Spring has been busy for the eeCAN volunteers so far, with preparation for the Living Rivers Exhibition at Epsom Square, the approaching Library of Things opening, and building the eeCAN newsletter. On which note: welcome and thank you for subscribing! We hope to be emailing you quarterly with updates about local climate events and news. Read on to find out more about what we’ve been up to and how you can get involved.

The long-awaited Living Rivers Exhibition fast approaches, with the Mayor of Epsom and Ewell, Robert Leech, to open it at 11am on Wednesday 22nd April 2026. The exhibition, a display of artwork celebrating the beauty and importance of our rivers and waterways, will be on show for a month, with closing celebrations on Saturday 23rd May at 1pm. After the exhibition, select artwork will be displayed at the Royal Marsden public gallery.

We’re thrilled to be displaying a large amount of artwork, including drawings and paintings from local schools and photography from Epsom Camera Club. With coffee, cake, and children’s activities, the exhibition has something for everyone, so come along and take a look!

Thank you to everyone who has helped with displaying the artwork; this project has come to life thanks to the contribution of so many volunteers.

eeCAN’s Library of Things is preparing to launch at Bourne Hall in the coming months, run by a dedicated team of our volunteers. The Library of Things will enable those registered to borrow practical household items such as sewing machines, DIY tools, and garden equipment to save you from forking out for an expensive item you rarely use, and to help reduce unnecessary consumption that harms the planet. Register to borrow from the Library of Things here.

As a voluntary endeavour, the Library of Things is primarily comprised of donations and run by eeCAN volunteers with support from Ewell Library. If you have any items you can donate to the Library of Things, find out how to do so here.

A big thank you to our volunteer Eco Builder John, who plans to start building a permanent Library of Things external store in the park at Bourne Hall on Monday 11th May 2026. If you’re interested in getting involved with the Library of Things, helping to build the store is an excellent opportunity. Please email us at [email protected] or message Chair William Ward on WhatsApp to volunteer to help John dig the small concrete footings for posts. Read more about building the Library of Things store in this article on our website.

On Monday 27th April, 10:30am-12:30pm, we’re hosting our next Climate Conversation in partnership with Epsom and Ewell U3A at Birch Grove Lower Mill Apartments, also available to attend online here.

In tandem with the Living Rivers exhibition, we are hosting a Hogmill Historic Walk along the River Hogsmill starting at Bourne Hall on Thursday 30th April, 10am-12:30pm. We have fifteen spaces on this walk, so please email us at [email protected] or message Chair William Ward on WhatsApp to book your space.

If you can’t attend the Historic Walk, Epsom and Ewell Council is running a walk along the Hogsmill from Ewell Court House on Sunday 17th May 2026 starting at 2pm. Click here for more information.

Volunteers Ben and Alex joined Chair and Co-founder William to deliver a presentation at Epsom Methodist Church on Wednesday 25th March 2026, introducing eeCAN, the community services we offer, and how to reduce home energy bills. Well done to Ben, Alex, and William for this excellent outreach, and welcome to those of you who attended the talk and signed up to receive this newsletter!

One of the many projects we at eeCAN have in the works is a community garden. While we search for a suitable space, trustee Deirdre is deepening her own horticultural skills with the RHS Wisley Allotmenteer Project 2026 so she’s well-prepared when we’re ready to get growing. The skills, confidence, and connections that Deirdre builds through this programme will help us shape a future community garden that is welcoming, sustainable, educational, and rooted in local needs.

Read the first of Deirdre’s allotmenteering updates here, and follow her on Instagram @dee_grows_wisley.

As a volunteer organisation, eeCAN relies on donations and grants to fund our work. If you are able, please donate to help us bring projects such as the Library of Things to life, and bring you more climate-focused events and initiatives. Click here or scan the QR code below to go to our donation page; we are grateful for all donations, however small. You can also help us out by sharing the link and QR code. Thank you for your patronage!

As if the opening of the Living Rivers Exhibition and the Library of Things weren’t enough on Wednesday 22nd April 2026, Earth Day, University for the Creative Arts student Chiara De Martino is collaborating with Epsom Library to host an immersive Earth Day event. We invite you to make a day of it: after attending Living Rivers Exhibition opening, go into Epsom Library for circular crafts, fashion repairs, a mini escape room, and more. This event will run from 10am-4:30pm, so pop in any time during the day. Find more information here.

If you’ve read this far through the newsletter, thank you for making it all the way to the end! Thank you for subscribing, and for your patience in awaiting this first email. Thank you to Jon, William, and Deirdre for your help in setting this up, and to everyone who shared news and events to include in this first newsletter. Now we’re set up, we hope to be emailing you quarterly. If you are interested in volunteering to support with producing the newsletter, particularly with design and distribution, please email us at [email protected] or message volunteer Emily Anderson on WhatsApp.

Have a wonderful spring, and look out for the next newsletter in summer!