Sustainable September 2022
Thank you to everyone who took part in Sustainable September 2022. Over 40 events took place across the borough in partnership with the council, community groups and residents.
A summary of the events can be found below.
For futher information or to find out about future events, please contact climate@kingston.gov.uk.
Throughout September - Climate Marathon
Sign up to receive an email each day, for 26 days, giving you the choice of three small but mighty climate actions.
The Climate Marathon includes evidenced-based support throughout for all participants and includes webinars, Climate Cafes, visualizations and other important psychological tools, all provided by the Climate Psychologists team and their expert partners.
Sunday 4 to 7 September - Kingston University digital arts, culture and environmental sustainability
Location: Town House, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE
Kingston University is welcoming the community to the award winning Town House building to join an event on digital arts and culture with a focus on environmental sustainability.
It's an opportunity to listen to an award winner artist Professor Elizabeth Price followed by inspiring panellists David Grasty, Corporate Head of Digital Strategy & Portfolio, Kingston Council, Robin Hutchinson, Founder & Director, The Community Brain, Robert O'Dowd, Chief Executive, Rose Theatre and Archie O’Neil, Community Learning & Participation Lead, Creative Youth.
Find out more and sign up at Kingston University's Digital Research in the Humanities and Arts website.
Monday 5 September - Turn the Tide on Climate Anxiety - Sustainable action for yourself and the planet
Location: Online
Time: 12.30pm
This online workshop provides an overview of climate anxiety, as well as practical tools to help you maintain psychological resilience and sustainable action in the face of the climate crisis. It is being run by Dr, Patrick Kennedy-Williams and Megan Kennedy-Woodard from Climate Psychologists.
Tuesday 6 September - GoodGym run and Kingston Children's Centre garden tidy up
Location: The Quaker Centre, Fairfield East, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2PT
Time: 6.45pm - 8.15pm
Kingston Children's Centre is a place where all families with children under five, and expectant mothers and fathers, can go to help their children to get the best start in life. The facilities and activities are designed for young children and their families. Their playground, however, needs some attention it's a hard use area and things are starting to look tired and in need of TLC. GoodGym to the rescue!
Booking required via the GoodGym website.
Tuesday 6 September - Bat Walk at Prince's Coverts
Location: Prince's Coverts
Time: 7.15pm
Come and learn about the fascinating world of bats, as we go on a night time walk in search for these incredible mammals. This evening walk will introduce you to the fascinating world of bats, a species that fly above us throughout the summer but are rarely noticed. The walk will start with an introductory short talk about bats, you will then be given a bat detector as we walk into Princess Coverts in search of bats.
This event is suitable for ages from 8 and upwards!
Booking is required, once signing up you will receive more information.
Tuesday 6 September - Sustainable September Story Time
Location: Kingston Library, Fairfield Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2PS
Time: 3.45pm to 4.15pm
Join us during Sustainable September to enjoy stories based around the themes of nature and sustainability. Suitable for ages 4-7.
No need to book, just turn up.
Wednesday 7 September - Bat Walk at Kingston Cemetery
Location: Kingston Cemetery, Bonner Hill Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3EZ
Time: 7.15pm
Come and learn about the fascinating world of bats, as we go on a night time walk in search for these incredible mammals. This evening walk will introduce you to the fascinating world of bats, a species that fly above us throughout the summer but are rarely noticed. The walk will start with a introductory short talk about bats, you will then be given a bat detector as we walk into Kingston Cemetery in search of bats.
This event is suitable for ages from 8 and upwards!
Booking is required - once signed up you will receive more information.
Wednesday 7 September - Permaculture webinar
Location: Online
Time: 12pm
Have some space to grow in, but not enough time to manage the garden? Concerned about the ecological state of the world and want to be part of the solution?
Rakesh will explain some simple tricks on how to grow food which takes very little effort to maintain. Which is also good for nature, as it increases biodiversity, sequesters carbon and requires no fossil fuels, pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers.
Register to join via Zoom on the day.
Thursday 8 September - Scything Workshop at Tolworth Court Farm Moated Manor
Location: Tolworth Court Farm, Green Gates, Old Kingston Road, Chessington, KT4 7QJ
Time: 11am
Booking is required, please book a space on Eventbrite.
Thursday 8 September - 'Recycling Minds' meeting
Location: Community Room, Guildhall, High Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1EU
Time: 12pm
Booking is required, please book a space on Eventbrite.
Friday 9 September - Cow Monitor training
Location: Tolworth Court Farm, Green Gates, Old Kingston Road, Chessington, KT4 7QJ
Time: 11am - 12pm
Join the cattle monitoring team and become an essential part of this conservation programme in Tolworth, improving the site for wildflowers!
