December 1, 2023
Building on June’s conversation around Scaling Earth Resources, the November Change Makers’ Meeting introduced a series of community composting projects currently in development by Sustainable South Hams, in partnership with Devon Community Composting Network and South Hams District Council.
SusSH Composting Mentor Ben Bryant introduced the pilot projects that will be the focus of this work over the next year.
The first looks to support the establishment of new community composting sites, such as the Marldon Community Composting Scheme pilot site. This support includes a possible composting masterclass in 2024, linking up potential projects with ones that have already got off the ground, and compiling useful information on subjects such as funding and community engagement.
We’re looking for brown bin enthusiasts for our second pilot series, which will cover the many possibilities of wheelie bin conversion! From wormeries and rainwater butts to bokashi composting, we’re hoping to “train the trainer” - offering information to keen bin converters who can then spread knowledge to their own community.
Home composting is our third pilot, with a couple of strands supporting education on the possibilities of composting in your own house or garden. One aspect of this will be a composting road show that could visit your area, and there will also be support for the creation of a home composting demo site (we are exciting to be working with Sustainable South Brent on this, an organisation that has their own long-running community compost and re-use centre at The Marsh.)
Finally, we’ll be looking to support street-level food waste programmes, offering composting at a neighbourhood scale. This exciting concept has been part of some Transition Street projects, with one group in Kingsbridge hoping to trial.
SusSH is really keen to get these pilots rolling out all around the South Hams, so we need to hear from you! Would you or your local group be interested in becoming part of one of these pilot projects? Get in touch at info@sussh.org - we’d love to support your community’s composting ambitions.
Hear from Ben in this short video: