BRIDPORT will spend two weeks flexing its eco-friendly muscles during the town's first ever 'green fortnight'.

The event, organised by Transition Town Bridport, will aim to celebrate the town's local shops and products and inspire people to live a more sustainable lifestyle and reduce their carbon footprint.

Transition Town Bridport will be working with other groups, businesses and individuals in the town to promote a greener and more sustainable local economy. Bridport Town Council is supporting the green fortnight and will turn the town hall clock face green for the duration of the event.

The Bridport green fortnight will take place from Friday, March 24 until Saturday, April 8.

One of the Green Fortnight's organisers, Sarah West, said: "Bridport is lucky to have a high street full of greengrocers, butchers, bakers and local businesses.

"One of our key messages will be that we want people to buy local. This helps keep money and jobs in the local area and reduces the mileage that goods have to travel from production to shoppers, which in turn reduces the carbon impact."

As well as the campaign to promote local shops and products, there will be a number of events held including a talk by Green Party member of the European Parliament, Molly Scott-Cato, who is also a director of Transition Town Stroud. There will also be a green-themed quiz, and award-winning films 'Tomorrow' (Demain) and 'Before the Flood' will be screened.

Pupils at local schools will also be participating in the fortnight through projects related to the re-use and recycling of everyday items including clothing.

Ms West added: "The era of cheap energy, abundant oil and mineral resources is over and impact of climate change is already being felt around the world.

"Here in Bridport we can show others how a more sustainable way of life can be good for the local economy, make us more resilient and help lessen the effects of climate change."

Bridport has been a transition town since 2009. Transition towns are non-political organisations, with the first group set up in Totnes in Devon and the idea has now spread to 50 countries across the world. The aim of transition towns is to devise ways of meeting environment challenges by involving the whole community in taking more responsibility for our own future and having a more fulfilling this.

Any community groups would like to hold an event that would be relevant to the green fortnight, and any businesses who would be interested in sponsorship should visit transitiontownbridport.co.uk or email admin@transitiontownbridport.co.uk