Autumn Fayre 2024

This year's annual fundraiser will see a jam-packed afternoon celebrating local organisations and businesses who help make a difference for the planet, whilst enjoying nature's harvest. There'll be activities for all ages, everyone welcome!

*Check back for updates regarding activities and walks*

Free event, donations greatly appreciated to help St Nicks continue our work.

 Community Stalls

• York Community Energy - Running solar-powered beetle races
• SF Innovations - Make a solar-powered jam jar light and learn about haybox thermal cooking and solar power
• Sustrans - Find out more about York cycle routes and have a go at making a bicycle pencil pot.
• I Travel York - Discover more about local walks and cycle routes in York
• Cooper King Distillery - Sample award winning sustainable spirits powered by 100% renewable energy
• Abundance York - Helping identify your apple varieties, bring you home produce and learn about the process of apple juicing.
• Forest of Flowers - Selling organic seed, honey and plants from their 74-acre new woodland and wildflower meadows. 
• Foss Fairy trail - Discover the magic of the Foss fairy trail with fairy doors, lanterns and make your own fairy home kits available to buy. 
• York Greenways 
• York Cycle Campaign
• Independence Support York - Selling plants and crafts to raise money for their chosen charity - St Nicks!
• XR Families York - Come and craft a clay hedgehog, and chat with XR Families how we work for fair and transparent change, to ensure the future of all life on Earth.
• Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament 
• Green Corridors York

Activities

There’ll be lots of activities running throughout the afternoon, some at set times so do check. All activities are free, but we greatly appreciate donations to support St Nicks and the organisations involved, thank you. All guided walks will start at the designated meeting point in the meadow.

 On the nature reserve

• 1.30pm - Foraging walk with local expert Carl Wain,  Learn about the many species of fruit tree we have at St Nicks along with other edible plants.

• 3pm - Becks Walk Join our Green Corridors team for a guided walk along the beck. Discover what species can be seen and the work that's been done to help restore and improve habitats.

• 4pm - The weird and wonderful world of plant galls

  Plant galls are abnormal growths in plants induced by another organism, often to provide shelter and food for larvae. Some galls are weird and wacky shapes and colours! Join Sam Buckton on a hunt to find what galls are present at St Nicks and learn about the fascinating life cycles of gall-causers.

• Freshwater invertebrate sampling - Get up close to the freshwater creatures that live in the beck.

• WildWatch station - Are you new to wildlife watching? The WildWatch team will be offering top tips on getting started, including useful apps and equipment to help you record what you find. Find out how you can join the Wildwatch group too.

• Woodland activities for children (and big kids!) Join Christine in the woods for some Nature Adventurers activities such as den building, hanging out in hammocks, learn the art of fire making, nature crafts and more.

• Circus Skills York CIC -  will be running a drop-in circus skills area throughout the afternoon suitable for young and old.

At the environment centre

• The Zero Waste team will be in the garden showcasing the many uses of nettle.
• Recycled crafts. Create your own windchimes or window decorations using a variety of household items.
• Apple pressing & identification with Abundance, 1pm – 4.30pm. Bring your home produce for juicing and identification.
• Tombola in the hall, lots of prizes to be won.
• Eco crafters stall. Find out how you can become an eco-crafter and purchase some home-made upcycled items.

Live Music

There'll be live music in the meadow throughout the afternoon.

• Esk, 1.15pm - 2.15pm
• Laura Sutcliffe, 2.30pm - 3.30pm
• Emily Lawler, 3.45pm - 4.45pm

Food and Drink

Come and have a go at juicing your own apples at the Environment Centre. Enjoy some live music in the meadow with a beer from local brewery Brass Castle and gin from award winning Cooper King distillery. There'll be hot drinks, cakes and treats available in the hall.

We'll have hot food options in both the meadow and the environment centre. Philly's Pizza will be serving a range of delicious hand stretched wood fired pizzas.

Parking

Parking at the centre will be reserved for blue badge holders only. Vehicle access to St Nicks carpark is only possible via Rawdon Avenue/Harrington. There is no vehicle access to or from Bull lane as this is a designated cycle path.

Street parking is available just a short walk from the centre. Please remember to park respectfully and not to block access to residents' driveways. Vehicles and possessions are left at the owner’s risk.

• Rawdon avenue
• Harrington avenue
• Melrosegate

We encourage all our visitors to come by foot, bicycle or bus whenever possible. We have bike storage facilities within the garden compound.

This event is part of a programme of events for York Environment Weeks 2024