The BIG Society - Shropshire gets creative with recycling
People across Shropshire are getting more active with recycling thanks to grants from Shropshire Community Recycling Network. Eight have received grants so they can spread the word on recycling and make sure less waste ends up in landfill.
Some exciting and creative workshops will be taking place across the county. Rea Valley Environmental Network will be attending local shows, delivering interactive recycling activities and putting together a booklet on practical ways to recycle. Replay-It, a new organisation in Oswestry aims to use by-products from manufacturing and waste in a number of family oriented craft workshops so that families can get creative together. Our Lady and St Oswalds Catholic Primary School are also in creative mood. They will host a “waste can be beautiful” week at the school so pupils can get involved in learning how beautiful and useful objects made from every day domestic and industrial waste can be. During the week they will have a ‘secrets of waste’ day at a local nature reserve, looking at how nature recycles its waste. They will also take part in some creative workshops which will include making storage containers from rubber inner tubes, rope from plastic bags, and bags from rubber inner tubes and old seat belts; creating jewellery and other items from recycled glass.
Marches Energy Agency are creating a “Fantastic Home” whole home sustainable living exhibition with interactive displays and games. The Shropshire Community Recycling Network grant will contribute to the creation of a giant recycling games mat which will appeal to adults and young people alike. “Items like the giant recycling games mat will allow us to get the message across in a fun way to young people” says Sarah Meredith of Marches Energy Agency.
Two furniture schemes will benefit from funding to increase the amount of furniture recycled in their areas. Bridgnorth Furniture Scheme is to have a large marketing campaign to encourage more people to donate their used furniture rather than taking it to landfill. Shrewsbury Furniture Scheme will purchase a smaller van so that it can negotiate the narrow streets of Shrewsbury. It will then be able to reach more households and respond more flexibly to requests for collections of donated furniture and deliveries of reused furniture.
Glass bottles, plastic bottles, cups and cardboard popcorn boxes at Ludlow Assembly Rooms all currently go to landfill. “This grant will help them to introduce specially labelled bins, signage, leaflets and work with their volunteers to separate the waste for recycling” says Rosemary Collie, Co-ordinator for Shropshire Community Recycling Network. Special waste bins and water butts will also be introduced at the Ironbridge Gorge museum to help recycle more waste.
At Fordhall Farm a new heated composter will be introduced as a result of the grant. This will mean that all waste from their community garden can be turned into compost really quickly and reintroduced into the garden. The ultimate in recycling!
As a result of additional funding received from Awards for All Shropshire Community Recycling Network is also working with The Project Group and Replay-It to provide some creative and interesting recycling workshops across the county for adults and young people. “We hope that these will inspire and motivate more people to get involved with recycling and adopt a creative and imaginative approach to it” said Rosemary. They will take place in Market Drayton (22 October ), Craven Arms (29 October) and Oswestry (12 November). For further details contact Gabi Hampson at The Project Group on 01691 655140 or gabi@theprojectgroup.co.uk
For anyone wishing to get involved in recycling or who would like to organise a workshop tailor made for their group please contact Rosemary Collie on 07792 687903.
Shropshire Community Recycling Network is supported by Shropshire Council.