Booking is required, please book a space on Eventbrite.
Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 September - Visit a local energy efficient home
Location: to be confirmed when booking
Time: to be confirmed when booking
Want to find out more about measures to make your home energy efficient? Visit houses in Kingston which have a variety of energy saving measures in place and see them in action! Click the links below to find out more.
Booking is essential - you can book your place on Eventbrite (Eco home one).
Booking is essential - you can book your place on Eventbrite (Eco home two)
Saturday 10 September - Dr Bike
Location: Opposite New Malden train station
Time: 11am - 3pm
Bring your cycle along and have a chat with the Dr Bike team. They can offer you all sorts of advice and tips on how to make the most of your bike and keep it in tip-top condition. They'll also be able to adjust brakes and gears and identify any issues that may require a trip to a bike shop.
No need to book, just turn up on the day.
Sunday 11 September - Plant dyeing workshop
Location: Kingston Environment Centre, 1 Kingston Road, New Malden, KT3 3PE
Time: 10.30am - 2pm
Head over to Kingston Environment Centre for a fun plant dyeing workshop!
Book your place on Eventbrite.
Sunday 11 September - GoodGym tidy up at the Hogsmill Community Garden
Location: Swan path off Mill Street, Kingston, KT1 2RH
Time: 10am - 11.30am
Time for another visit to one GoodGym's favourite spots of Kingston - the Hogsmill Community Garden. Julie and Brian work tirelessly at the community garden there and they need help with some of the bigger tasks. There's always lots of things on the to-do list so please help this lovely community garden improve their space so it's accessible to more people.
Booking a space on the GoodGym website.
Tuesday 13 September - Saving energy at home webinar
Location: Online
Time: 12.30pm - 1.15pm
Join ThinkingWorks online and find out how you can save energy at home. They’ll share practical advice that could help lower your bills, keep your home warmer and protect the planet at the same time.
No booking required. Join the webinar via Zoom at 12.30 on the day.
Tuesday 13 September - GoodGym run and community wildlife garden in Surbiton
Location: Details at the link below.
Time: 6.30pm - 8pm
There’s an opportunity to create a new wildlife area in Surbiton. To create this mini oasis, GoodGym have been asked to help clear the vegetation and do a litter pick, which will help plan the future design for the area.
More details and booking details can be found on the GoodGym website.
Wednesday 14 September - Saving energy and living green workshop
Location: St Mark’s Church, St Mark's Hill, Surbiton, KT6 4LS
Time: 2pm
With rising costs of living, partly fueled by rising cost of energy, Rakesh will invite us to think about what we consume, what is essential and what we do to keep up appearances. Then we will look at some simple creative fun ways we can meet our needs while also reducing our bills.
No booking required, just turn up on the day.
Wednesday 14 September - Loving Nature Workshop (family friendly)
Location: Meet outside Sainsbury's Local, 118 Raeburn Avenue, Surbiton, KT5 9EA
Time: 4pm
What do we mean when we say love nature? Let's explore what we mean and how to put this into practice. To love nature we must understand nature, so join Rakesh who will guide us through various games and exercises to help us see how nature works, to see how different entities come together to create resilient biodiverse ecosystems and to see how important and beautiful each element is. This workshop will take place in a 'secret' nature reserve in the heart of Berrylands, a place that is normally closed to the public, but will be open for this special occasion!
Please note that children need to be accompanied by an adult.
Wednesday 14 September - Foraging Safely and Ethically at Elmbridge Meadows
Location: Elmbridge Meadows, Surbiton, KT5 9HB (meet at the green space opposite the roundabout between Surbiton Hill Park and Elmbridge Avenue)
Time: 6pm
Wild foods are nutritionally dense foods, which can help supplement our nutritional requirements. However there are many plants that are poisonous, so we need to learn how to keep safe when foraging. Rakesh does this by using patterns. He will show you a few patterns that once learned can help you identify which plants are safe and which you must be very wary of. We will start with discussing the ethics of foraging, and health and safety. Then we will go look for some plants including to see which of the patterns we can identify.
No booking required, just turn up on the day.
Friday 16 September - Sustainable September Storytime
Location: Old Malden Library, Church Road, Worcester Park, KT4 7RD
Time: 10.30am - 11am
Drop in to Old Malden Library to enjoy this special storytime session, with local storyteller Posey, featuring stories based around the themes of nature and sustainability. Suitable for ages 3-7.
No need to book, just turn up on the day.
