Cuppa for Climate event in the Avonmore Way, County Wicklow

Written by Cuppa for Climate organizer Rachel Loughroy

On Sunday 11th of June, a group of nature lovers joined together to take part in a charity fundraising hike and Cuppa for Climate event in the Avonmore Way, County Wicklow. We gathered together in community to learn about our native trees (led by Eoghan Connaughton, Founder of the wonderful charity the Gaelic Woodland Project), connect to nature and open up space for climate conversations.

This event was organised by Lorna Anne Tierney of The Earthy Marketplace and Rachel Loughrey of Ecohun in aid of Friends of The Earth and the Gaelic Woodland Project, both who are members of the *Earthy Friends initiative at The Earthy Marketplace.

The Cuppa for Climate campaign was embedded throughout with climate conversations being filtered through the ongoing learnings and engagement with the beautiful landscape that immersed us all around.

The climate conversations ranged from the fascinating communication of mycelium networks underneath our feet, the smells of the tree sap in the heat, the circular economy and how we engage collectively in this transition and other topics that bounced from person to person in this nature filled space where one can talk about creating a healthy sustainable world in a relaxing, safe and community filled space.

At the end of the hike, we gathered together by the Avonmore River to have homemade tea. The tea consisted of foraged elements and gathered dried tea leaves including camomile, rose, nettle peppermint and dandelion. Before we drank the tea, we took a moment to ground down into the beautiful landscape that surrounded us by taking part in a community nature-based mediation focused on connecting to the elements of nature that surrounded us.

After our tea, everyone stated the word that described the day;

Joy,

Aspirational,

Hope,

Connection,

Community.

 Our next eco-hike is occurring on Sunday 13th of August. If you would like to join connect to Rachel (Ecohun 🌏 (@eco_hun_) • Instagram photos and videos) or Lorna Anne (The Earthy Marketplace (@the_earthy_marketplace) • Instagram photos and videos). Everyone is welcome!

Earthy Friends is an initiative set up by The Earthy Marketplace to to help raise awareness of the important work being done by great people who give so much in an earnest fight to help create a better world for us all. In order to pay it forward, The Earthy Marketplace offer their services completely free of charge to welcome all conscious/environmental NGOs, charities, and not-for-profit groups and organisations from all over Ireland to avail of their services and be featured on the website and EARTHY app. To sign up to Earthy Friends please email your interest to info@theearthymarketplace.com

All photography by Rachel Loughrey 

Rachel Loughrey (rachelloughreyphotography.com)

To host your own Cuppa for Climate event, find the Friends of the Earth toolkit here.