Richard England
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Richard England, a great supporter of the Green Scythe Fair and the owner of the fields on which the Fair has been held for 11 years at Thorney Lakes, Muchelney near Langport in Somerset. Richard warmly welcomed us all to the Thorney Lakes site for our first Fair there in 2007 and for every subsequent Fair and was always on hand during our preparations for the event and during the weekend to help out in every way possible. He will be greatly missed by us all on the Community Green Fair Committee and by the event site crew. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family at this sad time.
Green Scythe Fair Committee Seeks New Members
Following our AGM this year, we still have a number of committee member vacancies to fill. The Green Scythe Fair is run completely by volunteers - as committee members to organise and manage the event, as crew to set it all up, and as stewards and helpers during the fair itself. Committee members each take a specific responsibility and also meet together 4-6 times in the months leading up to the fair. It’s a certain amount of work, but it’s for a fantastic cause, there’s huge cameraderie and we have a lot of fun! The roles we are seeking to fill are:
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Secretary – appointed
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Funding Coordinator – appointed
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Bicycle MOTs – appointed
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Volunteer Coordinator - appointed
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Stalls Manager – appointed
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Gate Manager – set up gate infrastructure (gazebo, entrance layout, tables, signs, money pouches, counters, etc), coordinate the staffing of the gate throughout the day, oversee gate volunteers and collection of gate receipts, trouble shooting. (you will be able to shadow current Gate Manager this year)
If you’re interested, please get in touch via to info@greenfair.org.uk. Or if you want to find out more or discuss anything, please phone Herbi Blake, chair, on 07973 955429.
Green Funding News!
After a very successful Fair this year, we are in the happy position of being able to offer a limited number of small grants to local charities, community groups or businesses that share the same ethos as the Green Scythe Fair in seeking to make the world a more ethical and sustainable place.
If you have an initiative that furthers these aims, please apply by writing, setting out your proposal, why it merits our support and what difference that support will make.
Please email applications by December 31st 2017.
Green Scythe Fair 2018
The Green Scythe Fair Committee would like to thank all those affected for their patience and understanding concerning our difficult decision to stop entry for two hours at Sunday's Green Scythe Fair. We apologise if you were caught up in this, either as visitors trying to get in, or as locals trying to get about.
We had to take this very difficult decision, resulting from the unprecedented interest in the Fair, to protect the safety of all visitors as we reached our 5,000 people capacity limit and the build up of traffic on the Muchelney road was causing obstruction to locals and would be blocking any emergency services needing to get through. We therefore felt we had no option but to close the gates until the tailback of traffic had subsided and a sufficient number of people had left the site before we could allow more in again. We will of course be taking a serious look at how to prevent such a situation from happening again.
For those at the Fair (including those who were turned away and got in successfully later), we trust you had a great day and that it inspired you to be greener still! If so, then thank you for making the efforts of all the volunteers who help put on the Fair worthwhile.
Countdown…
This was the set up on Thursday (7th June). The team, along with the horses, have been hard at work and scythers have been clearing paths.
The Sun's Out and the Grass is Growing!
This was the view today (17th May 2018)
Fire Show
At 11pm there will be a fire show by Sophie Firestar
Come by Boat to the Fair!
This year you may travel in style to the Fair on the lovingly restored Duchess of Cocklemoor. Skipper Ian Mcnab will guide you along the scenic River Parrett from Langport to Middleney where horse drawn transport awaits to complete the journey to the Fair across the fields.
The Duchess will leave the quay at Cocklemoor, Langport (carpark end) at 10am, 11.30am and 1pm. The return journeys will start at 3pm, 4.30pm and 6pm. The suggested donation is £5 each way, donations going towards converting the Duchess to full solar power in time for next year’s Fair. Please phone Ian on 07880 528 413 to book your place. BOOKING ESSENTIAL.
A glorious evening
June 07, 2017
Things are taking shape… (Wednesday 7th June 2017)
June 06, 2017
WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A BIG GOODBYE TO STUART AYLETT, who passed away Sunday 7th May.
He will be sadly missed.
Stuart was site manager for the Green Scythe Fair from 2008–2014 and site manager for the original Scythe Festivals in 2005 and 2006.
Full of energy, Stuart always gave his all and tackled the challenges of putting on an event with practical know-how, enthusiasm, sagacity, integrity and above all laughter and humour.
His spirit will always be at the GSF.
Preparations
Recent Photos of Site
May 2017
In these changing times the Green Scythe Fair stands as a model of consistency, sustainability and environmental wellbeing; something stable in a changing world. This year it is on Sunday 11 June. The grass should have reached its peak, the scythes should be honed to perfection and the stalls, activities, catering and entertainment will again provide excellent stimulation, education and enjoyment to suit all tastes.
The Green Scythe Fair experience should start with the journey to get there. As a Green Fair, we aim to minimise our carbon footprint, but easily the biggest carbon emissions come from those of our visitors whose journeys are made by car. That is why we have decided this year to charge £5 per 4-wheeled vehicle (plus £5 per person). Therefore, if you can, please car-share or come by foot or bicycle - there’s more information, contacts and routes available on our website, www.greenfair.org.uk.
Or you could even come by water – the River Parrett runs close by and is easily navigable by canoe or other small craft.
The Fair encircles the Southwest Scything Championships going on through the afternoon. Around this are stalls of every green and environmental persuasion, tools and green crafts, ethical food and drink, the Green Kidz play area, two music stages, workshops and more. The lunchtime debate this year is aptly, 'Carbon Neutral Communities' with fine speakers Peter Harper of Zero Carbon Britain, Anna Francis of Frome Town Council and Sonya Bedford, head of Renewable Energy at Stevens Scown LLP.
Run by volunteers, we always need more volunteers to help on the day. Would you like to be “part of it”? Then please sign up as a volunteer and be part of the team that puts on this fabulous event, which is “probably the most enjoyable, and authentic, country fair in all England”! Please email volunteer@greenfair.org.uk.
11th June – best put the date in your diary now, start planning how you will get there, and please do consider helping as a volunteer – free entry plus a free drink for 2 hours, plus a free meal for 4 hours.
Green Scythe Fair 2017