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University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

GUHD Calendar

2022

Date(s)

Event

January

Whole Month

Veganuary

Each year thousands take part in this event and many permanently go vegan afterwards. A plant based diet helps to reduce your individual environmental footprint and can be a very healthy diet too.

https://veganuary.com/

28th-30th

Big Garden Birdwatch

The Big Garden Birdwatch is asking you to spend an hour noting down every bird that you see in your garden, in a local park or from your balcony. All you need to do then is contact the RSPB and let them know what you saw.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/

February

21st Feb - 6th Mar

Fairtrade Fortnight

https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/get-involved/current-campaigns/fairtrade-fortnight/

March

 25th March - 10th April

The Great British Spring Clean

Organised by the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, The Great British Spring Clean is going ahead in 2021 but no date has yet been specified. However you can still pledge to do a clean-up. Join a group to go litter picking or just go and clean up your local area yourself.

3rd

World Wildlife Day

https://wildlifeday.org/

9th

No Smoking Day

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/10-self-help-tips-to-stop-smoking/

22nd

World Water Day

https://www.worldwaterday.org/

World Water Day is about what water means to people, its true value and how we can better protect this vital resource.

26th

Earth Hour (big switch off) (20:30 – 21:30)

https://www.earthhour.org/

Started by WWF and partners as a symbolic lights-out event in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour is now one of the world's largest grassroots movements for the environment. Held every year on the last Saturday of March, Earth Hour engages millions of people in more than 180 countries and territories, switching off their lights to show support for our planet.

 14th-20th

Nutrition and hydration week

 18th

Global recycling day

https://www.globalrecyclingday.com/

Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet.

April

1st

Walk to work day

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/walk-to-work-day/

7th

World Health Day

https://www.earthday.org/

22nd

Earth Day

The Earth Day Network works around the world to work towards changing things for the better when it comes to: Climate Action, Science and Education, People and Communities, Conservation and Restoration and Plastic and Pollution.

https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2021

May

All Month

No Mow May

For the whole month of May don’t mow your lawn! Changing your mowing routine and allowing plants to flower can create enough nectar for ten times more bees and other pollinators. You’re also more likely to spot a greater variety of flowers popping up in your garden.

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/about-us/news/how-to-mow-your-lawn-for-wildlife

1st - 7th

International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW)

Seriously, get into composting!

https://www.compostfoundation.org/ICAW/ICAW-Home

20th

World Bee Day

In addition to being one of the major pollinators, thus ensuring food and food security, sustainable agriculture and biodiversity, bees significantly contribute to the mitigation of climate change and environmental conservation.

https://worldbeeday.org/en/

22nd

International Day for Biological Diversity

https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day

6th - 12th

Bike Week

Bike Week is an annual celebration to showcase cycling and how brilliant it is. Thousands of people all across the UK take part to enjoy the simple pleasure of riding a bike

28th May - 5th June

National Children Gardening Week

Get your children or grandchildren interested in the garden and invested in nature. Children love growing plants, and love being in the garden but they're often impatient, wanting to see instant results. National Children's Gardening Week aims to capture children's enthusiasm at a time when results are immediate. National Children's Gardening Week takes place annually in the 'warm' week at the end of May.

https://www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk/

June

Whole month

30 Days Wild

The whole month of June is '30 Days Wild'. 30 Days Wild was created by The Wildlife Trusts to help everyone be more connected with nature by doing something wild every day. When you sign up you're sent a digital pack with ideas.

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/30-days-wild-individuals-pack

3rd

World Bicycle Day

World Bicycle Day draws attention to the benefits of using the bicycle — a simple, affordable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transportation.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/bicycle-day

5th

World Environment Day

The foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, many of the medicines that save our lives and the climate that make our planet inhabitable, all come from nature. We are more reliant on nature's interconnected web and delicate balance than we can ever imagine.

https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/

NHS Sustainability Day

https://www.sustainabilitypartnerships.uk/day-of-action

This day will now align with World Environment Day

8th

World Ocean Day

World Ocean Day is growing the global movement to call on world leaders to protect 30% of our blue planet by 2030. This critical need is called 30×30. By safeguarding at least 30% of our ocean through a network of highly protected areas we can help ensure a healthy home for all!

https://worldoceanday.org/

14th – 18th

BNF Healthy Eating Week

https://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/whole-school/bnf-healthy-eating-week/bnf-healthy-eating-week-2021/

Nutrition and hydration week

https://nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk/

6th - 12th

Carers Week

Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.

