Discover Congleton’s greener side this summer! Explore inspiring places, join fun activities, support local projects and take simple actions for nature. Collect stickers as you go and become a Beartown Green Champion!

Pick up your free Green Passport from Congleton Museum or the Congleton Information Centre. You can also collect your activity stickers there.

Some activities can be completed at any time, while others take place on specific dates or require advance booking. Please check the organiser’s website or event listing for details.

Collect as many stickers as you can over the summer and bring your completed Green Passport to the Green Festival to enter the prize draw.

DISCOVER

Explore inspiring places, learn about local wildlife and discover the people helping nature thrive in Congleton.

Museum Explorer

Visit the Our Disappearing Nature exhibition at Congleton Museum and complete one of the family trails.

Garden Explorer

Explore Garden Stories at Bath House & Physic Garden. Follow the family activities to discover medicinal plants, hydrotherapy, allotments, outdoor exercise and Victorian games.

Bloom Explorer

Visit the Congleton in Bloom display at the Tunnel in Congleton Park. Explore the gardens and decorated wheelbarrows, then choose the one that looks the wildest and most suitable for bees. Open Saturdays and Sundays, 2.00-4.00 pm, until mid-September.

Voices Explorer

Follow the Voices of Change audio trail and discover the people, places and community projects creating a greener Congleton. Listen to local stories as you move between the different stops and learn how people are taking practical action for the environment.

TAKE PART

Join events, workshops and community activities that bring people together for nature.

Nature Workshop

Take part in one of the Nature Thursdays family workshops at Congleton Museum. Create something inspired by nature and discover simple ways to help local plants and wildlife.

Clothes Swap

Join a Big Clothes Movement clothes swap or community event.

Garden Champion

Enter the Congleton Rotary wildlife-friendly garden competition.

Bug Builder

Create a log pile for wildlife and discover which insects and other creatures move in. Stack logs and fallen branches in a quiet corner, leaving gaps and allowing some of the wood to rest on damp ground. The pile can provide shelter for beetles, spiders and other small creatures, while also attracting birds, hedgehogs and frogs looking for food.

TAKE ACTION

Take simple actions that make a real difference for wildlife.

Grow a Lost Plant

Grow one of the wild plant species that has disappeared from Congleton over the last 100 years. Collect free seeds and growing instructions from Congleton Museum, then sow them in a pot, window box or suitable garden space. Care for the plant and record how it develops.

Seed Saver

Collect seeds from your garden and swap them at the Green Festival. Collect ripe seeds on a dry day, allow them to dry and place them in a labelled paper envelope. Keep them in a cool, dry place until you are ready to bring them to the seed swap.

Water Saver

Install a water butt to collect rainwater and save water in your garden. Connect it to a downpipe from your house, garage, greenhouse or shed. Use the stored rainwater to water established plants during dry weather instead of relying only on mains water.

Wildlife Recorder

Download iNaturalist and record local wildlife as part of a global citizen science project. Take a clear photograph of a wild plant, animal or fungus and upload it with its location and date. Other users can help identify what you found, and your observation can contribute to biodiversity research.

SUPPORT LOCAL

Support local projects and sustainable initiatives helping to make Congleton greener.

Nature Volunteer

Join an Astbury Mere volunteer session or workshop.

Sustainable Living

Complete Congleton Town Council’s Sustainable Living in Congleton online course. The free course takes around 15-30 minutes and explores practical changes connected with the home, transport, food and waste.

Congleton Food4Free

Visit a Congleton Food4Free site in one of the town’s shared public spaces. View the plants that flower for pollinators and people. Spot the edible leaves, flowers and fruit. Pick a small amount for yourself and leave plenty for other people. Take some growing ideas home with you too.

Buy Local

Buy a bottle of Congleton Apple Juice from the Congleton Information Centre and support a local community initiative. The juice is made using surplus and windfall apples donated by local residents, with proceeds supporting community projects in Congleton.