What’s on (2022)

What’s On

We have a huge assortment of organisations, clubs, societies, charities and individuals who will be attending the Eco Festival.

Saturday 3rd September 2022 – 11am to 6pm
Lower Castle Park, Colchester, CO1 1UD

Below is the latest information on who is attending the Festival and the various activities and entertainment.

Last updated: 2-Sept-2022

Festival Site Plan

Click here to download the Festival Program

Click here to download the Festival Site Plan

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List of Stallholders (numeric order) – See below for alphabetic order.

Stall No Stall
1 En-form
2 Eco Essex
3 Pesticide Free Essex
4 Mark Goacher
5 TBD
6 TBD
7 TBD
8 The Refill Den
9 Sandy Armitage Designs
10 University of Essex (Sustainability)
11 University of Essex (Sustainability)
12
13 Perrywoods Garden Centre
14 Essex Wildlife Trust
15 Clean Air Colchester (CBC) Carless pollution
16 Colchester Woodland & Biodiversity Project
17 Bennison Farm
18 Colchester Food Co-op
19 Guilt Free Soapery
20 Colchester Natural History Society CNHS
21 Beth Chatto Education Trust
22 The Green Christian
23 Cannock Mill Cohousing
24 The Woodland Trust
25
26
29 Old Hall Community
30 Eco Hug Store
31 Malex International (Cortissa)
32 Essex Library Services
33 Bar Suds
34 Bimble Design
35 Morsbags
36 Colchester Labour Party
37 Indie Kate Upcycled (Kate Robertson)
38 Craft BEERings
39 Utility Warehouse
40
41 Colchester Borough Council Waste and recycling
42
43 Deleted
44 Extinction Rebellion
45 Suffolk and Essex Hunt Sabs
46 Vale Woodcraft
47 Mad Patch Creations
48 Wombleknits
49 Buzz Honey
50 RentMy
51 Colchester Liberal Democrats
52 Melon cauliflower
53 Women’s Institute (WI) Essex
54 Beautiful Healthy Home
55 Eco Jewellry
56 Essex Climate Action Commission and Essex County Council
57 Organically Epic
58 Colchester Zoo
59
60 Deleted
61
62 Colchester Museums
63 A Little Eco
64 Little Adventures with Dough
65 RSPB
66 MacraMade For You By Claire
67 Olive & Ivy Candles
68 Abberton Rural Training
69
70 Patrician Press
71 Indie-go Fairtrade
72 Wombleknits
73 Norwegian Bakers
74 Bolivian Pastries
75 Colchester Climate Alliance
76 XR Youth Colchester
77 byKatyMac
78 Textile Collective
79
80 Groundwork East
81
82 Falun Dafa
83 BEAUTIFUL NATURE WELLNESS
84 Peace of Me
85 Adaptable By Design
86
87
88 Colchester Frock Swap
89 Colchester Frock Swap
90 Colchester Frock Swap

Caterers (will be allocated starting at the stage area)

Stall No Stall
  Chickpea Catering
  Cafe2u Braintree
  Organic Alex
  Bangladeshi Women’s Association Essex
  Sir Isaacs Artisan Coffee Ltd – ICE CREAM
  Juicy Bar – Vitality
Bake Me Kind

Transport Stalls (stalls listed on the site plan)

Stall No
  North Essex Parking partnership
  Colchester Bike Kitchen (Dr Bike)
  Cycle Colchester
  Walk Colchester
  Friends of Castle Park
  Raleigh
  Tier
  Wheels for All
  Colchester E Cargo Bike Project
  Roy Tolley

Health and Wellbeing Tent

Stall No Stall
  Manor Health & Wellness Centre
  Beautiful Boho
  Vitali Chi
  Tropic Skincare

Babyzone

Stall No Stall
  Anglian Water (Listed separately)
  Beautiful Bonds
  Essex Babylab
  East Essex Cloth Nappy Library CIC
  La Leche Breastfeeding Support

Children’s Zone (Listed separately)

Stall No Stall
Coddiwomplers
Purple Whiskers
Kew Gardens Workshop

Also listed separately

Stall No Stall
Moved to stall 13 Perrywoods Garden Centre
  Orsted
  Woods O Wisdom Bushcraft

List of Stallholders (alphabetic order) – See above for numberic order.

Stall No Stall
63 A Little Eco
68 Abberton Rural Training
85 Adaptable By Design
33 Bar Suds
54 Beautiful Healthy Home
83 BEAUTIFUL NATURE WELLNESS
17 Bennison Farm
21 Beth Chatto Education Trust
34 Bimble Design
74 Bolivian Pastries
49 Buzz Honey
77 byKatyMac
23 Cannock Mill Cohousing
15 Clean Air Colchester (CBC) Carless pollution
Colchester Borough Council Waste and recycling
75 Colchester Climate Alliance
18 Colchester Food Co-op
88 Colchester Frock Swap
89 Colchester Frock Swap
90 Colchester Frock Swap
36 Colchester Labour Party
51 Colchester Liberal Democrats
CT Colchester Museums
20 Colchester Natural History Society CNHS
16 Colchester Woodland & Biodiversity Project
58 Colchester Zoo
38 Craft BEERings
2 Eco Essex
30 Eco Hug Store
55 Eco Jewellry
1 En-form
56 Essex Climate Action Commission and Essex County Council
32 Essex Library Services
14 Essex Wildlife Trust
44 Extinction Rebellion
82 Falun Dafa
80 Groundwork East
19 Guilt Free Soapery
37 Indie Kate Upcycled (Kate Robertson)
71 Indie-go Fairtrade
64 Little Adventures with Dough
66 MacraMade For You By Claire
47 Mad Patch Creations
31 Malex International (Cortissa)
4 Mark Goacher
52 Melon cauliflower
35 Morsbags
73 Norwegian Bakers
29 Old Hall Community
67 Olive & Ivy Candles
57 Organically Epic
70 Patrician Press
84 Peace of Me
13 Perrywoods Garden Centre
3 Pesticide Free Essex
50 RentMy
65 RSPB
9 Sandy Armitage Designs
45 Suffolk and Essex Hunt Sabs
78 Textile Collective
22 The Green Christian
8 The Refill Den
24 The Woodland Trust
10 University of Essex (Sustainability)
11 University of Essex (Sustainability)
39 Utility Warehouse
46 Vale Woodcraft
72 Wombleknits
53 Women’s Institute (WI) Essex
76 XR Youth Colchester

Interactive Events, Entertainment & Bands

Children’s events have been funded by the Essex County Council Arts and Cultural Fund.

