LEDBURY Town Council is joining forces with grass-roots groups for a week of practical action to tackle Climate Change on a local level.

The council’s Climate Change Working Party will work alongside groups such as Ledbury Naturalists, Sustainable Ledbury and Garden Organic to help make the town more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Next Friday and Saturday (October 29-30) representatives will be at the Barrett Browning Institute to talk about the hands-on action planned for the town.

Ledbury Naturalists are undertaking various projects. These include creating a wildlife garden on the edge of the Recreation Ground and undertaking coppicing work in Frith Wood.

Sustainable Ledbury also have a number of practical projects underway.

These include its Repair Café, which returned earlier this month. The team of volunteers can found at Burgage Hall on the first Saturday of every month, with their next session planned for November 6.

In addition, conservation work will start on the Town Trail next Monday (October 25) and continue on November 8 and 22, and December 6. Work gets underway at 10.30am on all days. A spokesman for the volunteers said: “Where to start? We’re spoilt for choice but we've decided to begin with the area just of Bye Street/Lower Road where the path slopes down to the trail. It's very overgrown and we're pretty sure there are some shrubs under there somewhere!”

Garden Organic is also involved in the week, collaborating with the council and Sustainable Ledbury on a campaign to help reduce the area’s waste, particularly single-use plastics. 

They are also recruiting volunteers to learn more about reducing food waste, composting and recycling. After training, these environmental evangelists will share their skills and knowledge at various events in the town. 

The week will officially get underway when town mayor Andrew Manns hosts a climate change themed coffee morning on Friday.

The event, from 10.30am to noon at the Barrett Browning Institute, will also raise funds for the Veterans Support Association and include activities to keep children occupied. 

Representatives of the groups involved in the week of action will continue to welcome visitors at the venue until 3pm and again on Saturday from 10am to 3pm.