From beasties to botanics - kick off Great Big Green Week at Juniper Green hub
A thriving community hub, based in a former Edinburgh toilet block, will be running a Great Big Green Day on June 7 as part of the UK-wide event, Great Big Green Week.
Organisers at Hub@531 in Juniper Green are excited to hold a day-long celebration of all things green, on Saturday, June 7.
Events at the spot, which is right next to the Water of Leith, include river dipping for children and the chance to browse items from the local tool library. There will also be time to hear about the latest community share offers from Edinburgh Community Solar Co-operative.
Trustees Lynn, 58, and Anne, 74 are hoping the event will build on their first Great Big Green Day which took place last year.
Small actions, big impacts
Says Anne: "We are both very keen on doing something to combat climate change and make sure the environment is OK, and we want to share that message and get people involved.
"What we’d like is that people come along to Great Big Green Day and get some ideas, then they sign up to do something else to help protect the planet."
Lynn said that she recognises people face a lot of pressures in everyday life, so tackling climate change may not be top priority. But, she says, even the smallest action in the support of the environment can lead to bigger things.
"If you start, there’s chance it might snowball."
New events for 2025 will be a river walk especially tailored to children, where a nature specialist from the charity Earth Calling will help kids dip in the Water of Leith to see what sort of beasties lurk there. They will also be organising a botany walk for adults.
Hub@531 has been operating for just over two years, after the community bought the former toilet block from the local council. Now it is home to a flat that provides social housing, as well as regular events for the people of Juniper Green, Balerno and Currie.
‘We do everything from knitting groups and gardening, to a Monday morning café and Mah Jong. We’ve got a primary school and a high school nearby, so the Hub is really there for all ages,’ explains Lynn.
Making the swap to greener energy
And the hub certainly walks the talk when it comes to reducing its impact on the planet. Lynn adds: ‘We have solar panels and an air source heat pump with underfloor heating.
'Recently someone came along to ask us about our heat pump, to find out more about how it worked. I was so happy! We have not had any problems with it at all, and it’s a very steady temperature in the Hub.’
Great Big Green Week, the UK’s biggest celebration of action to tackle climate change and protect nature, is taking place from Saturday 7 June to Saturday 15 June 2025. Organisers are expecting 1 million people to take part this year, through in-person and online events embedded in the heart of communities, right across the country.
Mary Corfield of organisers The Climate Coalition said: “Great Big Green Week plays host to thousands of inspirational events hosted in local communities across the UK.
'Events are hosted by teachers, bus drivers, sport clubs, artists, community groups, places of worship, libraries, builders. There is no limit on who can get involved.'
To find out more and get involved with Great Big Green Week, visit https://greatbiggreenweek.com/
Find out more about Hub@531’s event on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Hubat531/, or head along on Saturday, June7 to 531 Lanark Road, Juniper Green, EH14 5DE