The Baby Zone has been sponsored by Anglian Water

A timetable of events is shown below:
Click on each category to show events, click on each event for more details.

Main Stage & Arena

Walkabout Entertainers

Baby Zone

  • Maria Louise Renshaw 30-minute demonstrations from local baby and toddler groups, including baby massage, baby signing, storytime and toddler dance.
    11.00 - 18.00

Children's Area

Children's Tent

Health & Wellbeing Area

Healing Tent

Sustainable Transportation - Walking / eBikes / eCargo Bikes / Electric Vehicles

Sustainable Transportation - eBikes / eScooters - Try out area

Workshop Tent

  • Workshops Transforming Essex to net zero: how we can all take action on climate change - Cllr Peter Schwier, Essex County Council Climate Czar
    11.45 - 12.00
  • Workshops Make your own cleaning materials – Lisa Cross
    12.00 - 12.30
  • Workshops Saving water in the home and garden – Grace Darke
    12.30 - 13.30
  • Workshops Energy
    13.30 - 14.30
  • Workshops Love Your Period – Grace Darke and Sam Pitman
    14.30 - 15.30
  • Workshops How to make your garden Wildlife Friendly – Mark Goacher
    15.30 - 16.30
No events available!

Eco Living Stalls

en-form

en-form is a registered charity dedicated to helping make a difference one bit at a time. Whether you are trying to commit to recycling your plastic to reduce your carbon impact, or you want to know about making your home more energy efficient to reduce your fuel bills – we are here to help!

Our Aim: To encourage public involvement in safeguarding and improving the environment.

Our Objective: To contribute towards the establishment of a healthy and sustainable environment in which all communities can thrive.

We aim to fulfill the following functions:

  • Provide comprehensive information on a wide range of environmental issues.
  • Assist individuals and organisations to make better informed decisions on how they can help improve and sustain our environment.
  • Act as a focal point for all local environmental groups.
  • Help all the local groups to achieve their environmental projects by building partnerships with like minded groups, helping with funding advice and providing more general advice.
  • Inform & educate the local population on environmental matters by offering a link between schools and other local groups and environmental education services
  • Inspire other groups to start and achieve a range of environmental projects, acting as a catalyst and partner.

Eco Colchester

We are Eco Colchester – a non-profit & community led group, whose intention is to enable the local community to network, communicate, learn and take action on the climate crisis and global biodiversity loss at a local and grass roots level.

As the Colchester community arm of En-form, we act as a community voice for social responsibility and environmental preservation and improvement and want to help Colchester to grow and flourish into an ecological and environmentally sustainable place to live today and for our future generations.

We are an integral part of the Eco Festival

Eco Essex

A group offering eco support, tips, information, resources, teacher resources and  kids activities.

East of England Co-op

We’re proud to be the largest independent retailer operating in the East of England. We provide food stores and specialist services, such as funerals, security, travel agents and petrol filling stations to communities across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk.

With a significant property portfolio and other businesses, such as events and conference facilities and stonemasonry, we are a diverse and modern business.

As a co-operative business. we’re run differently to other big organisations, putting our members first. Our focus has always been, and always will be, the local communities in our region.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Perrywood Tiptree

We have two successful garden centres, both with a gift and coffee shop in Tiptree, Essex and Sudbury, Suffolk. We are an independent family-owned business run by the Bourne family since the 1950’s. Our vision is to inspire people to get more plants in their lives. Our every day mission is to offer a memorable garden centre experience; delivering wow customer service and giving employees, customers, suppliers and our local community a reason to smile.
This year our ‘Plant Hope’ campaign aims to help our customers find little ways to become more sustainable to help change for a better future. Through displays and signage in store, our website and social media we are providing our customers will lots of inspiration and information to help them find little ways to help support the environment.

Cannock Mill Cohousing

We are a mutually supportive cohousing group, sharing values and aims, building our own low energy and environmentally friendly homes with a shared ‘common house’, land and facilities at Cannock Mill, Colchester. Our website provides information on us, our project and on cohousing generally.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Essex County Council and the Essex Climate Action Commission 

The Essex Climate Action Commission was set up by Essex County Council to give independent expert advice on how to tackle climate change, build our resilience to more extreme weather and become a net zero, carbon neutral county. Join us at the Eco Festival on 3 September where you can learn more about action to tackle climate change in Essex. We will also be providing information on our Climate Advice Packs which provide a collection of practical tips and advice on actions we can all take to help the environment.

The Refill Den

Here at The Refill Den, we want to go back to basics. We’re passionate about our planet and we want you to be too. Our aim is to encourage people to reduce their plastic waste and be more eco conscious, especially when it comes to food shopping. By buying products free-of-packaging, you get to choose how much you want of a product, whilst also saving money and reducing waste, it’s a win-win!

Friends of Castle Park

To promote membership of Friends of Castle Park who provide support to the park by volunteering on tasks such as deadheading roses, watering etc. We also provide financial support to the park, for example by contributions to projects such as pond refurbishment. We will be selling a few homegrown plants, knitted hedgehogs and flower fairies to attract people to our stall and raise funds to support the park.

