Havant is to host an Eco Arts Festival in September, with music, children’s activities, film screenings and talks in the line-up. Highlights of the event include:

• Friday September 18th: A screening of the National Briefing film with a speaker-led discussion at the Spring Arts Centre from 1-3pm and a mystery pop-up outside the west door of St Faith’s Church with music, dance, drama and a light show at 7:30pm.
• Saturday September 19th: Speakers, music and stalls from 10am-4pm at St Faith’s Church with music from the DiElle Trio and Mary Jane Band, plus a children’s craft making session from 12-2pm in the Meridian Centre. This will be followed in the evening by music performances by Simon Cattermole and The Langstone Big Band and Amy Baker.
• Sunday September 20th: Harvest Festival at St Faith’s at 9:30am, plus an electric car show in West Street with samba-reggae percussion band Batala Portsmouth from 10:30am and a creative “Echoes of the Earth” also in the West Street Precinct in the afternoon.

The Eco Arts Festival is being organised by Havant Community Energy (HCE), a volunteer-led group set up in 2024 that advises, facilitates and promotes renewable energy with an aim to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs through community energy techniques such as solar panels.

Already HCE is working with several local community groups and determining the feasibility of transforming the Council owned landfill site at Broadmarsh, into a community solar garden. There are many other projects currently being evaluated, including geothermal energy.

The group is registered with the FCA as a Community Benefit Society and ultimately will be looking to self-fund many of the proposed schemes through a communal share issue.

The Eco Arts Festival, which is partially funded by the National Lottery, is a community event aimed at raising awareness of renewable energy. Beth Hawdon, who set up HCE, said: “This is a unique opportunity to bring the people of Havant together, to listen to local music and learn how they can address ecological problems.”

Kevin Edwards, a co-founder of HCE, added: “As the influence of climate change impacts us all, we are looking at ways we can all work together to find positive and uplifting solutions. The Eco Fest proposes to deliver this message in a creative way through music, speech, drama and light. It is also hoped to generate greater activity and trade for the town centre and showcase local talent.”

Organisers are looking for help in running festival event – please contact co-ordinator Shelley Saunders if you can volunteer. For full details of the festival events visit havantcommunityenergy.org.