Horsforth Climate Action (HCA) quickly changed their plans when Storm Darragh forced their Green Christmas market indoors.
Originally planned to coincide with the Horsforth Christmas Lights Switch-On, the festivities moved to The Grove Centre, where activities carried on despite the stormy weather.
The event encouraged sustainable holiday practices, with stalls showcasing pressed apple juice, environmentally friendly gift wrapping, reusable gift tags, and handmade keyrings.
Families enjoyed hands-on activities like printing wrapping paper, while HCA volunteers shared tips on reducing waste, such as avoiding single-use plastics, and gifting second-hand items over new, plastic-ridden goods.
Hub Worker for Horsforth Climate Action Jenny Morgan told Yorkshire Voice that the aim was to get people to rethink their Christmas traditions and acknowledge the impact overconsumption has on the environment.
She highlighted some simple actions to take: “Using ribbon instead of sellotape and wrapping with material can make a big difference.”
“We try to give information in a way that is really positive, instead of telling people what they shouldn’t do, to raise awareness.”
April, who attended the event with her grandparents and younger sister Elise, said: “I learnt you can reuse anything, so as long as you can use them, you should use them.”
The indoor venue was buzzing with festivity as attendees of all ages and backgrounds explored ways to make their holiday traditions greener.
As Japanese Gardens volunteer Carole put it, “We’ve really started Christmas off with a bang.”
You can learn more about Horsforth Climate Action here.