TV star's role in green fair (From Wiltshire Times)

TV star's role in green fair

11:15am Tuesday 30th September 2008 in News By Katie Adams

A GREEN-themed fair will take place in Bradford on Avon tomorrow with attractions including an Eco Bus rolling into town.

A TV personality and a local businesswoman have joined forces to launch the fair, which will be held at Fitzmaurice Primary School to celebrate and inform people of all things green.

Presenter Brigit Strawbridge, from BBC's It's Not Easy Being Green, who runs the charity the Big Green Idea, is the driving force behind the intiative and the Eco Bus is being funded by Cally Smart, owner of Bradford on Avon-based business Country Gate.

Mrs Smart, who provided much of the inspiration and ideas for the fair, said it will bring together people from a whole host of organisations to advise people, swap stories and improve the environment.

She said: "The bus is just one of the attractions on the day.

"It is a decommissioned school bus and can fit around 30 people on the top floor and about a dozen on the bottom floor.

"It has a wind turbine, solar panelled cinema and internet access on board."

Mrs Smart said among the groups coming on the day would be Freecycle, Wiltshire Wood Recycling, Bradford Climate Friendly Group and local bee and hen keepers.

The Wiltshire Times' very own Green Family The Gregory's will also be attending the event to learn more about being eco-friendly.

The family, who live in The Butts in Westbury and are the focus of our series of featires How Green Can You Go, are hoping to find out more about keeping hens and improving their vegetable patch.

Children visiting tomorrow's event can take part in craft activities using natural and recycled material, hug a hen and learn how to grow vegetables.

Andy and Dave Hamilton, authors of The Self Sufficientish Bible (corr sp), will also be on hand to talk to families.

The Eco Bus is due to arrive at Fitzmaurice Primary School on Friday.

It will be parked outside the school for the fair tomorrow, which runs from 12pm until 5pm. Admission is free.