SAVERNAKE Street was abuzz with activity as the Eco Fest returned on World Earth Day for another year of celebrating nature and the environment.

Festivities spilled out of the social hall and on to the streets for the first time, with live music, storytelling sessions, artwork from the Stratton Art Group, craft workshops, food from Our Farmhouse Kitchen and a pop-up cafe.

Visitors relaxed in the sunshine with a specially-brewed Eco Fest beer from the Old Town Brewery, browsed the stalls and chatted with like-minded people who were passionate about the planet.

TWIGS, the Secret Garden, Swindon Borough Council’s recycling team, the Wiltshire & Berkshire Canal Trust, Renew, Bee Roadzz, the Swindon Allotments and Leisure Gardens Society, and Peatmoor community centre all had stalls at the hall.

Caroline Davies Khan from the Eastcott Community Organisation enjoyed the event that she’d helped to organise.

She said: “It was absolutely brilliant.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for the community to connect and find out about various projects in Swindon related to wellbeing, nature, and sustainable living.

“We used the whole site this time. This was our third Eco Fest and it was definitely the busiest.

“We worked with Swindon Climate Action Network because the focus of the event was on bringing together groups who were doing something environmental in the town, whether it’s gardening, recycling, or energy-saving.

“The event was supported by Innogy and the Westmill Sustainable Energy Trust, which gave us a grant that enabled the event to be free for visitors.”

Simon Smith from the Swindon Climate Action Network said: “I’ve worked with SCAN for a long time but joined as an official volunteer eight years ago.

“All these groups at the festival were doing their own projects and the organisers thought it would be good for them to see that they’re not alone.

“They know that there are people they can call on for help, support and advice - we’re all part of a movement.

“It was been an amazing day. This is the first time we’ve held the event in spring and it definitely paid off.

“The weather certainly helped.

"Everyone was really happy and a lot of people stayed here all day.

“It all came together really well and had a great spirit.

He added: “The beer that was made specially for the event was really nice, too.”