Website | Facebook  | Instagram

Eco Living magazine

More than just another lifestyle magazine Eco Living is delivering a real message, helping its readers to make discerning choices when it comes to purchasing homes, holidays, food and goods that will, by their nature, help nurture and ultimately save our planet

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Sandy Armitage Designs

Freelance Interior Architectural Designer
led by sustainability and biophilic principles

“Transforming your space without costing the earth.”

I bring to you a wealth of knowledge and over three decades of experience from transforming homes for the exclusive luxury domestic market.

I offer a tailored and personal design service to show you the possibilities of creating a timeless wow-factor in your home that has less to do with fashion and more to do with character and individuality and function that makes the most significant use of your space to meet your needs on every practical and emotional level.

I endorse products from sustainable manufacturers and companies that offer excellent pre-loved kitchens and I’ll show you how re-imagining your existing stuff can be as exciting as buying something new.

byKateMac

Vintage & pre-loved household fabrics used to create occasion wear and wedding dresses; minimising impact for the planet. Creating wearable clothing from recycled/reclaimed fabric for adults and children

Colchester Food Co-op

The Colchester Food Co-op will be at the festival selling a range of ethical goodies and giving out information on the Food co-op. Find out how to become a member and get access to a wide range of eco friendly products through their town centre shop at 15 Queen Street which has 24 hour access and a bulk buying service.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Bennison Farm

Local, Seasonal, Organic Vegetables

Join a veg box scheme with a difference on our farm near Colchester. You’ll get a share of fresh local veg every week and if you join us on the farm for work days and social events, you’ll get a share of fresh air too. It’s a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme.

RentMy

RentMy, the Airbnb of everything

RentMy tools, tents, trailers and so much more!
80% of household items are used less than once per month.

Save money AND make money!
Why buy for more, when you can rent for less? Or, if you do need to buy it, rent it out and recoup some of the costs.

For the planet!
If everyone in the world consumed as much as we do in the UK, we’d need 3+ planets of resources.

Buzz Power

Buzz Power was born of two family passions: a love of beekeeping and running and cycling in the great outdoors.

Our founder and Apiarist-in-Chief, Tony, has been keeping bees for many years and his son Ed, a seasoned marathon runner and long-distance cyclist, suggested that a honey-based carbohydrate would be an excellent substitute for maltodextrin-based energy gels.

Like many competitive runners and cyclists, Ed found conventional maltodextrin-based energy gels an “unpleasant necessity”.

Green Christian

Green Christian aims to provide a contribution to the festival, linking with other groups in the context of the climate and biodiversity crises. We will aim to celebrate God’s creation, offering hope for the future and drawing attention to the need to bring justice to our neighbours across the world.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Eco Hug

In a world where consumerism has gone mad and with the over- production of plastics, with no proper means of disposing or recycling of it, we need to be looking to real alternatives to lessen our waste footprint at home. Its not always easy!

Beautiful Healthy Home

A curated range of stylish, sustainable and ethical brands suitable for non-toxic living.
From natural candles and essential oil room sprays to reusable kitchen essentials and nourishing skincare.

Little Adventures With Dough

Children’s natural compostable playdough.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Organically Epic

Selling Eco related products or services.

Patrician Press

Small local non-profit press based in Manningtree.
Some books are political anthologies with contributions about climate crisis.

Arts & Crafts Stalls

Womble Knits

Colourful, reusable, handmade alternatives to plastic such as cotton market bags, soap sacks and washcloths, wool nappy covers, bottle slings, reusable gift bags, personalised Christmas stockings and decorations.  I also stock eco knitting patterns and knit kits for a range of my products.

The Coddiwomplers

We are The Coddiwomplers. We make lovely things from willow and wood and run willow weaving workshops for all ages. We are based in Norfolk.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Vale Woodcraft

Vale Woodcraft was founded in July 2020.  Our aim is to reduce the amount of wood waste that ends up in landfill (Currently in the UK 10 million tonnes of wood waste is generated each year and only 1 million tonnes is recycled). Since starting we have used over 12 tonnes of waste wood to make our range of homewares.

We design and make our own range of homewares which are handmade using reclaimed wood.  We are constantly expanding our product range so check back regularly to see what’s been added. We also source other high quality, sustainable materials that can be used to create unique gifts, such as Bamboo.

We also have a wide range of personalised options available and love bringing your ideas to life. All orders that need to be delivered are shipped using only recyclable and biodegradable packaging.

We will be selling a range of items at the Eco-Festival. Why not check out our online store.

Cortissa

Cortissa® has a unique personality because of its vintage look and its eco-friendly, fun and colourful accessories. Everyone has a favourite colour that better defines who they are. After all, we believe that Cortissa®’s bright colours can change our clients’ moods. We choose things in general because we want to feel in a particular way.

We challenge you to let Cortissa® bring some fun and elegance to your life and want you to feel good. Those bright colours can be a reflection of your happiness and cheer you up. We want Cortissa®’s vibrant and lively colours to be combined with elegant and sustainable materials to help you raise your – and everyone around you – spirit.

BimbleDesign

Selling a range of reusable accessories including pads and face masks handmade in the UK.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Mad Patch Creations

Hand made items for everyone. From my organic eco range to luxury heirloom quilts.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

MacraMade For You By Claire

Handmade Macrame for you. Bespoke pieces made to order

Indie-Go Fairtrade

Fairtrade items all made by artisans around the world using upcycled and repurposed materials

I’m passionate about the planet and local, community efforts staying as sustainable as possible
I admire the way communities of the artisans who make the products I sell reuse almost every thing around them
We can learn alot from this.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Melon cauliflower

Come and visit us at the centre of the festival. Make your own gem stone bracelets or bag yourself some unique, practical craftwork! All products are handcrafted by Nicky, Ness and Meg, and we use ‘home grown’ products as far as possible. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Eco Jewellry

Eco Jewellery is inspired by a desire to introduce sustainability into my work. I am a local Jeweller based in Colchester and I work in precious metals and beads.

