The last Otley Green Fair with Karen & myself as organisers was held on Saturday 5th April 2003. The same organising team had been running the Green Fair for nearly 10 years up to that last event. We had been seeking additional help, but unfortunately no people came forward who were prepared to take on the bulk of the organising resposibility. So we are now delighted that the event has been picked up by the Otley Courthouse. We would like to thank the many people who supported us over the years and hope that we shall come together again in the future.

A bit about the events that we have held:

• Otley Green Fair is a non profit making event to promote green issues and awareness in Wharfedale. When we made a surplus we made contributions to suitable organisations, preferably local. These included a contibution to Otley bat hospital, tree planting on the Chevin and rain forest preservation. The 2003 Green Fair will be the seventh we have organised in this run, held every two years.

• We were delighted that Otley Town Council regularly supported the Green Fair with sponsorship, providing us with a grant which will helped us to promote the Fair as widely as possible.

• The regular format of the Green Fair combined stalls, entertainments (especially for children) and some practical sessions.

• For 2001 and 2003 we held the Green Fair in the Otley Methodist Hall (just across the road from the Otley Civic Centre which we used previously). It offered a similar amount of space but had the advantage of being all on one level..

• The 2003 Green Fair included a wide range of stalls from campaigning groups, alternative therapies, local interest groups and green products. This included bookings from previous stallholders and new ones, across the spectrum of green interest and activity, with some excellent craft, alternative and fair trade goods to see and buy.

• Children's entertainments and activities ran throughout the day.:
  • Woodcraft Folk provided creative play in the morning
  • Face painting in the middle of ther day
  • Children's story telling in the afternoon
  • And for the older children, a Music instrument workshop with Big Hoo-Ha.
    This workshop allowed participants to build their own instrument and then have the chance to play it as part of the group !

• There were also a full schedule of workshop sessions and talks:
  • Alexander Technique
  • Bats - a talk by Otley Bat Hopsital
  • Cranio-Sacral Therapy
  • Dru Yoga
  • Greenpeace Campaigns Update
  • Self Massage Technique
  • "Target Yorkshire" - your introduction to "Star Wars" and the key part to be played by Fylingdales & Menwith Hill

• Because we wanted to spread the word as widely as possible we always maintained a policy of not charging for admission, nor for the entertainment that we provided.

• Refreshments and vegetarian food were available all day, provided by the The Methodist Church - the profits going to help boost the restoration fund.

here is a map of the location

here is a list of some of the stalls and exhibitors at the Green Fair

I also took some photos of the 2001 activities, which can be found here

Although we are not planning any further Green Fairs if you have any queries, then please contact Mark or Karen.  We can be phoned on Otley (01943) 461751, or you can email us at  ogf@brox.org .

Some other Green things:-

In the summer of '99 I was waiting to catch a plane when my eyes were caught by a copy of Director magazine with the line "Eco-wisdom: why it makes sense to go green" on the front cover.  This looked good, so I read the article - and I have reproduced it here for you , if you want to show it to your business management.

Over time I have gathered a collection of Green related links, you can find them here.

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