https://www.carersweek.org/

16th

Clean air day

Air pollution causes heart and lung diseases, is linked to low birth weight and children's lung development and may even contribute to mental health issues. Every year, air pollution causes up to 36,000 deaths in the UK.

https://www.cleanairday.org.uk/

UHD is signed up to the Clean Air Hospitals program to help tackle this health threat.

https://www.globalactionplan.org.uk/clean-air-hospital-framework

19th

National Refill Day

National Refill Day is a public awareness campaign that aims to create a new social norm amongst the public for refilling on the go – to save money, keep us hydrated and prevent millions of single-use plastic bottles at source!

https://refill.org.uk/a-global-refill-day/

July

Whole month

Plastic free July

Try to reduce how much plastic you buy during the month of July. Make a concerted effort to buy loose fruit and vegetables and the plastic free versions of things you would normally buy.

https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/

11th

World Population Day

https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-population-day

28th

World Nature Conservation Day

https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/world-wildlife-conservation-day

August

4th

Cycle to Work Day

https://www.cycletoworkday.org/

8th - 14th

National Allotments Week

National Allotments Week started in 2002 as a way of raising awareness of allotments and the role they play in helping people to live healthier lifestyles, grow their own food, develop friendships and bolster communities.

https://www.nsalg.org.uk/news-events-campaigns/national-allotments-week/

September

All month

Organic September

https://www.soilassociation.org/take-action/organic-living/organic-september/

6th – 11th

Know your numbers Week

http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/know-your-numbers/

17th - 25th

Great British Beach Clean

The Great British Beach Clean is a week-long citizen science event, where hundreds of beach cleans take place up and down the UK. Litter data collected drives our conservation work and also feeds into the International Coastal Clean-up (ICC).

https://www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/greatbritishbeachclean

20th – 26th

Recycle Week

Recycle Week is Recycle Now’s flagship annual event which is a celebration of recycling across the nation.

https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/citizen-behaviour-change/recycle-now/recycle-week

28nd

National Fitness Day

National Fitness Day is a chance to highlight the role physical activity plays across the UK, helping us raise awareness of its importance in helping us lead healthier lifestyles through being physical active


https://www.nationalfitnessday.com/

26th

World Environmental Health Day

World Environmental Health Day is celebrated to shed light on the important work of environmental health and the environmental health workforce around the world.

https://www.ifeh.org/wehd/

October

Whole Month

Unblocktober

Unblocktober is the world’s first month-long national campaign and awareness month to improve the health of our drains, sewers, watercourses and seas

https://www.unblocktober.org/

1st

World Vegetarian Day

Learn about the benefits of vegetarianism and help create a better world because vegetarian diet have proven health benefits, save animals’ lives and help to preserve the Earth.

https://worldvegetarianday.navs-online.org/

3rd

World Habitat Day

Accelerating urban action for a carbon-free world.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/habitat-day

4th

No Disposable Cup Day

Every single day in the UK we use 7 million disposable cups, many of which are not disposed of responsibly. The aim of No Disposable Cup Day is 1. We STOP using disposable cups for one day on 4 October, and 2. We STOP using disposable cups completely.

https://nodisposablecup.com/

16th

World Food Day

The food you choose and the way you consume it affect our health and that of our planet.

It has an impact on the way agri-food systems work.

https://www.fao.org/world-food-day/en

November

20th - 26th

World Recycling Week

Recycle Week is an annual event designed to celebrate and promote the benefits of recycling. It creates opportunities for us all to implement positive change that will help protect our planet.

December

5th

World Soil Day

Every 5 seconds, the equivalent of one soccer field of soil is eroded. Soil erosion can lead up to a 50% loss in crop yields. It can take up to 1,000 years to produce just 2-3cm of soil… Soil is a living resource, home to more than 25% of our planet's biodiversity.

https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-soil-day

10th

International Animal Rights Day

Every year International Animal Rights Day is celebrated on December 10. This observance coincides with the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared in 1948.

News

green nhs

This weekend saw the launch of the 'For a Greener NHS' Programme - to engage and support all staff to play their part in tackling the climate and health emergency.

Climate change poses a major threat to all our health as well as the planet. The environment is changing, that change is accelerating, and this has real consequences for us all.

This is why the NHS has launched the 'For a greener NHS' programme, working with all staff, hospitals and its partners. It aims to build on the great work being done by trusts across the country, sharing ideas on how to reduce the impact on public health and the environment, save money and – eventually – go net carbon zero.

Therefore in order to answer this call, the Sustainability Team are asking for your help.

We want to hear all your ideas on how we can make our own Trust more sustainable to further reduce our carbon emissions.

Any idea, big or small, we would like to hear from you. Please email it to the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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