My designs incorporate recycled or up cycled materials, and I work from a chemical free studio.

My packaging is made from sustainable Mulberry shoots and I am happy to repair and redesign jewellery.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Seaside Treasures

Ahoy! All my products feature treasures from the sea. 100% authentic seaglass that I have collected from my local coastline – Southend – Leigh-on-Sea (unless location is otherwise stated). True seaside treasures turned into beautiful jewellery and gifts

Sustainable Transportation Show

Timetable

Sustainable Transportation - Walking / eBikes / eCargo Bikes / Electric Vehicles

Sustainable Transportation - eBikes / eScooters - Try out area

No events available!

Stalls

Colchester Electric Vehicle Society

We are a friendly community of local EV drivers.

We are aiming to have approximately 10 Electric Vehicles at the Festival covering lots of different makes, models, ages and price points. There will be information available about the cost of ownership, cost of charging and various different charging options. You will be able to look around the vehicles and talk to directly with EV owners.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Colchester Borough Council’s eCargo bikes

An electric cargo bike, often called an eCargo bike, is an electric bike with purpose-built storage. The bikes come in different shapes and sizes to suit whatever is being transported, whether that be shopping, equipment, flowers, parcels, heavy goods or kids!

They offer a sustainable, low cost and environmentally friendly way for businesses to deliver goods and services and for residents to carry larger and heavier loads .

Come and try out a range of Colchester Borough Council’s eCargo bikes and find out about current and future plans to make them available for businesses and residents to borrow.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Colchester eBike and family bike users group

We are a friendly group of local ebike and ecargo bike owners

Come and see a range of ebikes, eCargo bikes and eLongtail bikes and feel free to ask questions from experienced ebike owners about price, performance, range and any other questions you have. We are happy to share our experience of purchasing and using ebikes for everything from transporting children, our weekly shopping, trips to the tip to simply using ebikes to get around quickly and efficiently for work and home life. You will also be able to try out a range of ebikes in the Try Out area.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Raleigh

Raleigh is one of the best-known bike brands in the world. Established in Nottingham, England in 1887, we offer reliability and trust from a brand with over 130 years of heritage. Raleigh now offers a range of e-cargo options to help you choose a more sustainable and environmentally friendly path through a brand you can trust.

We will be at the Eco Festival to let you try our range of both family and business e-cargo bike/trike models, plus answer any questions you may have.

Roy Tolley

We are a family owned business that has been helping Colchester with their motoring requirements since 1960, we are the official Citroën, Peugeot and MG dealer for North Essex and are located in Gosbecks Road, Colchester.

We pride ourselves in offering you the highest level of service, offering new cars, approved used and servicing as well as all of the latest offers.

We will be demonstrating our range of fully electric vehicles.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Wheels for All

The Wheels for All initiative is a nationally recognised programme that embraces all children and adults with disabilities and differing needs, to engage in a quality cycling activity providing fun and stimulating cycling across the UK.

By using specially adapted cycles, the activities are both physically and mentally stimulating and above all fun for everyone involved.

All the centres are equipped with specially adapted cycles and Wheels for All trained leaders, who have the knowledge and confidence to work with adapted cycles for participants to enjoy the benefits of cycling. The centres welcome individuals, groups and families to be involved.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Tier

Our vision is to lead the way towards seamless and sustainable mobility – joyful for everyone. Together with cities and partner organisations, we’re rethinking urban transportation by offering easy, accessible and affordable mobility services for all.

In January 2020, we became the first micro-mobility company to be fully climate-neutral. We go beyond reducing emissions linked to charging and include production, operational and transportation emissions. Our commitment to being climate-neutral will not only benefit the environment but also ensure a liveable and sustainable future.

Cycle Colchester

We’re here to keep you up to date with what’s happening locally to promote and support cycling. Whether you’re a beginner, looking to cycle more, a club rider, or just about getting from a to b, our objective is to encourage more people to cycle more often.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Walk Colchester

Walk Colchester was set up in 2010 with the following objectives: To promote and facilitate safe and enjoyable walking. To provide information about and facilitate walking access. To promote an inclusive approach to mapping. To aid protection of our green open spaces

Colchester Bike Kitchen

We’re a friendly DIY community bike workshop in Colchester town centre run completely by volunteers.

For a suggested minimum donation of just £5 you can make use of our fully stocked workshop to work on your own bike, either on your own or under the supervision of one of our mechanics. No need to book, just drop in whenever we’re open.

North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP)

NEPP is a multi-award-winning council-run organisation, led by Colchester Borough Council, bringing together parking services in North Essex.

As an organisation we are committed to reducing our own environmental impact and enabling others to do so, through our services.

At the festival, we will be exhibiting some of the positive steps we have already taken to reduce our carbon footprint and will also be carrying out research to help develop future policies.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Utilities & Renewable Energy Stalls

Anglian Water

At Anglian Water, we believe in doing the right thing for the environment and the planet. We’re committed to reducing CO2 emissions, protecting precious water resources and local habitats in our region. We continue to invest in innovative solutions to ensure a sustainable future for water, nature and the communities we serve.

Investing now to improve tomorrow​
Creating a sustainable future is something we have been working on for decades. We’ve made ambitious commitments that protect our environment, water and people: ​

  • Generating up to half of our own energy from renewable sources to help us achieving Net Zero Carbon status by 2030​
  • Accelerating £300million investment to protect our region’s environment ​
  • Investing millions in new fibre-optic technology to find and fix leaks faster, saving precious water​
  • Adapting to climate change by constructing hundreds of kilometres of interconnecting pipeline to move water around our region​
  • Building two new reservoirs by 2035, to make sure the driest parts of our region have enough water​

Why not explore more about our journey so far and the projects you have helped us support.

