New monthly knitting, crochet and social group starts tomorrow (Tuesday 27th June), 2pm-3.30pm, at The Kitchen at Portland Marina.

Free parking for everyone that attends and refreshments available to purchase.

Bring your own project or join in with our brand new Community Crafters initiative – Butterflies & Octopuses, which will see the local community create two incredible displays over the next few months:

1. A ‘Consortium’ of Octopuses – to dangle from the ceiling as part of Portland Marina‘s ‘Plastic Shores’ display during Portland Week (before they are donated to Portland’s newest generation of babies). Finished octopuses into the ICA office, Easton by Friday 18th August. All colours and sizes welcomed.

2. A ‘Kaleidoscope’ of Butterflies – with broach pins on the back, so that we can create a beautiful display (that can also become gifts). Finished butterflies in any colour and patterns, the brighter the better, into ICA by 31st August please. We can add broach pins in the office if you don’t have any of these available.

Patterns available at Spin A Yarn and the ICA office.

A range of photos from last week’s Environment Fayre.

The event, attended by around 300, was a collaboration between ICA and b-side and aimed to celebrate Portland’s amazing natural environment and the ways we can help protect it.

Thank you to all who participated and made the day so special, from our amazing volunteers to Portland’s fabulous Youth Council and all those who exhibited:

• Angela Heron – Cyanotype
• Ants on a Rock
• Artizani
• The Buzztastic Bee Circus
• Eden Portland
• Hedgehog Friendly Portland
• Nottingham Trent University (Slow Memory)
• Portland 4 the Planet

Thank you also to photographers:

• Jayne Jackson – www.jaynejacksonphotography.co.uk
• Pete Millson – www.petemillsonphotographer.uk

The event was part-funded by The Dorset Performing Arts Fund (via the Dorset Community Foundation), the National Lottery Community Fund, the Great Big Green Week (via Save the Children) and Arts Council England.

Here are a selection of the Wild Art pieces created by children during last weekend’s Environment Fayre. I’m sure you’ll agree that they’re absolutely beautiful.

Well done to all who made them.

The Fayre was a collaboration between ICA and b-side.

The event, which aimed to celebrate Portland’s amazing natural environment and highlight how we can help protect it, was part-funded by The Dorset Performing Arts Fund (via the Dorset Community Foundation), the National Lottery Community Fund, the Great Big Green Week (via Save the Children) and Arts Council England. 

Just a brief summary of what we’ve been up to over the past three months!

Thank you to the following organisations, all of whom have either supported or partnered our work over this period.

The National Lottery Community Fund

Portland Town Council

Dorset Council

b-side

b-side and Island Community Action (ICA) are joining forces to deliver a special Environment Fayre for Portland this coming Saturday, 3rd June.

The event, which forms part of ICA and b-side’s larger ‘How to Look After an Island’ initiative, will also highlight the upcoming Great Big Green Week – the UK’s biggest community action event to protect nature and tackle climate change and environmental issues.

Local residents are invited to drop into the Fayre, between 11am to 4.30 pm, at the St. George’s Centre, Portland, DT5 2AN, in order to celebrate Portland’s amazing environment and discover more about the ways they can help support the natural world.

The event promises a wide range of free, fun, family friendly activities, including a Bug to Birds nature challenge, foraged art and stone carving. There will also be opportunities to create recycled art with Houseworks Dorset CIC and engage with a host of wild creatures, courtesy of Ants on a Rock. If that’s not enough, you’ll be able to create your own bee costumes and get buzzy with the Bee Circus and peep inside a beehive to discover what they do on their days off. You will also be able to find out about Eden Portland and Nottingham Trent University’s new Sign the Tree initiative. 

In addition, there are three bookable (paid for) activities on the day – a Herb Walk with local herbalist Andrew Cowling (£5), a BioBlitz and Foraging activity with Bushwhacker Tours (£5/children free) and a Cyanotype workshop (£3), creating printed art from sunlight.  

The event is part-funded by The Dorset Performing Arts Fund (via the Dorset Community Foundation), the National Lottery Community Fund, the Great Big Green Week (via Save the Children) and Arts Council England. 

For more information or to book the Herb Walk contact ICA via: 01305 823789, office@islandcommunityaction.org.uk or Facebook (Island Community Action – ICA).

To book the BioBlitz or Cyanotype workshop, contact b-side on: 01305 568044 or via the website at: b-side.  

Massive thanks to Jo Morland from Hedgehog Friendly Portland for holding an amazing workshop today all about hedgehogs!

Young people aged 7-11 got stuck in making hedgehog homes and learning about all the ways we can help our spiky neighbours!

Thanks also to ICA’s Katy Pascoe for leading a great nature art activity.

More to come at our joint event with b-side – the ‘How to Look After An Island’ Environment Fayre on Saturday 3rd June at St. Georges centre, Reforne from 11-4:30pm.