Knaresborough Forest Day 2026!
- Alison Organ
- 24 hours ago
- 2 min read
We were thrilled that so many people braved the hot weather (for the second year running!) to join us to celebrate returning the land to community ownership.
After a welcome by Shan Oakes, Mayor of Knaresborough and KFP team member, we were delighted that Ben Skinner, our former Chair, opened the event with a rousing rendering of his Ballad of Long Lands Common, telling the tale of where we have come from and where we are going.
During the afternoon we were treated to music by Jenny Cook, Her Orange Coat, The Blarge and Craig James, and poetry by Helen Watkinson and Tim Ellis.
Visitors were able to explore nature crafts such as willow weaving with Nellie Heavisides, screen printing with Douglas Thompson (who had created a new print specially for the event), plant dyes with Lou Turnbull, and green woodworking with Chris Kitson.
Tim Ellis and Robbie Burns brought a wonderful nature quiz to question and inform us about the natural world.
Nellie wins our (just invented) Sustainability Award for bringing all her equipment by bike from Boroughbridge!
Further down the field, there was an opportunity to have a go at soft archery, and Christine Howson from Claritas Therapy treated us to nature-based meditation in the cool shade of an oak tree. George Eglese, a KFP team member who has recently founded Harrogate Cure, was able to explain his Wild Belt vision, bringing together all the green sites around Harrogate.
Visitors were able to sample elderflower cordial made from our very own KFP elder trees.
The event would not have been possible without the contributions of these performers and craftspeople, who gave their time and skills free of charge, and a huge amount of work from our volunteers over two days preparing the site. We were also very grateful to have the help of a group of Explorer scouts from the Blind Jack Knaresborough unit, who came along at the end to help strike camp.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the event possible, and of course to all of our wonderful supporters who joined us in our celebration of the land! We hope to see you again next year.
Comments