Ørsted

We were once one of the most coal-intensive energy companies in Europe. Today, we’re the world’s most sustainable energy company, and a global leader in the transition to green energy. We develop, construct, and operate multiple offshore wind farms and are gradually expanding our global presence. You can learn more about what we are doing right here in the UK on our website.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Groundwork East

Groundwork East is an environmental charity covering Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk working with community groups and the public.

 

Come and talk to us about ways to save energy and water and help the planet. We have free giveaways of energy and water saving devices that can help to reduce your bills. Here are some simple ideas to save money https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xgz41YQsOY

Have you thought about having a water meter fitted so that you only pay for the water that you use? Most people can save around £150 per year by switching to a water meter from the standard unmetered tariff. Anglian Water are currently fitting them for free with the offer that you can switch back if you change your mind. As an independent charity we can offer you impartial advice so come and have a chat.

We also have a Green Doctor programme for anyone who is spending more than 10% of their income on fuel. Green Doctors are energy efficiency experts who can come out to your home to help you to find ways to save money and keep warm. If you need help or know someone who does, find out more at our stand.

If you have children with you, we have activity books and other things they can take away. We also have many youtube videos of ideas and projects you can do with young children to entertain and inform them including a series of 50 things to do before you are 5 and here is one on how to build a bug hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQSXXcFPK78

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Community Energy Colchester

Our energy, Our choice. Helping Colchester to move toward Net Zero

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Utility Warehouse

All your home services in one
Save time and money by getting all your home services in one, simple, monthly bill.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Vegan & Vegetarian Food & Drink Stalls

Please bring your own drinking vessels/containers to the Eco Festival #reuse

Organic Alex

I started my vegan catering business in 2015 and now have hundreds of my own recipes at my fingertips. I enjoy changing things up, experimenting with new recipes and inventing new dishes, so please come back regularly and check out my daily and weekly specials. Some new dishes are made in small batches, and when they’re gone, they’re gone!

The Chickpea

The Chickpea is a catering company with a difference. Inspired by the exotic ingredients and passionate commitment to fresh food in Asia, we decided to re-create the street food experience in Colchester. The idea started as a market stall and has grown through our commitment to always creating authentic fresh food. All of the curries are prepared by grinding fresh spices and are cooked to perfection from our chef’s original recipes.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Cafe2u Braintree

We provide Espresso Coffee, Hot Chocolates, speciality Teas, alternative milks. All hot drinks are served in compostable cups. Chilled drinks come in cans.

Our van is a fully electric Vivaro E. all the equipment is powered by lithium batteries so NO generators.

Juicy Bar

We make cold-pressed juices and smoothies from fresh fruit and vegetables – some of which we have grown ourselves.

We are plant-based and vegan. At our base which is on Culver Square, Colchester we also make healthy foods, gym shakes, juice Packs and herbal tonics. We deliver these on our ecargo bike and can be found on our website – www.juicybarvitality.co.uk.

All our packaging, including our cups and straws, are made from plants and are compostable.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Bake me kind

Bake me kind 🖤
Cakes, graze boxes, brownies and treats 🍫🧁
5* food hygiene rating 🧁
Level 2 food hygiene certified 🍰
Specialising in Vegan bakes

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Norwegian Bakers

We are bakers of highest quality breads, sweet and savoury buns, cakes and cookies at our vegan bakery in Wivenhoe, near Colchester in Essex.

We are now baking on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and the bakery is open on these days and welcome visitors from 9am til 2pm.

We also deliver to Wivenhoe, Colchester and surrounding villages – see our handy Baking Days information sheet here – and we utilise our e-cargo bike on local deliveries from the bakery.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Bolivian Pastries

We are a local independent home bakery shop based in Colchester, specialising in vegan: cakes, bread, pasty, and desserts,Through baking and providing honest traditional food we aim to pay tribute to our wonderful heritage and culture. We hope you enjoy the taste of our authentic Bolivian street food as much as we do.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Toast Bakery

We are originally from Colchester and are very invested in sustainability in our small business. We will be selling our vegan bakery goods, pastries, sourdough doughnuts & bread as well as our barista coffee, and reusable coffee cups for people to purchase.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Bangladeshi Women’s Association Essex

We will be providing a range of Indian and Asian food, including curry dishes and indian street food

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Sir Isaacs Artisan Coffee Ltd – ICE CREAM

Range of ice creams available this year from a local, popular shop.

Ice cream – Range of Gelato Scooping Ice cream – Wafers or tubs – toppings and sauces

Fruit flavours – 100% vegan pure fruit just made Strawberry Fruit Ice, Raspberry Fruit Ice, Mango Fruit Ice

Coconut, Mint choc chip biscoff – stand has been in culver square for 1 month over summer

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Reuse, Repair & Recycling Stalls

Essex Library Services

Promoting Essex Library Services which are sustainable and eco-friendly, encouraging people to borrow items rather than buying them and promoting our free digital services over printed materials.

Also promoting the environmental initiatives Essex Libraries support from recycling services to new building designs. Plus the household appliances, tools, sports and leisure equipment available to borrow from the Essex Library of Things, saving people buying items they may only need occasionally.

Colchester Frock Swap

Bring along you unwanted clean clothes, shoes and accessories – (women’s, mens and children’s) that you have no further use for (too big, too small, bad impulse buy) and enjoy swapping them for items that you will use. De-clutter your wardrobe and swap it for a new look.

The Colchester Frock Swap has been operating in Colchester since 2009 and has 2 FREE events in the Colchester Arts Centre per year.

To keep updated join the Colchester Frock Swap Facebook Group

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Indie Kate Upcycled

Eco home essentials. Clothes and Accessories. Custom Upcycling. Kids Party Tableware Hire.

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The Textile Collective

The Textile Collective is made up of three experienced, academically trained textile & art professionals. 

We all have sustainability and mindfulness at the core of our practises and together we have created a company within the local community that provides access to a large open workspace, a variety of sewing equipment and technical/artistic support. 

