Bridgwater’s Victoria Park Community Centre has played host to its first ever Skillshare event aiming to help residents reduce waste. The event brought together community members, local organisations and the general public on a day to collaborate and share sustainable practises.
Organised by Community Action Groups (CAG) Somerset, a not-for-profit organisation supported by Somerset Council and its collections contractor SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, the event brought together local organisations and the public for a day of sharing sustainability practices – from reducing food waste to repairing broken bikes.
Attendees were welcomed by the ‘Fixy Van,’ a county-wide initiative focused on technology reuse, repair and recycling. The Fixy team collected 70kg of donations, which will be refurbished and distributed to local community groups at risk of digital exclusion, helping to bridge the digital divide in the county.
Local charity On Your Bike was on hand to teach basic bike repairs, such as puncture repair. It also accepted donations of unwanted bikes for its Earn A Bike course which helps disadvantaged people learn the basics of bike mechanics and then to keep the bike for transport.
The event featured inspiring talks and hands-on workshops. Lesley Gates led a cooking demonstration focused on resourcefulness in the kitchen, offering practical tips on minimising food waste. Following this, Jen Gale, author of ‘Sustainable(ish),’ shared her family’s journey of adopting a ‘make do and mend’ lifestyle for a year, highlighting the impact of conscious consumption.
Workshops included setting up a up ‘chop and chat’ sessions linked with community fridges, community collaboration strategies with Edventure Frome, and discussions on reusable hygiene products led by Somerset Council. A trustee from Eat Cary also shared insights on composting and the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle
CAG Somerset provides free support to a thriving network of local community action groups involved in reducing waste or increasing recycling. CAG Somerset is managed by Resource Futures and funded by Somerset Council and its collections contractor SUEZ through the joint Somerset Waste: Enhanced Environmental Performance (SW:EEP) fund.
The partnership’s SW:EEP fund is designated specifically for the benefit of the community, through projects on climate action, behaviour change and positive community support.
Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste, said:
We’re pleased to support this great initiative and all the work that is being done to help grass roots waste reduction. Community days like these can give people skills and inspiration that will see them reduce waste in all aspects of their lives.
Lily Morton, Senior Community Liaison Manager, said:
I really enjoyed attending the Skillshare day organised by the CAG team in Somerset. It was so insightful to see local groups sharing ideas and knowledge. CAG is a really important project to SUEZ, as it encompasses our aim to help the local community reduce their waste in any way they can!
Jinny Uppington, Project Lead at CAG Somerset, said:
We would like thank all attendees of our CAG Somerset Skillshare event for their positive and thoughtful contributions, which made it engaging for everyone.
We are thrilled to see that the event has generated a lot of interest and excitement, as evidenced by the numerous new membership applications we have received since then. We look forward to continuing to work together to promote sustainable practices and build more resilient communities.
Community groups interested in joining the CAG Somerset network or individuals seeking volunteer opportunities are encouraged to visit cagsomerset.co.uk or email hello@cagsomerset.co.uk for more information.
