The new town of Northstowe, being built between Cambridge and Huntingdon, is being marketed as “a sustainable new development”. But is “sustainable” really possible?
For local residents joining the Longstanton and Northstowe Sustainability Working Group and those forming Pathfinder Church, the answer has been to take the initiative themselves, with grass roots activism, intergenerational education, and collaboration.
Children are often key to helping their families recognise the importance of looking after our planet, and using resources wisely. So it made sense to enlist the support of local social venture ‘A Toy’s Life and Beyond’, who specialise in learning about recycling from a child’s perspective. Together, these organisations hope to attract people from many different backgrounds, from Northstowe and the surrounding area, to have fun and to make sustainability a priority.
Northstowe’s First Sustainability Day will be held in Pathfinder Church of England Primary School on Sunday 24th November, 10AM-1PM. It is a free community event, made possible through the generosity of those taking part.
Helping those of all ages catch the sustainability message, and commit to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, will be storyteller Marion Leeper, scientist Prof James Elliott of Cambridge University, and representatives from local companies and social ventures. There will be cloth nappy demonstrations, hands-on compositing, and a family friendly “Circular Economy Trail” as well as a ‘leave it or take it’ stall where old books, toys, and clothes can be left for others to reuse. The pop up café and community noticeboard will offer space to chat to neighbours: who knows what new projects might be dreamt up around those tables?
Antoinette Nestor, founder of A Toy’s Life and Beyond, explains where her passion comes from: “While many projects begin from “the kitchen table” ours started out from my boys’ bedroom and the need to find suitable recycling places (other than the charity shop) for the toys they no longer played with. Given that at the moment there are no recycling facilities targeted to the toys we buy or acquire one form or another (not to mention the usual phrase every parent says at least once in their life time “we have too many toys in this house!”), and the need to reduce plastic pollution, I decided to create something that would help parents and their families as well as the environment. This is how “A Toy’s Life and Beyond” was born.”
But where does a church fit into all of this? Revd Dr Beth Cope, Pioneer Minister for Northstowe, explains: “At Pathfinder Church Northstowe, we are forming a new church community, made up of those of all Christian traditions and none, who seek to make a difference through praying, exploring, and sharing. We believe that we are meant to be good stewards of God’s creation, and love working with anyone who wants to help care for the planet. We look forward to running the café and throwing ourselves into the morning’s activities, before wrapping up the day with a hands-on Forest Church gathering 3.30-5pm.”
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If you would like information about A Toys Life and Beyond, please go to: https://atoyslifeandbeyond.org/
• Find us on Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/ToyRecycling
or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atoyslifeandbeyond
If you would like information about Pathfinder Church, Northstowe, a Church of England Church with an inclusive ecumenical welcome, please go to : www.northstowe.church.
• Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/northstowec
• Facebook: fb.me/PathfinderChurch
• Or Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pathfinder_church_northstowe/