Great Big Green Week 2025
Great Big Green Week is back in Henley
from 7 – 15 June!
Join us for our 5th annual Great Big Green Week—a vibrant, community-wide celebration of climate action, nature, and sustainability. The week is packed full of inspiring talks, pre-loved fashion, poetry, film, a hands-on workshop and our Big Green Festival in Market Place, all focused on exploring how we can collectively tackle climate change and restore nature and wildlife in the local area – and beyond!
Saturday 7th June
Greener Henley’s Big Green Festival
Market Place – 10am-4pm
Buzzing with lots of different stalls and activities for all – visit Bee Friendly Henley for free pots of mini meadows, meet the NEW Henley Repair Cafe volunteers and see what can be fixed, plus prizes go to anyone dressed as a bee! Test your knowledge at our mini Environmental Science Fair, stop for a cuppa at our Pop-up Swap Shop, chat with Henley Toad Patrol and other local nature groups. There will be plenty of fun and interesting things to find out and do, a giant snakes and ladders game, face painting and lots more!
Sunday 8th June
Henley Rotary’s Plasticblitz
Towpath in front of River & Rowing Museum – 10am start
Join Henley Rotary Club on their Plasticblitz – a river litter pick from Marsh lock to Hambeldon lock, with a citizen science twist!
Email Phil Fletcher to join
Monday 9th June
Reflections on the River – poetry readings
Henley Library – 6.30-8pm
If creativity and words are your thing, why not write a poem for this year’s poetry competition: Reflections on the River? Submit your entries before 31 May and a Poetry Reading session at Henley Library will showcase some of the best entries.
Tuesday 10th June
Green Screen: Honeyland – film with panel + Q&A
Regal Picturehouse – 6pm start
Film lovers are in for a treat with Honeyland, the award-winning, immersive documentary that follows Europe’s last wild beekeeper and goes on to widen its gaze, showing how closely intertwined nature and humanity are. Honeyland has much to say about conserving nature, but its lessons are also about human life and relationships. Stay for a panel discussion with audience Q&A.
Book your tickets here
The People’s Commission on the Water Sector: Securing Public Value
Henley Town Hall – 11am-3.45pm
Join Henley Mermaids as they host Day 4 of this public inquiry into the financial mismanagement of the water industry, exploring questions like where has our money gone? Witness evidence will be given by a panel of experts and there will be opportunity for the public to respond to what they have heard.
Book your tickets and find out more info here
Wednesday 11th June
Climate Café
Chantry House, 4.30-6pm
Worried about climate change? Why not come along to our warm and friendly Climate Café at Chantry House, adjacent to St Mary’s Church, on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 June. This will be a supportive space in which to talk about how the climate crisis is affecting us – without pressure to act – run by two experienced facilitators.
Book your tickets here.
In Our Hands: Our Climate, Our River, Our Future – talk with Q&A
Leander Club – 7-9pm
Get expert feedback on your climate change questions at Henley’s historic Leander Club, where leading climate scientist Professor Christopher Merchant (University of Reading) will take us on a journey from the latest climate science to the risks we face worldwide and the urgent actions needed to steer toward a better future, whilst also touching on the local implications for the Thames and Henley in our changing climate. Our host will be none other than Olympic rowing champion, Greg Searle MBE!
Book your tickets here
Thursday 12th June
Greening Your Business – workshop with speakers
River & Rowing Museum – 5.30-7.30pm
Local business owners can get involved in the interactive Greening Your Business workshop at the River & Rowing Museum. During the session you can learn how to reduce your carbon footprint and accelerate the rapid economic transition needed to secure a liveable planet, whilst bringing more customers with you.
Book your tickets here
Flood Question Time: Rising Waters and Resilience – talk with Q&A
Henley Rugby Club – 7-9pm
NB – this event has been postponed until later this year
For an engaging evening discussion, head to Henley Rugby Club for Flood Question Time: Rising Waters talk with expert panel and Q&A. The speakers will examine how residents, businesses and organisations across our town can all work together to become safer in the face of flooding, with plenty of opportunity for audience questions.
Book your tickets here
Sunday 15th June
Paddleboard River Clean
Val Wyatt Marine, Willow Marina RG10 – 3pm
Join Lynne Lambourne of Warriors on Waste and Go with the Flow paddleboarding for a water-based, big green clean up on our stretch of the Thames.
Book your tickets here
Henley’s Big Green Picnic
Mill Meadows – 11.30am-2pm
Everyone is invited to Henley’s Big Green Picnic over on Mill Meadows by the bandstand. From 11.30am – 2pm. Bring your own picnic and enjoy this fun, family-friendly gathering celebrating nature and community. No booking required.
Pre-Great Big Green Week
Poetry Competition: Reflections on the River
Submit entries by 31 May
Calling all poets! Submit a poem on the theme ‘Reflections on the River’’ for this year’s Greener Henley Poetry Competition. Enter by 31 May and a Poetry Reading session at Henley Library on Monday 9 June will showcase some of the best entries. 3 age categories, with prizes.