Environmental focus at East Renfrewshire Libraries
East Renfrewshire Libraries have partnered with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to deliver a brand new programme of events and activities.
Article Source: East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure
Last Updated: 7 February 2025 9:16
East Renfrewshire libraries have partnered with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to deliver a brand new programme of events and activities over the next two months, to help raise awareness of and encourage positive action for East Renfrewshire’s Clean Air campaign.
The programme includes a series of creative writing workshops and nature-based craft sessions for adults, while children and families can enjoy animation sessions, storytelling and crafts workshops across East Renfrewshire’s libraries.
Scott Simpson, Head of Libraries and Information at East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure, said: “We’re excited to partner with SEPA to present this programme of events in support of East Renfrewshire’s Clean Air campaign and to bring creative leaders to our local community to host sessions, including Metaphrog, storyteller Andrew Wilson and nature writer Saskia McCracken.
“Our libraries team works to bring new and exciting projects to the local community and this new programme builds on our work around climate change and the environment, as part of the Root Cause project. We look forward to welcoming everyone along to our libraries in February and March to these engaging, interactive and inspiring sessions.”
As part of the programme, Metaphrog, award-winning graphic novel and comics creators Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers, will run a series of illustration workshops with local primary schools to create campaign posters and comic strips to help raise awareness of car idling. East Renfrewshire libraries will share a competition with primary schools, asking pupils to design a clever and creative future mode of transport that is eco-friendly and doesn’t pollute the air.
Four nature-based, tutor-led workshops will give adults the opportunity to explore sustainable and nature-based crafting and discover how to transform natural materials into beautiful pieces of handicraft at Giffnock Library, running every Wednesday from 12 February for four weeks. From forgaging, natural dyes, botanical relief casting to mandala stone painting, the activities will offer the opportunity to connect with nature while developing crafting skills which promote a sustainable future.
The Winter Storytelling and Crafts sessions for children start on 17 February, hosted across East Renfrewshire libraries. The magical workshops, led by creative practitioner and storyteller Andrew Wilson, will weave ancient stories and nature-based art activities to explore how protecting the air and nature also helps us to look after ourselves. During the February school break, East Renfrewshire libraries will also host Do You Care About Our Air sessions with Air Detectives, staff from Environment Department, who will explore the health of our air through demonstrations and experiments. The sessions, for ages 8-12 years, will be hosted at Giffnock, Mearns and Barrhead Foundry libraries.
A series of free creative writing workshops with nature writer and educator, Saskia McCracken, will take place at Clarkston Library every Wednesday from 26 February for four weeks. The sessions are open to all levels and will give the skills and inspirations to write stories, non-fiction and poems about nature, clean air, and what climate change means to you.
Reuse, Change and Adapt Scrap-Animation sessions will be hosted across East Renfrewshire libraries from 10 March during Science Week. The workshops give children aged 8-12 the chance to design and create their own scrap-animation movie. They will be inspired to reuse, change and adapt materials from nature, as well as recycled everyday objects, to make, write and animate their own unique and imaginative short films, using motion photography.
Thornliebank Library will host an artist-led Nature Based Crafting session on 12 March, where participants can relax in a creative environment and let their imagination take charge. The session offers an introduction to creating art and paints from materials found and gathered in nature and an opportunity to find inspiration from nature and connect and create your own artwork.
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure’s libraries have also teamed up with Glasgow Science Centre to offer an interactive exhibit. Families can enjoy the SEPA Air Quality exhibit at Mearns Library from 17 February for four weeks, finding out more about the science and issue behind air quality.
To find out more and reserve a free space at our SEPA workshops, visit: www.ercultureandleisure.org/sepa-project/
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