoted free bike checks with Bike Works who also received bike donations to repair and re-use.

Our ‘thinking caps’ are on for the 2027 theme.

We have welcomed some organisations to each of our ECOFests, such as RSPB; National Trust, Christian Aid and Fair Trade stalls. An enthusiastic pack of Brownies, has participated each year, using creative activities to demonstrate how many things we throw away can be re-purposed – and attract donations for Brownie funds!

Different themes have attracted more and different groups.  We have learned that sustainability for our world and for us, affects every, diverse aspect of life.

We recognise that our ECOFest is an expression of our Christian Faith in caring for all aspects of creation, including every person, regardless of where they live .