Friday 16 September - Saving energy at home webinar
Location: Online
Time: 12.30pm - 1.15pm
Join ThinkingWorks online and find out how you can save energy at home. They’ll share practical advice that could help lower your bills, keep your home warmer and protect the planet at the same time.
No booking required. Join via Zoom at 12.30 on the day.
Friday 16 September - Nature arts and crafts class for children (2 - 4 years old)
Location: St. Mary’s Centre, Garrison Lane, Chessington, KT9 2LB
Time: 1pm to 2.30pm
Head over to the St. Mary’s Centre for an arts and crafts session for preschool children using natural materials. No need for glitter or Cellotape, Kate from Natural Crafters will demonstrate how arts & crafts sessions for kids can be sustainable, fun and plastic free! Please note that a parent or guardian must stay with their child for the duration of the session.
Booking is required. Save a space on Eventbrite.
Saturday 17 September - GoParksKingston guided walk
Location: Hogsmill Community Garden, Vineyard Close, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 3GB
Time: 10am to 1pm
Spend the day exploring the Hogsmill Community Garden, Hogsmill Nature Reserve, Elmbridge Meadows Nature Reserve and Tolworth Court Farm which is at the heart of an exciting rewilding project. Please note there may be some steps, and good walking shoes are recommended. Please bring water and be prepared for the weather.
Find out more and register online.
Saturday 17 September - Nature arts and crafts class for children (4 - 8 years old)
Location: Tolworth Community Library, 37 - 39, The Broadway, KT6 7DJ
Time 10am to 11.30am
Head over to Tolworth Library for an arts and crafts session for children using natural materials. No need for glitter or Cellotape, Kate from Natural Crafters will demonstrate how arts & crafts sessions for kids can be sustainable, fun and plastic free! Please note that a parent or guardian must stay with their child for the duration of the session.
Booking is required. Save a space on Eventbrite.
Saturday 17 September - Dr Bike
Location: Tolworth Community Library, 37 - 39, The Broadway, KT6 7DJ
Time: 10am to 2pm
Bring your cycle along to Tolworth Community Library and have a chat with the Dr Bike team. They can offer you all sorts of advice and tips on how to make the most of your bike and keep it in tip-top condition. They'll also be able to adjust brakes and gears and identify any issues that may require a trip to a bike shop.
No need to book, just turn up on the day.
Sunday 18 September - Plant dyeing workshop
Location: Kingston Environment Centre, 1 Kingston Road, New Malden, KT3 3PE
Time: 10.30am - 2pm
Head over to Kingston Environment Centre for a fun plant dyeing workshop!
Book your place on Eventbrite.
Sunday 18 Sunday - NatureFest 2022
Location: Manor Park, KT3 6AU
Time: 11:30am to 3.30pm
Make a day of it a NatureFest 2022, a community event organised by Friends of Manor Park. Featuring; a variety of nature organisations, a birds or prey display, a reptile display, bee keeping, a talk by the council's Biodiversity Officer, Elliot Newton, stalls, crafting, food, a licensed bar and live music!
Tuesday 20 September - Sustainable September Story Time
Location: Tolworth Community Library, 37 - 39, The Broadway, KT6 7DJ
Time: 10.30am to 11am
Join us during Sustainable September to enjoy stories based on the themes of nature and sustainability. Suitable for ages 3-7.
No need to book, just turn up on the day.
Tuesday 20 September - From Design to Sustainability exhibit
Location: Kingston Museum Gardens
Time: 12pm to 2pm
The S-Bomb exhibition at The Cloisters in Kingston Museum Gardens features projects by graduating students of MA Sustainable Design at Kingston University London, from the academic year 2021 - 2022. Each student has been on their own journey as a designer seeking to address sustainability. Each of these journeys has been visualised. None of these journeys from design to sustainability have been linear. What would your journey to sustainability look like? Come join us to visualise your way forward!
Dr Bike will also be there so why not cycle and get a bike check up while you take a look at the exhibit.
No need to book, just turn up on the day.
Thursday 22 September - Rewilding Rangers launch
Location: Tolworth Community Library, 37 - 39, The Broadway, KT6 7DJ
Time: Thursday's weekly - 4.30pm - 5.30
This new and exciting club run out of Tolworth Community Library will introduce children (aged 8 - 11) about the wonders of the natural world that can be found locally. Each session will have a particular theme and not only teach the children about ecology, but empower them to take proactive conservation actions that can help to improve the surrounding environment.
Children will be awarded a Rewilding Rangers badge once they attend six sessions. Please book directly with Tolworth Community Library and to find out more. 020 8547 5006, tolworth.library@kingston.gov.uk.
