RESIDENTS braved the wet weather to pick up tips and tricks on environmental living at an annual fair this weekend.

The seventh annual Green Fair was held in South Park, Darlington, today (Sunday, May 12) and offered visitors the chance to find out more about greener living.

The fair aims to encourage people to live in a more environmentally friendly way.

This year’s event involved dozens of stalls and a packed schedule of activities and interactive workshops.

Friends of the Earth were on hand to offer tips on environmentally friendly living, and invited youngsters to create their own wild flower pot to take home, while members of the campaign group, 20’s Plenty, showed visitors the benefits of having 20mph zones in towns.

Darlington Borough Council recently applied for grants to improve road safety and, if successful, the scheme would see a 20mph speed limit introduced in residential streets across Darlington.

Matthew Snedker, coordinator of the group, said: “It not only saves lives, but improves your health too.

“We are showing people how much cheaper it is, as drivers in 20mph towns use up to 12 per cent less fuel.

“We have been working very hard with the council over the past two years to help them understand the benefits of a 20mph policy, and would be really pleased the scheme was given the go-ahead.”

Other entertainment included displays from the North-East Kite Fliers and birds of prey.

Youngsters also got the chance to get up close with an array of farmyard animals at the Farmyard Flyer double decker bus, while The Northern Echo’s deputy editor, Chris Lloyd, offered historical guided walks around the park.

Councillor Nick Wallis, cabinet member for leisure and local environment, said: “It was a shame about the weather but that didn’t dampen anybody’s spirits and I got some really positive feedback from the stallholders.

“It is always a great mix of organisations who doing their bit to promote sustainable living, and it was great to see so many children.

“Sometimes when you see national news it is all about the large-scale projects, but really what makes the difference is the little things we can all do to change our lives and make a difference, and is a great way of saving money too.”