Environment champions have reacted with dismay after being blocked from attending a sustainable living and climate action showcase.
Galloway Against Mining (GAM) wanted to have a stand at the Green Fayre event in Newton Stewart’s McMillan Hall on August 6.
But with deadline for applications approaching members were shocked to get a knock back.
GAM asked to attend after the poster advertising the event billed “environmental groups” as being among possible attendees.
However, members’ hopes were dashed when their request for an application form to book a table was turned down.
In an email, Katrina Dick, of event co-sponsors the Newton Stewart Initiative, explained the decision.
She told GAM volunteer Andrea Williams: “The three organisations facilitating the Newton Stewart Green Fayre have agreed that the purpose of this event is to showcase approaches to sustainable living, share knowledge about sustainability and enable people to sell local, sustainably produced goods.
“All our stallholders and guests will be focusing on sustainability in a celebratory and accessible way. While we understand and welcome opportunities to become better informed about local matters, the Green Fayre is not intended as a forum for these discussions or as a platform for campaigning on any issue.”
Ms Williams responded: “I am writing to lodge my disappointment and surprise that a local climate action group was turned down for an information display at the Green Fayre.
Advertising the event, fayre co-sponsors Machars and Cree Valley Climate Action Network said: “We would really like to be able to showcase more of the projects and local climate actions being done in our area.”