As a community interest company, we aim to enable visitors to develop their own creativity, be it their sewing skills or an overall understanding of textile craft in a safe, open, and friendly environment using donated fabrics and equipment.  We have developed flexible activity sessions and drop-in groups which allow visitors to connect and be inspired in their own personal way.

Building with Nature

We will be promoting an ongoing project between Colchester Borough Council and the University of Essex on recycling/upcycling of oyster shell material.

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Morsbags

Morsbags use fabric that might otherwise have gone to landfill to make free tote (reuseable) bags that are given away with the encouragement not to use plastic.
Want to find out more, visit our stall to volunteer, find out how to donate fabric, get a free bag (they are always free, it is an important part of our ethos) but only if we have enough made by then! Or even have a go at making a bag yourself using a manual sewing machine (under supervision)

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Craft BEERings

Hand-crafted, up-cycled earrings and broaches embracing the wonderfully different designs of craft beer cans, bottle tops and ring pulls.

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Interactive Events

Timetable

Children's Area

No events available!

Stalls

Woods O Wisdom

We offer a range of experiences in the Colchester, Essex area to help you shake off the stresses of modern-day life & give you the opportunity to reconnect with nature whilst enjoying the tranquillity of our campfire.

Have fun whilst learning new skills from an older age. Awaken your primaeval instincts by learning the art of creating fire & immerse yourself in the natural surroundings, learning more about our remarkable native flora & fauna. Taking Colchester bushcraft courses to a new level!

We hold our courses in 40 acres of beautiful deciduous woodlands offering family-friendly fun bushcraft skills to full-on bushcraft skills and woodland crafts reconnecting you back to nature and an older age when you had to thrive in the natural environment in a safe environment taught by a very experienced and qualified bushcraft instructor.

We also run group and family archery fun sessions on our woodland range all taught by qualified Archery GB instructors.

We can also bring our bushcraft & archery fun to you with our 10m bushcraft shelter and mobile archery range making it perfect for school groups, private gatherings, festivals and fayres alike.

We will be running fire demos and cordage making workshops along with the archery range and arts n crafts for children from natural renewable resources

Website | Facebook | Instagram

BWild Adventures

We offer immersive outdoor sessions and workshops suitable for lots of ages and abilities all based around nature and the outdoors. From survival and bush skills to crafting with nature, archery, outdoor play and foraging we are sure introduce you to something that you will fall in love with.

Our sessions are always personal. We make things fun, informative and high or low energy depending on what you want. We work with corporate groups, schools, adults, children but our favourite has to be families. Seeing families working together and making memories is just invaluable and it is a pleasure for us to be able to facilitate that.

Purple Whiskers – Face Painting

Offering face painting services for parties and events in Benfleet and surrounding areas.

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Baby Zone

The Babyzone has been sponsored by Anglian Water.

This year we have introduced a babyzone to the festival. Inside you will be able to relax and rest with your babies and toddlers in the seating area. If you need feeding support La Leche League and a local lactation consultant will be on hand to help. Beautiful Bonds sling library will be running a buggy park with free sling hire to make navigating the festival easier. You’ll also be able to chat to East Essex Nappy Library about all things cloth nappy. Essex baby lab from the University of Essex, will have a variety of activities for you to try throughout the day to help learn about your baby’s development. And if all this wasn’t enough there will also be 30 minute demonstrations throughout the day from local baby and toddler groups, including baby massage, baby sign, story time and toddler dance!

Timetable

Baby Zone

No events available!

Stalls

Beautiful Bonds

Beautiful Bonds offers support with the postnatal period, preparing you through pregnancy and supporting you in the fourth trimester with babywearing, feeding, love and nurture.

Essex Babylab

At the Essex Babylab, we study how infants and children learn and develop. At the Eco Festival, we will provide families with fun activities they can do with their baby that will show them how babies discover the world during their very first years.

East Essex Cloth Nappy Library CIC

We offer advice and support for everyone interested in reusable nappies. We also provide trial kits and newborn kits.

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Children's Area

Timetable

Children's Area

No events available!

Stalls

Magic

Website | Facebook

Healing Tent & Stalls

Timetable

Book in advance,  click on each event for more information and to book.

Health & Wellbeing Area

Healing Tent

No events available!

Stalls

The Manor Health and Wellness Centre

Our Beautiful Yoga studio and Therapy Rooms here in the heart of Colchester Essex offer a wide range of natural holistic healthcare, therapies, classes and workshops.

Sarah Pinckney & Fiona Wallis created The Manor fulfilling their dream of being able to offer a whole combination of natural healthcare under one roof in Colchester Essex

“Our team of professional passionate therapists and teachers all have the same mission to provide the best natural healthcare to help and support you to live a happier, healthier life”

The Manor boasts warm and welcoming modern spacious therapy rooms and a fully equipped Yoga studio which are all available to hire.

Beautiful Boho

Beautiful Boho is the creation of Laura, a jewellery maker who is a uses the subtle power of crystals and other holistic remedies to help heal others in a truly unique way. Laura is passionate about her craft, she gently cleanses her crystals & gemstones prior to making her pieces, she works her magic on every piece. She raises the vibrations of the crystals with pure love intention, then sends her unique pieces out into the world with a message of Peace & Love. She knows first-hand how powerful this type of healing can be after falling ill herself and exhausting conventional avenues of medication. She turned to holistic pain relief and healing and not only did she cure herself she discovered hidden within herself her healing power. Her calling is to extend this gift to as many others as she can through Beautiful Boho Jewellery.

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Vitali-Chi Ltd

The Vitali-Chi Energy Balancing System means more energy, therapeutic healing and better sleep and meditations. We also have a fantastic product range, we’ve got you covered, from top to toe!

Tropic Skincare

Tropic Skincare and Makeup business

Tropic is a company whose infinite purpose is to help create a Healthier, Greener more empowered world. Tropic is a certified carbon neutral company with all carbon emissions double offset. They heavily invest in conservation projects across the world and many of their products come with refillable packaging and recycling schemes. They are certified vegan and cruelty-free 100% naturally derived products.

