Free events, live performances, workshops and hands-on activities all about nature will take over the borough next month as Basingstoke Green Week returns for its 14th year.

Organised by communities with support from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, the week-long celebration from Saturday 6 June to Sunday 14 June kicks off with a day of green market stalls and live stage shows at The Malls in Basingstoke town centre.

People visiting the shopping centre from 9am to 5.30pm on Saturday 6 June will be able to browse market stalls with a range of eco-friendly products and activities. That includes picking up free water-saving devices and finding out about local nature and climate change groups working across the borough.

The council’s Green Team will be on hand throughout the day to offer people practical advice on making homes more energy efficient, helping them to stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. They will also be sharing advice on improvements like insulation and solar panels and taking bookings for free home visits, after which the advisors give residents tailored guidance to save money on their energy bills.

Young visitors can enjoy a packed programme of live performances. Storyteller Junk Jodie will perform her Bee Insect‑AZING show, while Scratch Built Productions will host an unconventional picnic with games and prizes and Pied Piper Theatre will perform DIG!, a musical story about busy bugs and wriggling worms waking up in the garden.

A wildlife trail around The Malls will be open throughout the day for nature enthusiasts of all ages. And volunteers from the Chineham Repair Café will also be available to take a look at broken household items to see if they could be fixed for free at a later date.

Events will continue in communities and villages across the borough throughout the week, with daily highlights including:

• Saturday 6 June and Sunday 7 June: river dipping, bird walks, bug hunts and a pre-loved clothes swap in Overton as part of its Green Weekend;

• Monday 8 June: a free upholstery workshop with the Community Furniture Project;

• Tuesday 9 June: a chance to enjoy a drink and a discussion with fellow climate and nature enthusiasts at regular evening event People, Planet, Pint in Hatch Warren, Basingstoke;

• Thursday 11 June: a free repair and upcycle furniture workshop with the Community Furniture Project;

• Friday 12 June: an opportunity to visit charity Inspero’s Royal Horticultural Society award-winning community garden, followed by tea and a slice of cake;

• Saturday 13 June: outdoor cooking at a special session of Inspero’s forest school;

• Sunday 14 June: free guided tours of Northdown Orchard, a 12-acre organic family farm in South Litchfield.

The council’s Cabinet Member for Climate and Ecological Emergency Cllr Chris Tomblin said: “Basingstoke Green Week is all about enjoying what’s around you and finding easy ways to make everyday life a bit greener.

“Reaching our 14th year really shows the enthusiasm and commitment of local communities and organisations. With events happening across towns and villages, Basingstoke Green Week is a great opportunity for people of all ages to get outdoors, try something new and take positive action to tackle climate change and support nature.”

The full programme of events and activities is on the Sustainable Basingstoke website at http://sustainable-basingstoke.co.uk/green-week.