Friday 23 September - Robot Workshop
Location: Kingston Environment Centre, 1 Kingston Road, New Malden KT3 3PE
Time: 7pm to 8.30pm
Kingston Environment Centre is hosting a Robot Workshop! Make movable robots with technology & general rubbish. Wag a hand, spin a tail, shake a head, light an eye and even try some soldering. The workshop is ideal for anyone over the age of 8 years old & at least one adult would need to attend with each group or attendee.
Register for the session via Eventbrite.
Friday 23 September - Field Recorder Day
Location: Tolworth Court Farm Fields, Jubilee Way, Chessington, KT9 1TR (meet at Tolworth Court Farm Moated Manor from 9:45)
Time: 9.45am to 4pm
Join experts in Freshwater Invertebrates, Harvestmen, and Beetles to help survey the invertebrates found at Tolworth Court Farm. The day will involve practical experience of using a variety of methods to survey for invertebrates and practical experience of collecting and preserving specimens. By getting involved with the survey you will help us develop the future habitat management plan for the site.
This event is organised by the Field Studies Council BioLinks team in collaboration with the Royal Borough of Kingston council and Citizen Zoo.
Friday 23 September - Nature arts and crafts class for children (2 - 4 years old)
Location: New Malden Library, Kingston Road, New Malden KT3 3LY
Time: 1pm to 2.30pm
Head over to New Malden Library for an arts and crafts session for children using natural materials. No need for glitter or Cellotape, Kate from Natural Crafters will demonstrate how arts & crafts sessions for kids can be sustainable, fun and plastic free! Please note that a parent or guardian must stay with their child for the duration of the session.
Booking required. Save a space on Eventbrite.
Sunday 25 September - Dr Bike
Location: Kingston Town Centre - opposite John Lewis
Time: 11am - 4pm
Bring your cycle along and have a chat with the Dr Bike team. They can offer you all sorts of advice and tips on how to make the most of your bike and keep it in tip-top condition. They'll also be able to adjust brakes and gears and identify any issues that may require a trip to a bike shop.
No need to book, just turn up on the day.
Sunday 25 September - GreenZone
Location: Market House, Ancient Market Place, Kingston, KT1 1JS
Time: 10.00am to 5.15pm
Head to the Ancient Market Place in Kingston Town Centre and experience the GreenZone!
Community groups from across the borough are coming together for a day of activities and talks on a range of topics, including; plastic free arts and crafts for children, ways to rewild your green space, retrofitting, climate action, greening business and much more.
They will also be joined by the world famous We Are The Voice; "Winning hearts and minds, performing an exciting mix of dynamic and inspirational original music, the children sing for our changing climate, trees, oceans and children's futures. In 2021, the choir was chosen to sing at COP26 in Glasgow."
Find out more on the Transition Town Kingston website.
The GoodGym team will also be there in the morning to help set up. If you'd like to help make the day a success and help, visit the GoodGym website.
Sunday 25 September - Nature arts and crafts class for children (4 - 8 years old)
Location: Market House, Ancient Market Place, Kingston, KT1 1JS
Time: 10am to 11.30am
Head over to the Ancient Market House for an arts and crafts session for children using natural materials. No need for glitter or Cellotape, Kate from Natural Crafters will demonstrate how arts & crafts sessions for kids can be sustainable, fun and plastic free! Please note that a parent or guardian must stay with their child for the duration of the session.
Booking required. Save a space on Eventbrite.
Sunday 25 September - GoodGym tidy up at the Hogsmill Community Garden
Location: Swan path off Mill Street, Kingston, KT1 2RH
Time: 10am to 11.30am
Time for another visit to one of GoodGym's favourite spots of Kingston - the Hogsmill Community Garden. Julie and Brian work tirelessly at the community garden there and they need help with some of the bigger tasks. There's always lots of things on the to-do list so please help this lovely community garden improve their space so it's accessible to more people.
Booking required via the GoodGym website.
Tuesday 27 September - Sustainable September Story Time
Location: Kingston Library, Fairfield Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2PS
Time: 10.30am to 11am
Join us during Sustainable September to enjoy stories based around the themes of nature and sustainability. Suitable for ages 3-7.
No need to book, just turn up on the day.
Re-scheduled - Thursday 29 September - Kingston Environment Forum re-launch
Location: Guildhall, High Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1EU
Time: 6pm
Former member-groups and newer environmental groups in Kingston are invited to attend the relaunch and to help steer Kingston Environment Forum’s future. This event was re-scheduled from 12 September.
Booking is required, please email to save your place.