 

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Health & Wellbeing Stalls

Adaptable By Design

At Adaptable by Design, we believe our overall wellbeing is linked to our connection with nature.

Our bespoke wellbeing programmes and services address our natural ability to adapt. This allows you to reconnect to your natural self and establish new patterns of thought and behaviour that work for you. In doing so, you develop strategies to overcome your unique problems, build resiliency and elevate your wellbeing. This is truly nature designed wellbeing.

We offer personal, workplace and community wellbeing services and programmes including:

  • Coaching & Neuro Linguistic Programming
    • Personal & Professional Performance
    • Wellbeing Coaching
    • Teams
    • Climate Action
  • Neuro Linguistic Programming
  • DISC Personality Profiling
  • Forest Bathing
  • Forest Therapy
  • Nature Connection Development Workshops
  • Wellbeing Retreats

We are also an Eco Tourism Partner!

If you’re looking to build your visitor experience, we bring forest bathing, guided walks and workshops to you so you can enhance your guest’s visits.

Olive & Ivy

Artisan soy candles & home fragrances, lovingly hand poured in our candle studio in Essex

A Little Eco

Hi I’m Tara, owner of A Little Eco, mum to three little people who have been the inspiration behind my business. Using cloth nappies on them was my introduction into a more sustainable way of living. My business is about being “a little eco”, making small swaps collectively for a bigger impact overall.

We specialise in cloth nappies and accessories and lovely homeware items to help make a positive impact on the planet.

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BEAUTIFUL NATURE WELLNESS

On site chair massage to help people take care of their bodies, distress, slow down and be aware of body and health
Our bodies are our temple.

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BAR:SUDS LTD

BAR:SUDS was created with the sole purpose of removing plastic from the supply chain and harmful chemicals found in commercially made soap. My bars do not contain anything other than natural products, which is how soap should be made, considering it’s been around thousands of years! I chose to turn my passion into a small business and forge ahead with the idea of changing people’s habits when it comes to skin products.
Our skin is precious and research has shown a greater number of people now have problem skin due to stress, anxiety, the environment and products used in everyday life. BAR:SUDS soaps are designed with ingredients that help sooth, calm and nourish the skin without taking any of the precious oils and moisture. Skincare without compromise is good for the skin and the planet.

The Guilt Free Soapery

Plant based, organic, handmade cold processed soaps with ethics at heart. With a focus on sustainability and fairtrade ingredients. Low waste, no palm oil, home compostable packaging.

Falun Dafa

Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a spiritual practice that millions around the world have made a part of their lives. Rooted in Buddhist tradition, it consists of two main components: self-improvement through the study of teachings, and gentle exercises and meditation.

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Peace of Me

Peace of Me offers a fun and unique style of teaching meditation and mindfulness to young people, creating meditations as unique as each child. Classes are available online or in person, and will empower your child to work with their feelings and emotions, cope with life’s challenges and improve their mental wellbeing.

Conservation Stalls

Colchester Zoo

We work hard at Colchester Zoo to promote conservation both at home and out in the wider world. We strive to be more sustainable in our daily operations and have a continual aim to reduce our impact on the environment through the reduction of plastic use and using sustainable palm oil products. We also provide conservation talks to teach good practise to the community and many of our animals are part of breeding programmes. Read more about how we aid conservation at the zoo here.

Colchester Zoo has always cared passionately about the world’s threatened species, and created its charity Action for the Wild to assist conservation projects worldwide. This includes our own project, the UmPhafa Private Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Since receiving charity status in 2004 Action for the Wild has donated over £1.2million to conservation programmes, as well as supporting conservation research. As a privately owned zoo, funding the zoo’s further development as well as assisting these projects in the wild is only possible with the support of the community, through all your visits and the funds Colchester Zoo receive from retail and catering sales. Thank you!

We will be running activities based around the illegal wildlife trade and some of the jobs our rangers do on our reserve in South Africa.

RSPB

We’re now the largest nature conservation charity in the country, consistently delivering successful conservation, forging powerful new partnerships with other organisations and inspiring others to stand up and give nature the home it deserves.

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The Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity that restores and protects ancient woodland as well as creating new woodland. We have planted 50 million trees since we began in 1972. We have saved thousands of woods in the last decade and we are bringing thousands of hectares of ancient woodland back to life. We want to see a UK rich in native woods and trees. We can’t achieve our vision without you.

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Colchester Natural History Society

Wildlife isn’t just something to watch on screen. We are surrounded by amazing biodiversity whether we live in the town or the country and by joining CNHS you can discover the natural world, right on your doorstep. Active members also help to shape the future of wildlife in the county by recording everything from tiny beetles and rare butterflies to huge flocks of wading birds and resident populations of otters.

And why not take the opportunity to spot the nature around you on the day by joining the –

Colchester Natural History Society’s Nature Walk 2pm (book in advance on the day)

Join a Nature Walk along the river to view the results of the ‘low mow’ and rewilding there and on nearby Land Lane. Look out for late dragonflies and butterflies and if you are lucky spot green woodpecker, heron and several species of wild ducks. Book your space at the Colchester Natural History Society stall before 2pm. Wear stout shoes and weather appropriate clothes.

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Essex Wildlife Trust

We are the county’s leading conservation charity, committed to protecting wildlife and inspiring a lifelong love of nature. Our climate is in crisis and our species face extinction. The natural world needs our help. Together we can protect the future. Join us.

Colchester Woodland and Biodiversity Project

We launched in 2019 and with the help of many of you we have made a great start with this great initiative. As the project grows, we want to share with you what is at the very heart of the project.

