Chester's Grosvenor Museum kicks off an exciting, month-long, free sustainability festival

On Saturday July 9th, Chester’s Grosvenor Museum will kick off the month-long 'Festival of the Future' sustainability festival. This free festival aims to entertain families at the same time as encouraging sustainable everyday habits.

All four of West Cheshire Museums will host events, starting with Chester's Grosvenor Museum. For more information go to:

www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk 

The Grosvenor Museum will host an action-packed programme of events between 10.30am – 9pm including: 

• 30-minute free talks on environmental issues such as Zero Waste on a Budget (Eco Communities) ‘Fork to Plate’ (Cheshire Archives); An Introduction to the Chester Hydro Hub (Hydro Hub); and a fascinating talk by Sick to Death   
• Clothes swap workshop -the latest in a highly successful series run by West Cheshire Museums  
• An ‘eco’ exhibition designed by West Cheshire Museums. Featuring historic items from its collection the exhibition will tell a compelling eco story, showing how people in the past led very sustainable lives. Virtual reality technology will show what the future might look like if humanity continues its disposable ‘one-use’ lifestyle.  
• During the day, ‘Earth Giants’ created by students from Cheshire College in conjunction with artist, Russell Kirk will visit the museum. The aim is to show that big issues, like climate change, requires ‘Big Thinking’.   
• Fun and free Open Mic night staged by Eco Communities from 7- 9pm, where members of the public are encouraged to give short, creative responses to climate change.  Booking is required by phoning the museum on 01244 972197 or at grosvenor.museum@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk 
• Prize-giving for West Cheshire Libraries’ and West Cheshire Museums’ School Competition, where through drawing, painting, writing, poetry and collage pupils gave their feedback on the pressing question: ‘What will the world look like in 25 years’ time?’  
• Also, on 9 July (10.30am to 4pm) just around the corner from the Grosvenor Museum at St Mary’s Centre (St Mary’s Hill, Chester, CH1 2DW) - there is a thought-provoking artisan fair, featuring a range of small businesses providing among other things, alternatives to 'single use' items and beautiful items created from materials that would otherwise go into landfill.   

Inspired by #PlasticfreeJuly, events will be held throughout July at West Cheshire Museums’ other museums (Lion Salt Works Museum, Weaver Hall Museum & Workhouse and Stretton Mill) and will include a touring eco exhibition; circus performances; eco storytelling, clothes swap events and numerous workshop activities and artisan fairs. At the end of the festival, there will even be two free country dancing ‘eco ceilidhs’ events at the Lion Salt Works Museum. All activities are free, but some will require booking. In all cases, the activities are not dependent on paying to enter the museum (where applicable).   

For more information go to:

www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

Pictured - Climate Change Whale at the Grosvenor Museum.