Events taking place on Earth Day

Events to mark Earth Day (22 April) will be taking place across Wakefield this month.

Internationally recognised, Earth Day encourages people to work together to protect the planet and create a sustainable future.

You can get involved in different ways, such as finding out about city-centre trees through the work of artist Tony Wade, to advice on growing from seed, and taking part in arts and crafts, and more.

Tony Wade has mapped the trees inside the Upper Westgate Heritage Action Zone. He found over 80 varieties, including Ash, Tulip, Lime, London Plane, Sycamore, Rowan, Horse Chestnut, Whitebeam, and Crab Apple.

His Tree Routes Art exhibition is free, and features drawings of four trees. It can be seen at Create Café, Wakefield One. It is on now and runs until June. 

The exhibition highlights that Wakefield city centre has many magnificent and important trees amongst the grand architecture.

The artworks are also the basis for an app-based tour around Wakefield to be launched for Earth Day 2025, exploring the history and heritage of the people and places as part of the Wakefield Heritage Action Zone project.

Other events taking place:

Earth Day activities at Appletree Community Garden on Monday 22 April 2024, from 11am to 1pm. Learn how to sow a range of seeds, to garden on a budget, reduce your environmental footprint, and contribute to a healthier, more sustainable world. Enjoy a free buffet breakfast, with dishes and tea from Wakefield’s diverse cultural communities.
Appletree Garden is off Agbrigg Road, Wakefield WF1 5AE (follow the long driveway opposite Newland Street, the Garden is at the end of the road.)  No need to book. Turn up on the day; any queries phone 07933 099445 (not Thurs).

RSPB - Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve, West Yorkshire is amongst places raising awareness of the issues that nature is facing, climate change and of actions that the RSPB is taking.

Tileyard North - Peddler Market Wakefield on Friday 19 April from 5pm to 11pm and on Saturday 20 April from 12noon to 10pm.
Free of charge for people to attend. Expect live music, maker stalls, food traders and more! Traders are asked to only use cutlery and packaging that is compostable, minimum consumer plastic cutlery or bags/wrapping going to landfill.

Eco Festival, on Saturday 20 April from 10 to 5pm, at the Hepworth Wakefield, entry to the festival is free. Find out about green organisations and their work at the Just Transition Wakefield event. Ask questions about nature conservation, and how to help to cut your emissions, and more.

You can also visit The Hepworth Wakefield across the weekend of 20 and 21 April to enjoy family activities inspired by the garden and the local environment.

Wakefield Cathedral on Saturday 27 April from 10am to 3pm. A day of free crafts and activities for all ages in the Cathedral nave. All welcome and no need to book.

For information:

The Upper Westgate High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) scheme, jointly funded by Wakefield Council and Historic England is a programme of works  that ended in April 2024. It offered grants to building owners of up to 90% to undertake repairs and bring empty spaces back into use to revitalise the area’s high streets and historic yards. 

The HSHAZ included community and cultural activities  to create a vibrant place to live, work and play. 

Historic England is working with local people and partners through grant funding and sharing our skills to help breathe new life into high streets that are rich in heritage and full of promise - unlocking their potential and making them more attractive to residents, businesses, tourists, and investors.

The High Streets Heritage Action Zones scheme, backed by government funding, aims to help with the recovery of local high streets from regenerating historic buildings to helping to engage local communities through art and cultural projects.

About Historic England:

We are Historic England the public body that helps people care for, enjoy, and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops.

We protect, champion, and save the places that define who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. We care passionately about the stories they tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work, and play amongst them. Working with communities and specialists we share our passion, knowledge, and skills to inspire interest, care, and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all. 

We fundraise from individuals, charitable trusts and foundations and public sector bodies to enable us to deliver those aspects of our work that are not funded by our Government grant.

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