The Colchester Woodland and Biodiversity Project:

  • strives to make our borough greener.
  • is committed to planting trees and helping biodiversity to flourish
  • will plant and manage our spaces without harming existing habitats
  • will enhance environments to create more space for nature to grow and thrive
  • will encourage our community to love and care for our environment, from wildflowers and meadows, to our woods and parks, old or new
  • will take the time to discover, nurture and enable the work led by communities

We want to work alongside our community to get to know, love and use our woods and parks, and we want everyone to benefit from the environmental, health and wellbeing, and societal benefits they bring.

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Campaign Group & Activists Stalls

Pesticide Free Essex

We are a coalition of campaign groups across Essex (including charities, community groups & political parties) whose key aim is to encourage and support Essex County Council and all it’s councils (Borough, Towns & Parish’s) to become Pesticide Free.

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Extinction Rebellion (XR)

Life on Earth is in crisis. Science (and our own eyes) can see that we are entering a period of abrupt climate breakdown, a self made mass extinction. The Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement uses peaceful civil disobedience in an attempt to halt mass extinction and minimise the risk of social collapse.

Women’s Institute Climate Ambassadors

In 1915 the WI set out to give women a voice and to be a force for good in the community. Since then, our membership and our ambitions alike have grown tremendously. Today, it’s the largest women’s organisation in the UK and prides itself on being a trusted place for women of all generations to share experience and learn from each other and together to influence local, national and international affairs.

At the outset, the WI was mainly led by women who were involved in the suffrage movement, so campaigning is part of its DNA. During World War II, it played a vital role in growing and preserving food and looking after evacuees. It has played a significant part in founding national and international groups such as Keep Britain Tidy (1960) and the Fair Trade Foundation (1992). The WI also has a proud history of taking action to protect the environment and the Climate Ambassador role was created in 2017 to provide further support for WI members who want to take local community action on environmental matters.

The national environmental campaigns which WIs in Essex have chosen to support include the following:

Climate Change – As a founding member of The Climate Coalition, we work to protect what we love from climate change, and lobby politicians to prioritise tackling the issue.

End Plastic Soup – Our campaign explores the scale of microplastic fibre pollution and calls on the government and industry to develop solutions to the problem. It also tackles Fixing Fast Fashion.

Food Matters – This campaign to reduce food waste and tackle food poverty encourages members and supermarkets to cut food waste and work more widely to address the issue of increasing food poverty.

SOS For Honeybees – Since 2009 we have been campaigning to raise awareness of the plight of bees and how we can take action to decelerate the decline of our UK honeybee population

Colchester Climate Alliance

Colchester Climate Alliance is a space for community groups across Colchester to work together, both to have maximum impact and to ensure that our response to the climate emergency is equitable. Our stall will  provide information about the alliance and invite more groups to join and have a special focus on climate justice, with information and leaflets.

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Suffolk and Essex Hunt Sabs

Will be selling a range of merchandise, jewellery and hand made gifts to raise much needed funds and to create awareness about wildlife persecution and potentially recruit new volunteers.

Suffolk and Essex Hunt Sabs has been involved with hunt sabotage for 30 + years and is an affiliated group with the Hunt Saboteurs Association, using non-violent direct action to save wildlife.  We cover most of the East Anglia region sabbing Fox and Hare hunts, Mink and Otter Hunts and shoots.

We are a mixture of ages and backgrounds, with many members involved in animal rescue, social justice and environmental campaigns, coming together for one common goal, to intervene with hunts to save lives.

Education Stalls

Clean Air Colchester

To support air quality improvements in the borough, we have been awarded funding to manage a two-year Clean Air for Colchester project. This community-led project aims to cut pollution from cars, buses and vans.

The project, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), focuses on changing habits and encouraging people to walk and cycle for short journeys.

We know from research that small changes to driving habits, such as switching the engine off whilst stationary, can cut pollution by up to 20-30%.

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Beth Chatto Education Trust

The famous Beth Chatto Education Trust will be at the festival this year. Famous for developing a drought garden at Elmstead Market. Find out about sustainable Planting. Plants (not for sale) that are adapted for dry sunny conditions or shade. Peat Free compost used and illustrated. Course information.

Essex Wildlife Trust

We are the county’s leading conservation charity, committed to protecting wildlife and inspiring a lifelong love of nature. Our climate is in crisis and our species face extinction. The natural world needs our help. Together we can protect the future. Join us.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Abberton Rural Training

A National Award winning charity providing education and training in a range of Land Based Studies including Horticulture, Woodlands, Land Management, Conservation, Countryside & Environment, Construction and Rural Crafts.

We work with a range of groups including disadvantaged, vulnerable and isolated people, with specialist groups for young people, people with Special Education Needs, Wounded and Injured Service Personnel, victims of Domestic Violence and many others, as well as being for the general community who just want to learn conservation or gardening skills etc.

With sites right across Essex and South Suffolk we are sure to have a course close to you, however, if you cannot come in yourself due to isolation or other factors, then why not have a look at our online courses to help you get started.

University of Essex (Sustainability)

Based in Wivenhoe Park, the University of Essex is home to thousands of students and staff, and we’re working hard to reduce our environmental impact. Visit us to find out about our work around sustainability on campus and what we have planned, and learn about ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

Political & Local Government Stalls

Colchester Borough Council

On 17 July 2019, Colchester Borough Council declared a climate emergency, acknowledging that urgent action is required to limit the environmental impacts produced by the climate crisis.

The Council is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and improving on the 40% reduction in carbon footprint it has made since 2008.

Colchester Labour Party

We shall be outlining the key principles of the Labour Parties Green New Deal policy.
On a local level we will have evidence of our Eco projects, and ongoing campaigns within Colchester.

Colchester Liberal Democrats

We will be giving out environmental literature and getting the eco message out.
Will probably do a very small ‘frock swap’ and possibly one of our councillors will demonstrate her environmental crafting.

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Councillor Mark Goacher

The councillor for Castle Ward wishes to meet local residents to discuss their environmental concerns.

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