Gatehouse of Fleet Gala 2010

One of the most attended events of the year was the Gatehouse Gala which ran from the 1st to the 8th of August. Gala Day was held on the 7th of August and was a great success for the carbon project. The carbon team entered a float in the form of a Giant green foot. The foot was constructed using largely recycled materials and was painted using eco friendly green paint. The weather on Gala Day was excellent and this meant that over one thousand people lined the streets to see the float parade move through the town.
The carbon team had previously worked with the Gala committee and had introduced a carbon challenge which encouraged float builders to use recycled/eco friendly materials. The carbon team acted as judges and awarded points based on the level of recycled components, the eco friendliness of the towing vehicle and how the components would be used once the float was dismantled. Most float builders had made a good effort to be eco conscious. The winning float used a regular road trailer covered in hedge trimmings, this was very simple and carbon friendly.
The green foot was towed using an electric moped which was charged using renewable energy. The foot was towed through the town with ‘Gatehouse Carbon Action’ clearly visible on the ankle section. Many hundreds of people saw the float and it was an excellent way of increasing the visibility of the project and it was good to be seen being involved with the community. It is likely that any member of the community who was not aware of the project before is now aware that the project exists and what it aims to achieve.

Float Construction:
The float was made using ~ 70% recycled materials, the chassis was constructed from an old pine kitchen unit, the rear wheels were from a 40 year old caravan, the front wheels were from an old trolley, the rear axle was from an old weights set and the front axle was constructed using an old roof rack. The wood used to make the frame was scrap/off cuts. The curves for the toes and ankle were made from off cuts of plastic central heating pipe, the mesh is chicken wire (this part of the float was new) the covering was made using papier mache using old newspapers and eco friendly glue. The foot is painted using an eco friendly paint with natural oils and dyes.

The second half of Gala Day was spent exhibiting in Garries Park, the floats gathered in the park along with various stalls and gazebos. The Gatehouse team set up a gazebo and displayed all the kit the project has to offer including a solar PV array, wind turbine and rainwater harvesting kit. The electric scooter was also out on display, this proved very popular especially with the younger age groups.